Rural-Urban Interaction in Newfoundland and Labrador: Understanding and Managing Functional Regions Project Update to NLREDA Conference December 1, 2007, St. John’s, NL

The Beginning: FCM – CRRF Alliance Launched April 2004 Partnering with StatsCan –defining urban & rural –understanding urban-rural inter-dependence Leveraging the New Rural Economy Project –Governance and Capacity –Urban perceptions of rural and vice versa Launching new research: Local Governance of Rural – Urban Interaction –Innovations in Municipal Collaboration –Inter-community Governance Innovations –Tools and Data to Support Innovation

CRRF-FCM Research More than one “rural” –Rural Adjacent (metropolitan regions) –Rural Non-Adjacent (mostly primary resource) –Rural Remote (mostly single industry, plus aboriginal) –Rural recreational / retirement / amenities

CRRF-FCM Research Rural-Urban Linkages are multiple and complex Trade and commerce –Goods, finance, services, people, information Functional integration –Waste management, water protection, recreation Institutional integration –Health, education, social economy, NGOs Common environments –Water, air, climate Common identities –Local, regional, national, international

Functional Regions: Project Components 1)Quantify and map (GIS) linkages between communities in “regions”, particularly urban and rural relationships 2)Assess governance mechanisms used to manage these relationships, identify gaps, investigate alternatives 3)Assess the contribution of community linkages to sustainability and create a “labour market attractiveness index” 4)Knowledge Mobilization: collaboration, communication, application

Functional Regions: Project Team CRRF-FCM Alliance (national project linkages) MNL –CCRC (municipal engagement, communications, advocacy) Memorial University (research) –Harris Centre –Departments of Geography, Political Science & Marine Institute University of Kentucky –Rural Studies (research) Irish Loop Development Corporation (project coordination) Provincial and federal agencies, NGOs –ACOA, HRLE, Service Canada, INTRD, NLREDA Participating communities and regions $C/NL Labour Market Development Agreement

Functional Regions: Case Study Regions All Communities / Regions in NL covered by research 3 Case Study regions selected to pilot research and conduct more in-depth interviews –Rural Adjacent: Irish Loop –Rural Non-adjacent: Twillingate-New World Island RDA area –Rural Remote: Labrador Straits Lessons will be shared with all stakeholders

Functional Regions: Where We Are Mapping Data Collection Pilot Site meetings Governance Research –Small town amalgamation –Review of regional governance –Fisheries governance

Thank You! Comments? Questions? Ideas?