Sustainability Case Studies

in the Sunshine Coast

lnslghLs from sLudenLs ln Lhe MasLer of ArLs ln SusLalnable Lelsure ManagemenL rogram

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nlcole L. vaugeols, hu
8C 8eglonal lnnovaLlon Chalr ln 1ourlsm and SusLalnable 8ural uevelopmenL
vancouver lsland unlverslLy
nlcole.vaugeols[vlu.ca or phone: (offlce) 230-733-3243 1-2772


1hls reporL ls a compllaLlon of a serles of case sLudles on how organlzaLlons ln Lhe Sunshlne CoasL reglon
of 8rlLlsh Columbla are addresslng complex susLalnablllLy lssues. Lach case also ldenLlfles poLenLlal
examples from oLher parLs of Lhe world where slmllar lssues are belng addressed by sLakeholders.
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AcknowledgemenLs ....................................................................................................................................... 8
@+1$= A @+1>2 B"1,$ !>202%C%>$ 0>" D%$%>$#+> ...................................................................................... 9
lnLroducLlon .............................................................................................................................................. 9
?ouLh and ?oung AdulL MlgraLlon ............................................................................................................ 9
Case SLudy: owell 8lver, 8rlLlsh Columbla .............................................................................................. 9
SusLalnablllLy challenges ......................................................................................................................... 10
Loss of Puman CaplLal ......................................................................................................................... 11
LmploymenL CpporLunlLles ................................................................................................................ 11
Soclal CaplLal and LngagemenL ........................................................................................................... 12
Local response Lo susLalnablllLy challenges ............................................................................................ 12
owell 8lver ?ouLh Councll ................................................................................................................. 12
lnnovaLlve prlmary and secondary school programs .......................................................................... 13
owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure lnlLlaLlve .............................................................................................. 13
lnnovaLlve approaches from ouLslde Lhe reglon .................................................................................... 14
8awllns CounLy, ALwood, kansas CreaLlng and malnLalnlng connecLlons wlLh alumnl ................... 14
8rookfleld, Mlssourl An lnnovaLlve way of lnvlLlng youLh Lo reLurn ................................................ 13
1he Pome1own CompeLlLlveness rogram A come-back/glve-back approach .............................. 16
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 16
E:%0$#>2 F+*#0, E0;#$0, G=:+12= @+1$= !>202%C%>$ ................................................................................. 21
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 21
Case sLudy conLexL .................................................................................................................................. 22
Soclal caplLal and clvlc engagemenL ................................................................................................... 22
Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL......................................................................................................... 22
Challenges affecting young peoples civic engagement ......................................................................... 22
?oung people demographlc deflclL ..................................................................................................... 22
Lack of soclal and recreaLlonal acLlvlLles ............................................................................................ 23
Lack of lncluslon durlng plannlng process .......................................................................................... 23
8esponses Lo young peoples clvlc engagemenL on Lhe sunshlne coasL ................................................. 24
vClCL on Lhe CoasL ............................................................................................................................. 24
Capllano unlverslLy MounLaln 8lke CperaLlons rogram ................................................................... 24
Cne CoasL LngagemenL rocess ......................................................................................................... 23
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lnlLlaLlves from ouLslde Lhe dlsLrlcL ........................................................................................................ 23
WangraLLa ?ouLh Councll .................................................................................................................... 23
?ouLhCore ........................................................................................................................................... 26
rlnce Ldward lsland AssoclaLlon for newcomers Lo Canada ............................................................ 27
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 27
Attract|ng the Creat|ve C|ass to owe|| k|ver, 8C ................................................................................... 31
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 31
SusLalnablllLy lssues ................................................................................................................................ 31
Aglng uemographlcs ........................................................................................................................... 32
Lconomy and LmploymenL ulverslflcaLlon ......................................................................................... 32
LducaLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 33
Local responses ....................................................................................................................................... 33
8esponse Lo Lconomy and LmploymenL ulverslflcaLlon .................................................................... 33
8esponse Lo LducaLlon........................................................................................................................ 34
lnnovaLlve soluLlons from ouLslde Lhe reglon ........................................................................................ 33
1he 8ural racLlLloner rogram, Chlle ................................................................................................ 33
norLh Carollna ArLs lncubaLor, Sller ClLy, norLh Carollna ................................................................... 36
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 36
G=% F1>3=#>% E+03$ G:0#,? G+1:#3C $+ $=% F1>3=#>% E+03$ D%2#+>H I.E. ................................................... 40
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 40
1he Sunshlne CoasL 1rall: 1ourlsm Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon, 8.C. ............................................. 40
1he Sunshlne CoasL 1rall ..................................................................................................................... 40
SusLalnablllLy challenges and local responses ........................................................................................ 41
SLakeholders & ollcy ......................................................................................................................... 41
Local 8esponses .................................................................................................................................. 42
Lconomy .............................................................................................................................................. 43
Local 8esponses .................................................................................................................................. 43
lmage markeLlng ................................................................................................................................. 44
Local 8esponses .................................................................................................................................. 44
1ransporLaLlon .................................................................................................................................... 44
Local 8esponses .................................................................................................................................. 43
lnnovaLlve Approaches from CuLslde of Lhe 8eglon .............................................................................. 43

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kokoda 1rack ln apua new Culnea ................................................................................................... 43
WesL CoasL 1rall, 8.C. .......................................................................................................................... 46
Mllford 1rack ln new Zealand ............................................................................................................. 46
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 48
I0,0>*#>2 E=0>2#>2 J%C+2:0;=#*3 ............................................................................................................ 31
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 31
LocaLlon & uescrlpLlon of owell 8lver............................................................................................... 31
8rlef PlsLorlcal/Lconomlcal ConLexL of owell 8lver .......................................................................... 32
uemographlc Challenges .................................................................................................................... 32
Local approaches Lo Lhe challenges of changlng demographlcs ............................................................ 33
Aglng opulaLlon ................................................................................................................................. 33
?oung AdulL 8eLenLlon and ALLracLlon CombaLlng ?oung AdulL CuL-MlgraLlon ............................. 34
lnnovaLlve approaches Lo changlng demographlcs from ouLslde Lhe reglon ......................................... 36
Aglng opulaLlon ................................................................................................................................. 36
?oung AdulL 8eLenLlon and ALLracLlon CombaLlng ?oung AdulL CuL-MlgraLlon ............................. 37
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 39
B"":%33#>2 9++" F%*1:#$( G=:+12= !"1*0$#+> #> $=% K+L%,, D#M%: D%2#+> .............................................. 63
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 63
Case sLudy reglon ................................................................................................................................ 63
lood SecurlLy and Lhe challenges for Lhe owell 8lver reglon ............................................................... 64
LducaLlon for lood SecurlLy ln owell 8lver ....................................................................................... 63
lnnovaLlve soluLlons from ouLslde Lhe reglon ........................................................................................ 67
PollsLlc approach ................................................................................................................................ 67
Accesslng marglnallzed groups ........................................................................................................... 68
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 69
D%*:%0$#+> J%M%,+;C%>$ 0>" N10,#$( +< ,#<% O> K+L%,, D#M%: ................................................................... 72
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 72
8ackground lnformaLlon on owell 8lver ........................................................................................... 72
SusLalnablllLy challenges ......................................................................................................................... 73
lnsufflclenL lunds ................................................................................................................................ 73
Puman 8esource Challenge ................................................................................................................ 74
AccesslblllLy ......................................................................................................................................... 74

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Local response Lo susLalnablllLy challenges ............................................................................................ 74
8esponse Lo lnsufflclenL lundlng ........................................................................................................ 74
8esponse Lo Puman 8esource Challenges .......................................................................................... 73
Career Llnk & 8L .............................................................................................................................. 73
8esponse Lo AccesslblllLy .................................................................................................................... 73
lnnovaLlve approaches from elsewhere ................................................................................................. 76
Mlllennlum Creen: CommunlLy arLlclpaLlon ln uevelopmenL .......................................................... 76
A new 8eglonal lesLlval: CelebraLlng CommunlLy values .................................................................. 77
WalkablllLy CommunlLy: 8elng Accesslble and SusLalnable ................................................................ 77
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 77
9++" F%*1:#$( #> K+L%,, D#M%: .................................................................................................................... 80
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 80
1he concepL of food securlLy .............................................................................................................. 80
SusLalnablllLy challenges of food securlLy ln owell 8lver ...................................................................... 81
Low lncome ......................................................................................................................................... 81
Crganlc food ........................................................................................................................................ 81
Lack of food educaLlon ........................................................................................................................ 82
1ransporLaLlon .................................................................................................................................... 82
8esponse Lo Lhe challenges ln owell 8lver ............................................................................................ 82
1he efforLs of owell 8lver lood SecurlLy CoallLlon ........................................................................... 82
1he efforLs of CommunlLy Cardens .................................................................................................... 83
1he efforts of Powell River Farmers Institute .................................................................................... 83
lnnovaLlve approaches from ouLslde owell 8lver ................................................................................. 84
klds LaL SmarL Club ln newfoundland and Labrador .......................................................................... 84
larmlng ln Cuebec .............................................................................................................................. 83
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 83
B>+$=%: G0P% +> 9++" F%*1:#$( #> K+L%,, D#M%:H IE .................................................................................. 88
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 88
owell 8lver - Lhe pearl on Lhe sunshlne coasL ................................................................................... 88
Who ls food lnsecure? ........................................................................................................................ 89
Why ls owell 8lver vulnerable Lo food lnsecurlLy? ........................................................................... 89
Local responses Lo food securlLy............................................................................................................. 91
6
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1he 30 mlle challenge ......................................................................................................................... 91
nelghbourhood communlLy gardens .................................................................................................. 92
8Cnu ................................................................................................................................................... 92
lnnovaLlve ldeas from elsewhere ............................................................................................................ 93
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................... 93
!>202#>2 $=% !,"%:,( #> /+,1>$%%:#3C ........................................................................................................ 98
lnLroducLlon ............................................................................................................................................ 98
Challenges ln Lhe senlor communlLles ln owell 8lver and SechelL ....................................................... 98
MalnLalnlng Lhe susLalnablllLy of Lhe senlor communlLles ................................................................. 98
1o saLlsfy Lhe lncreaslng demands ...................................................................................................... 99
8esponses aL Lhe local level .................................................................................................................. 100
1he responses from Lhe governmenL ............................................................................................... 101
1he role of Lhe volunLary secLor ln servlng senlors .......................................................................... 102
1he responses from Lhe volunLary organlzaLlons ln owell 8lver and SechelL ................................. 102
lnnovaLlve approaches from elsewhere ............................................................................................... 104
Senlors helplng senlors ..................................................................................................................... 104
8ecrulLlng 8aby 8oomers accordlng Lo speclflc characLerlsLlcs ........................................................ 104
8ecrulLlng male senlors ..................................................................................................................... 104
8ulldlng a sense of communlLy and volunLeerlng reLenLlon ............................................................ 103
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................. 106
F13$0#>0',% B2:#*1,$1:% O> $=% K+L%,, D#M%: D%2#+> ................................................................................ 109
lnLroducLlon .......................................................................................................................................... 109
Challenges of SusLalnable AgrlculLure .................................................................................................. 109
lncreased SLarL-up and CperaLlonal CosLs ........................................................................................ 110
Lack of Avallable Labor ..................................................................................................................... 110
ulfflculLy ln MarkeLlng and ulsLrlbuLlon ........................................................................................... 111
Local responses ..................................................................................................................................... 111
Local 8esponse Lo lncreased SLarL-up and CperaLlonal CosLs .......................................................... 111
Local 8esponse Lo Lack of Avallable Labor ....................................................................................... 112
Local 8esponse Lo ulfflculLy ln MarkeLlng and ulsLrlbuLlon ............................................................. 113
lnnovaLlve approaches from ouLslde Lhe reglon .................................................................................. 113
lood securlLy pollcles and lnlLlaLlves ln 8rlLlsh Columbla ................................................................. 113
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Farmers Market in Waianae, Hawaii................................................................................................ 114
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................. 113
F13$0#>0'#,#$( +< B:$ A E1,$1:% G+1:#3C O> K+L%,, D#M%: ......................................................................... 117
lnLroducLlon .......................................................................................................................................... 117
1he arLs and culLure challenges ............................................................................................................ 117
AdopLlng ArL & CulLure ollcles owell 8lver ................................................................................... 118
8esponses Lo ArL & CulLure Challenges ................................................................................................ 118
lundlng ............................................................................................................................................. 119
SupporL of ArL & CulLure ro[ecLs ln owell 8lver ............................................................................ 120
ArL & CulLure 1argeL MarkeL owell 8lver ........................................................................................ 120
lnnovaLlve ldeas from elsewhere .......................................................................................................... 121
8lack MounLaln norLh Carollna (uSA) .............................................................................................. 121
new ?ork Mllls, MlnnesoLa (uSA): .................................................................................................... 122
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................. 122
F13$0#>#>2 FC0,, I13#>%33%3 0>" !>$:%;:%>%1:3=#; O> K+L%,, D#M%: ...................................................... 126
lnLroducLlon .......................................................................................................................................... 126
LnLrepreneurshlp and small buslness ln owell 8lver ...................................................................... 126
Challenges ............................................................................................................................................. 127
Local responses ..................................................................................................................................... 128
lnnovaLlve ldeas from elsewhere .......................................................................................................... 130
Concluslon ............................................................................................................................................. 132


8
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Introduction and preface


1hls reporL ls a compllaLlon of case sLudles wrlLLen by CraduaLe sLudenLs ln Lhe MasLer of ArLs ln
SusLalnable Lelsure ManagemenL program aL vancouver lsland unlverslLy. 1he sLudenLs parLlclpaLed ln
an exLenslon Lrlp ln Lhe Sunshlne CoasL reglon durlng CcLober 2013 where Lhey lnLeracLed wlLh a range
of sLakeholders lnvolved ln addresslng complex susLalnablllLy lssues. 1hroughouL Lhe course, and
afLerwards, Lhe sLudenLs learned abouL Lhe range of people lnvolved ln Lhese lnlLlaLlves and Lhe
successes experlenced Lhrough Lhelr acLlons. Cnce Lhey reLurned, sLudenLs were asked Lo locaLe
addlLlonal case sLudles, from ouLslde of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL reglon LhaL may be useful Lo help advance
Lhe lnlLlaLlves LhaL Lhey learned abouL when Lhey were ln Lhe fleld.

eople ln Lhe Sunshlne CoasL reglon have ldenLlfled and Laken acLlon on a number of
susLalnablllLy lssues ranglng from food securlLy, Lo economlc prosperlLy, populaLlon dynamlcs and soclal
caplLal. 1hese case sLudles provlde a snapshoL of some of Lhese lssues and a descrlpLlon abouL how
Lhese lssues are currenLly belng addressed. 1he papers should noL be consldered an lncluslve llsL of
acLlons Lo daLe and do noL necessarlly reflecL Lhe full range of perspecLlves of sLakeholders ln Lhe reglon.
We hope LhaL Lhe efforLs already ln place mlghL be advanced Lhrough Lhe addlLlonal ldeas shared wlLhln
our cases.

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1hank you Lo Lhe many people who welcomed us lnLo Lhelr Councll chambers, meeLlng rooms,
offlces, llvlng rooms and esLabllshmenLs Lo learn from your efforLs. ?our wllllngness Lo share
perspecLlves and sLorles has helped shape our learnlng abouL Lhe complexlLy lnvolved ln addresslng
susLalnablllLy wlLhln a reglon. lL has also relnforced our appreclaLlon of Lhe power of collecLlve
commlLmenL and acLlon. 1hls reporL ls a Lhank you, and we hope lL capLures our ablllLy Lo llsLen, hear
and learn from you and Lo respond Lo some of your knowledge and lnformaLlon needs. We wlsh you
conLlnued success wlLh your acLlons.

1he group would also llke Lo share a speclal Lhank you Lo ur. kaLherlne klng, our esLeemed
vlslLlng scholar from 8ournemouLh unlverslLy ln Lhe uk. kaLherlne Lraveled wlLh Lhe group and shared
her wlsdom along Lhe way and she posed ldeas for Lhe reglon Lo conslder wlLh respecL Lo youLh and
young adulLs and Lhe lnfluence LhaL advenLure sporLs can have ln keeplng Lhem healLhy, llnked Lo naLure
and connecLed Lo place.




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8y Liane OKeefe


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8ural communlLles LhroughouL many parLs of Lhe world are faclng a number of susLalnablllLy
challenges relaLed Lo Lhelr changlng demographlcs, speclflcally as lL relaLes Lo Lhe reLenLlon of Lhelr
youLh and young adulLs (Poman, Pedrlc & ulck, 2010, Clendlnnlng eL al., 2003, MalaLesL, 2002,
SLockdale, 2006). ?ouLh and young adulLs are an lmporLanL parL of a communlLy, Lhey are slgnlflcanL
conLrlbuLors Lo Lhe local economy and are a source of new and lnnovaLlve ldeas (Chew eL al., 2011,
Cabrlel, 2002, MalaLesL, 2002, reLLy eL al., 2006). Whlle Lhls generaLlonal cohorL has LradlLlonally had a
Lendency of leavlng rural areas, Lhe raLe of mlgraLlon ouL of Lhelr home communlLles has lncreased
slgnlflcanLly (ArgenL, 2009, ArgenL & Walmsley, 2008). Cverall Lhe Canadlan Lrend shows a neL ouL
mlgraLlon of youLh and young adulLs aged 13 Lo 29 years from rural areas (uupuy, Meyer, & MorlseLLe,
2000, MalaLesL, 2002). 8easons for youLh and young adulL mlgraLlon ouL of rural communlLles can be
varled, buL ls Lyplcally aLLrlbuLed Lo Lhe deslre Lo pursue posL-secondary educaLlon, a lack of local
employmenL opporLunlLles/beLLer earnlng poLenLlal ln urban areas, and poor local soclal caplLal (ArgenL,
2009, ArgenL & Walmsley, 2008, uavles, 2008, Clendlnnlng eL al., 2003, Powley, Parmon, & Leopold,
1996, reLLy eL al., 2006, SLockdale, 2006). 1hls ouLward mlgraLlon from rural communlLles creaLes a
marked age gap wlLhln Lhe demographlc sLrucLure of rural communlLles (Poman, Pedrlc, & ulck, 2010),
whlch creaLe susLalnablllLy challenges LhaL affecL Lhe long-Lerm healLh and vlLallLy of Lhese communlLles
(MalaLesL, 2002). ln order Lo ensure communlLy reslllence and susLalnablllLy, lL ls vlLal LhaL Lhese
communlLles address ouL-mlgraLlon of youLh and young adulLs Lhrough Lhe creaLlon of engaglng
sLraLegles LhaL promoLe youLh and young adulL reLenLlon (lncludlng reLurn mlgraLlon) ln Lhe communlLy
(Cabrlel, 2002, Clendlnnlng eL al., 2003, lrshad, 2013, reLLy eL al., 2006).

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1hls case sLudy examlnes Lhe susLalnablllLy challenges assoclaLed wlLh youLh and young adulL
engagemenL and reLenLlon ln owell 8lver, locaLed on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL of 8rlLlsh Columbla, Canada.
owell 8lver ls locaLed ln Lhe norLhern half of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL along Lhe Malasplna SLralL and ls Lhe
largesL communlLy along Lhe Sunshlne CoasL. AlLhough owell 8lver ls locaLed on a penlnsula of
malnland 8rlLlsh Columbla, lL ls consldered lsolaLed as lL can only be accessed by ferry (ofLen ln
con[uncLlon wlLh a car), boaL or by fllghL Lo Lhe owell 8lver AlrporL (1ourlsm owell 8lver, n.d.).
Crlglnally founded upon a naLural resource-based economy, owell 8lver conLlnues Lo be sLrongly
rellanL upon prlmary lndusLrles (owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL [88u], 2008). Powever, prlmary lndusLry
employmenL ls ln decllne and Lhe reglon ls looklng for ways Lo dlverslfy lLs economy (88u, 2008, owell
River Regional Economic Development Society [PRREDS], n.d.). Powell River prides itself on its dynamic
culLural llfe, fasclnaLlng herlLage and Aborlglnal [sic] tours, and great outdoor recreation (PRREDS, n.d.,
p. 8). 1he Lourlsm board llsLs opporLunlLles for year-round recreaLlon, lncludlng fesLlvals and evenLs
(1ourlsm owell 8lver, n.d.), whlle Lhe reglonal economlc developmenL socleLy sLaLes LhaL owell 8lver
has something for everyone (PRREDS, n.d., p. 8).

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1he ClLy of owell 8lver ls a small populaLlon CenLre (SLaLlsLlcs Canada, 2012) rlch ln naLural
amenlLles and offers many publlc servlces Lo meeL Lhe needs of lLs lnhablLanLs lncludlng a hosplLal, a
unlverslLy, mulLlple elemenLary schools, one secondary school and a hosL of dlfferenL clubs and groups
(88LuS, n.d., owell 8lver 8oard of LducaLlon, n.d. a). ln 2011, Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver had a
populaLlon of 13,163, a growLh of 1.6 from 2006 (SLaLlsLlcs Canada, 2012), whlch supporLs LhaL owell
8lver has a sLable populaLlon (88u, 2008, 88LuS, n.d.). Powever, a closer examlnaLlon of census daLa
provldes slgnlflcanL lnslghL lnLo how Lhe populaLlon ls changlng. ln 2011, owell 8lver census daLa
showed a medlan age of 49.6 compared Lo Lhe naLlonal average of 40.6, 23.7 of Lhe populaLlon was
aged 63 and older compared Lo Lhe naLlonal average of 14.8, and, compared Lo 2006, Lhe populaLlon
of Lhose aged 63+ had lncreased by 13.0 whlle Lhe youLh populaLlon aged 0 Lo 14 had decreased by
10.4 and Lhose aged 13 Lo 64 had experlenced a meager growLh of 0.7 (SLaLlsLlcs Canada, 2012).
opulaLlon Lrends ln owell 8lver lndlcaLe LhaL Lhe percenLage of people aged 0 Lo 44 ls decllnlng, whlle
Lhose aged 43+ are lncreaslng parLlcularly ln Lhe cohorL aged 63+ (88u, 2008). Arguably, owell 8lver
ls undergolng a populaLlon shlfL leadlng Lo an lmbalance ln lLs demographlcs. 1he lmpllcaLlon for Lhe
susLalnablllLy and reslllence of owell 8lver ls profound especlally lf Lhe provlslon of servlces for Lhls
aglng generaLlon ls compromlsed by ouL-mlgraLlon of younger generaLlons, whlch ls ofLen seen ln rural
communlLles experlenclng demographlc aglng (8ryanL & !oseph, 2001).

owell 8lver offers many aLLracLlve servlces and amenlLles (88LuS, n.d), sLlll, lL ls experlenclng
an ouL-mlgraLlon of lLs youLh and young adulLs. 1he exacL reasons LhaL Lhls cohorL ls chooslng Lo leave
owell 8lver are unclear. Powever, moLlvaLlons behlnd rural youLh and young adulL mlgraLlon can be
elucldaLed from sLudles on Lhe sub[ecL. ?ouLh and young adulLs ln owell 8lver may choose Lo mlgraLe
for reasons of attraction to the bright lights of large urban cenLers llke vancouver, Lhe deslre Lo pursue
posL-secondary educaLlon noL offered aL Lhe local unlverslLy, vancouver lsland unlverslLy (vlu), or ln Lhe
bellef LhaL Lhere are more or beLLer employmenL opporLunlLles ouLslde of owell 8lver (ArgenL, 2009,
ArgenL & Walmsley, 2008, uavles, 2008, Cabrlel, 2002, Clendlnnlng eL al., 2003, reLLy eL al., 2006,
SLockdale, 2002). lmporLanLly, youLh are a vlLal componenL of a susLalnable communlLy and Lhelr ouL-
migration should be cause for concern for Powell Rivers continued sustainability and community
reslllence (Clbson & ArgenL, 2008).

1hls case sLudy explores Lhree maln susLalnablllLy challenges LhaL owell 8lver faces wlLhln Lhe
conLexL of youLh engagemenL and reLenLlon, and descrlbes boLh lnLenLlonal and unlnLenLlonal local
responses and opporLunlLles Lo address Lhese challenges. llnally, Lhe paper dlscusses worklng examples
of how oLher communlLles ln dlfferenL parLs of Lhe world are addresslng slmllar lssues.

<.,+"7*"#7$7+= :/"$$%*1%,
SusLalnablllLy can be consldered as a hollsLlc approach Lo Lhe long-Lerm reslllence of a
communlLy (AbboLL-Chapman, 2001, SLelner & MarkanLonl, 2013). ln Lhls llghL, owell 8lver musL
address youLh and young adulL reLenLlon as Lhls cohorL represenLs one of Lhe greaLesL asseLs for
communlLy revlLallzaLlon and reslllence (CenLer for 8ural LnLrepreneurshlp, n.d.). Powever, lL ls noL [usL
abouL encouraglng Lhls cohorL Lo sLay. CfLen, Lhose who choose Lo mlgraLe ouL of rural communlLles
represenL some of Lhe brlghLesL lndlvlduals ln Lhe communlLy and persuadlng Lhem noL Lo leave denles
Lhem Lhe opporLunlLy Lo acqulre skllls Lo supporL communlLy developmenL (ArgenL & Walmsley, 2008,
Cabrlel, 2002, anelll, nalrn & McCormack, 2002, SLockdale, 2006). lor Lhls reason, lL ls lmporLanL for
owell 8lver Lo flnd ways Lo engage youLh and young adulLs whlle Lhey are parL of Lhe communlLy so
LhaL Lhey can conLrlbuLe Lo communlLy developmenL all whlle creaLlng an aLmosphere ln whlch Lhey feel
welcomed and moLlvaLed Lo reLurn (reLLy eL al., 2006, SLockdale, 2006). 8esldenLs of owell 8lver

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Lyplcally speak abouL Lhe vulnerablllLy of Lhe reglon ln regards Lo lLs lsolaLlon and food securlLy (personal
lnLervlews), however, ln Lhe absence of a slgnlflcanL worker ln-mlgraLlon, owell 8lver can expecL a neL
loss of youLh and young adulLs, labor shorLages and a compromlsed economlc base whlch creaLes
greaLer reglonal vulnerablllLy (Plgglns, 2008, 88u, 2008). WhaL ls happenlng ln owell 8lver ls on Lrend
wlLh whaL ls happenlng ln many rural Canadlan communlLles (8ryanL & !oseph, 2001, MalaLesL, 2002),
whlch provldes an opporLunlLy Lo develop, be recognlzed for and beneflL from lnnovaLlve ways Lo
engage and reLaln youLh and young adulLs. 1o do so and Lo progress Loward susLalnable communlLy
developmenL, owell 8lver should reexamlne Lhelr exlsLlng lssues and undersLand how Lhey presenL
challenges for youLh and young adulL reLenLlon and reLurn-mlgraLlon. Speclflcally, Lhls paper wlll focus
on Lhe susLalnablllLy challenges of Lhe loss of human caplLal, lack of employmenL opporLunlLles, and Lhe
need for soclal caplLal and engagemenL.

-+33 +< Q1C0> E0;#$0,
Human capital is the individual abilities and attributes, such as knowledge, education and skills,
labour force, health, that make up a population (Buikstra et al., 2010, p. 977). The out-mlgraLlon of
youLh and young adulLs removes, posslbly permanenLly, Lhls knowledge and sklll from Lhe populaLlon
(SLockdale, 2006). rosperous rural communlLles are usually more sLable and are characLerlzed by
havlng a greaLer numbers of educaLed young adulLs (lsserman, leser & Warren, 2009) and experlence
beLLer success ln efforLs Lo be susLalnable (uale, Llng & newman, 2010). WlLh neL ouLward mlgraLlon of
youLh and young adulLs, owell 8lver ls ln a slLuaLlon where lLs susLalnablllLy ls compromlsed.
Puman caplLal ls a faclllLaLor for lnnovaLlon and has been llnked Lo greaLer soclal caplLal and economlc
success (uakhll & ue Clercq, 2004). When lnnovaLlon and Lhe appllcaLlon Lhereof occur mosL effecLlvely
aL Lhe communlLy level and are lmporLanL for communlLy reslllence (uale, Llng & newman, 2010), Lhe
loss of human caplLal can be seen as a susLalnablllLy challenge for owell 8lver. As owell 8lver seLs ouL
Lo reallze goals of locallzlng Lhelr food producLlon and swlLchlng Lo a low-energy, low carbon-fooLprlnL
fuLure (1ranslLlon 1own, personal communlcaLlon, 21 CcLober 2013) along wlLh goals ouLllned ln Lhelr
SusLalnable Cfflclal CommunlLy lan (SCC) (owell 8lver CC, 2013), human caplLal wlll be necessary
for supporL, lnnovaLlon and acLlon. Whlle owell 8lver has recognlzed Lhe need for aLLracLlng youLh and
young adulLs (owell 8lver CC, 2013), achlevlng Lhese goals wlll be problemaLlc lf Lhe neL loss of human
caplLal represenLed by Lhe ouL-mlgraLlon of youLh and young people conLlnues ln owell 8lver.

!C;,+(C%>$ R;;+:$1>#$#%3
8ural youLh and young adulLs Lyplcally vlew Lhelr communlLles favorably, excepL when lL comes
Lo employmenL opporLunlLles and earnlng poLenLlal, whlch are Lyplcally assoclaLed wlLh urban areas
(MalaLesL, 2002). 1hose LhaL do leave Lo pursue posL-secondary educaLlon ofLen express lnLeresL ln
returning, but fail to return because their rural communities are associated with a lack of suitable
employment opportunities compatible with the individuals qualifications and skills (Homan, Hedric &
ulck, 2010, MalaLesL, 2002, SLockdale, 2006). In a survey of residents perceptions, the Powell River
CommunlLy loundaLlon (2012) found LhaL over 73 of respondenLs raLed Lhe healLh of Lhe local
economy as falr, below average or poor. ln Lhe same sLudy, approxlmaLely 84 of people raLed fuLure
[ob opporLunlLles LhaL supporL a sLable and healLhy communlLy as falr, below average or poor (owell
8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). lL ls slgnlflcanL LhaL Lhe communlLy does noL have confldence ln
Lhelr economy. WlLh a LradlLlonal prlmary lndusLry-based economy, owell 8lver needs Lo emphaslze
economlc dlverslflcaLlon and creaLe employmenL opporLunlLles Lo meeL Lhe demands of youLh and
young adulLs. AL Lhe very leasL, owell 8lver should provlde educaLlon abouL whaL employmenL and
career opporLunlLles do exlsL wlLhln Lhe communlLy. lalllng Lhls, regardless of aLLachmenL Lo Lhe local
communlLy, Lhls generaLlonal cohorL wlll mlgraLe ouL of owell 8lver Lo areas LhaL offer Lhe employmenL
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

opporLunlLles Lhey deslre (Powley eL al., 1996). lf owell 8lver ls Lo have a sLrong, reslllenL communlLy
and economy Lhey wlll need Lo acLlvely engage youLh and young adulLs and be open Lo how Lhey can
develop and dlverslfy Lhelr economy.

F+*#0, E0;#$0, 0>" !>202%C%>$
Social capital can be defined as the relationships among people, lncludlng norms of reclproclLy
and trust (Buikstra et al., 2010, p. 977). By investing in social capital, communities can encourage youth
and young adulLs Lo engage ln Lhelr communlLy, whlch creaLes a sense of communlLy and belonglng and
an overall more reslllenL communlLy (8ulksLra eL al., 2010, uale, Llng & newman, 2010, reLLy eL al.,
2006). WlLh a need for volunLeers and only a core group wlLhln older cohorLs who acLlvely volunLeer
(personal lnLervlews), Lhls provldes an opporLunlLy for owell 8lver Lo engage youLh and young adulLs
and show Lhem LhaL Lhey are an lmporLanL parL of Lhe communlLy. When Lhere ls a sLrong sense of
belonglng ln a communlLy Lhls creaLes a sense of wellbelng and moLlvaLes lndlvlduals Lo sLay wlLhln or
reLurn Lo a communlLy (Clendlnnlng eL al., 2003, SLockdale, 2002). Soclal caplLal and youLh engagemenL
are key facLors ln Lhe dlffuslon of lnnovaLlon (uale, Llng & newman, 2010), and owell 8lver should look
Lo Lhls as a key sLraLegy ln susLalnable developmenL. Powever, Lhls musL be more Lhan [usL a Loken
gesLure as allenaLlon and Lhe feellng of belng unheard can perslsL lf meanlngful engagemenL does noL
occur (MalaLesL, 2002). uurlng Lhls process, lL ls lmporLanL Lo remember LhaL youLh and young adulLs
may requlre dlfferenL approaches Lo engagemenL, one sLraLegy wlll llkely noL flL all.

D':"$ 9%,E'*,% +' ,.,+"7*"#7$7+= :/"$$%*1%,
WheLher purposefully drlven wlLh Lhe lnLenLlon of youLh and young adulL reLenLlon or noL, Lhree
lnlLlaLlves were ldenLlfled LhaL have Lhe poLenLlal Lo address Lhls parLlcular susLalnablllLy lssue ln owell
8lver. Whlle noL a comprehenslve llsL of all susLalnablllLy lnlLlaLlves ln owell 8lver, Lhls paper wlll focus
on Lhe opporLunlLles for youLh engagemenL and reLenLlon creaLed Lhough youLh councll, lnnovaLlve
prlmary and secondary school programs, and Lhe owell 8lver arLs and culLure lnlLlaLlve.

K+L%,, D#M%: @+1$= E+1>*#,
owell 8lver ls ln Lhe lnfancy sLage of developlng a youLh councll wlLh Lhe lnLenLlon Lo engage youLh by
provldlng a plaLform for Lhem Lo express Lhelr vlewpolnLs, wanLs, and needs as lmporLanL members of
Lhe communlLy. Whlle Lhere have been Lalks abouL renovaLlng Lhe skaLeboard park ln owell 8lver as a
parL of Lhe creaLlon of Lhe youLh councll (Walz, 2013), lL ls lmporLanL LhaL Lhls be more Lhan [usL a Loken
gesLure. ?ouLh need Lo be engaged ln ways LhaL Lhey undersLand and can respond Lo (knlghL, 1.,
personal communlcaLlon, 21 CcLober 2013) and lL ls lmporLanL LhaL Lhey feel LhaL Lhelr oplnlons are
valued and Laken serlously (MalaLesL, 2002). 8y creaLlng a councll LhaL engages youLh on serlous lssues
LhaL concern Lhem and Lhe communlLy (e.g. Lourlsm, LransporLaLlon or recreaLlon), youLh have a volce ln
shaplng Lhelr communlLy. 1hls noL only creaLes an lnLergeneraLlonal-frlendly communlLy, buL also
creaLes Lles Lo Lhelr communlLy, whlch can moLlvaLe youLh and young adulLs Lo sLay or choose Lo reLurn
(reLLy eL al., 2006).

As Lhe owell 8lver youLh councll ls sLlll ln Lhe developmenL sLage, Lhey can look Lo oLher youLh
counclls LhroughouL rural Canada for dlrecLlon and lnsplraLlon. lor example, Lhe CnLarlo 8ural Councll
(1C8C) has a youLh councll LhaL allows Lhem engage youLh and young adulLs on communlLy lssues and
has creaLed a Len-sLep gulde for communlLles looklng Lo esLabllsh a youLh councll (1he CnLarlo 8ural
Councll [1C8C], 2008). 1C8C has seen achlevemenL ln worklng wlLh youLh Lo ldenLlfy youLh lssues and
worklng on soluLlons LogeLher, youLh and young adulLs are engaged LhroughouL Lhe enLlre process
(1C8C, 2007). Llkewlse, ChaLham-kenL and SaulL SLe. Marle ln CnLarlo boLh have youLh counclls LhaL can
)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

be looked Lo as examples (8edden, 2003), and Lhere ls a wealLh of llLeraLure LhaL makes a case for and
supporLs communlLles ln Lhe creaLlon of youLh counclls (see for example MarLln eL al., 2007). owell
8lver should be commended for Lhelr sLarL up efforLs and musL be sure Lo generaLe momenLum around
Lhelr new youLh councll as Lhls has Lhe poLenLlal Lo creaLe a youLh volce on councll, lmprove Lhe
democraLlc envlronmenL ln Lhe communlLy, and fosLer communlLy prlde ln adulLs and a greaLer sense of
belonglng for youLh (8edden, 2003).

O>>+M0$#M% ;:#C0:( 0>" 3%*+>"0:( 3*=++, ;:+2:0C3
owell 8lver has a varleLy of dlfferenL school and school-relaLed programs LhaL lnvolve and
connecL sLudenLs, Leachers, and communlLy members (SusLalnable Schools CommlLLee, personal
communlcaLlon, 21 CcLober 2013). 1he SusLalnable Schools CommlLLee (SSC) ls one way LhaL Lhe school
dlsLrlcL has engaged and empowered sLudenLs Lhrough educaLlon and ln dolng so connecLed Lhem back
Lo Lhe communlLy Lhrough lnlLlaLlves llke parLnershlps for professlonal developmenL or Lhe creaLlon of
food gardens (owell 8lver 8oard of LducaLlon, n.d. a). ln addlLlon, Lhere ls sLrong evldence of
lnnovaLlon wlLhln Lhe school currlculum. 1he hlgh school has parLnered wlLh vlu Lo offer speclal
accredlLed programs (owell 8lver 8oard of LducaLlon, n.d. a). 1hls provldes opporLunlLles for Lhe
unlverslLy, secondary school and local governmenL Lo work LogeLher Lo develop programs LhaL address
Lhe needs of Lhe communlLy, and, slmulLaneously, encourage youLh Lo pursue posL-secondary educaLlon
locally slmllar Lo whaL Capllano unlverslLy ls dolng ln SechelL, 8rlLlsh Columbla (Capllano unlverslLy,
personal communlcaLlon, 23 CcLober 2013). 1hls ls especlally lmporLanL as Lhere wlll be a need for
young adulLs wlLh skllled trades knowledge ln Lhe nexL decade and Lhe provlnclal mlnlsLry of [obs,
Lourlsm and skllls Lralnlng ls looklng Lo supporL Lhese lnlLlaLlves (8olsLer, 2013).

As menLloned, Lhe secondary school offers formal educaLlon programs LhaL creaLe opporLunlLles
for youLh and young adulL reLenLlon. Speclflcally, Lhrough a dual credlL program wlLh vlu, hlgh school
sLudenLs have Lhe opporLunlLy Lo earn a vlu cerLlflcaLe or vlu credlLs ln Lrade and applled Lechnology
programs LhaL frequenLly offer local employmenL opporLunlLles, whlch promoLes sLudenLs Lo learn and
llve (and ldeally work) ln owell 8lver (owell 8lver 8oard of LducaLlon, n.d. b ). 1hls ls a greaL
opporLunlLy Lo connecL youLh Lo Lhelr communlLy and glve Lhem experlence ln and exposure Lo Lhe [ob
markeL ln owell 8lver. 1he secondary school also offers experlenLlal learnlng opporLunlLles for all youLh
Lhrough Lhe ouLdoor and ecologlcal learnlng deparLmenL, whlch offers programs llke Lhe Leadershlp
Lcology AdvenLure rogram (LLA) or Lhe CoasL MounLaln Academy (CuLdoor & Lcologlcal Learnlng
ueparLmenL, n.d.). 1he ouLdoor and ecologlcal learnlng deparLmenL and lLs programs noL only promoLe
Lhe LradlLlonal ecologlcal verslon of susLalnablllLy, buL supporL sklll bulldlng so sLudenLs can Lhlnk
critically about personal choices and the relationships between society, economy, culture and the
environment with the goal of empowering youth to be leaders (Outdoor & Ecological Learnlng
ueparLmenL, n.d.,). 1hese opporLunlLles exLend Lhrough prlmary and secondary school (see for example
hLLp://blL.ly/1am3CCf) and show LhaL Lhe owell 8lver educaLlon sysLem ls lnvesLlng ln lLs youLh. 1he
challenge LhaL remalns ls Lo flnd was Lo connecL Lhese youLh Lo Lhelr communlLy, creaLe a sense of
belonglng and supporL wlLhln Lhe communlLy, and flnd ways Lo encourage Lhese fuLure leaders Lo sLay
or conslder reLurnlng Lo owell 8lver once Lhey have compleLed Lhelr educaLlon.

K+L%,, D#M%: B:$3 0>" E1,$1:% O>#$#0$#M%
owell 8lver ls home Lo arL gallerles, museums, a unlverslLy, Lhe aLrlcla 1heaLre, Lhe world-
renowned Academy of Muslc, and Lwo llve performance LheaLres (owell 8lver Councll for ArLs, CulLure
and PerlLage, 2013). 1he owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure lnlLlaLlve (2012) ls noL [usL abouL aLLracLlng
tourists, but about giving Powell a competitive edge in attracting talented people and innovative

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

businesses(p. 3). The arts and culture scene and lifestyle in Powell River is already attracLlng youLh and
young adulLs Lo mlgraLe Lo owell 8lver (personal lnLervlew, 20 CcLober 2013) whlch ls one of Lhe goals
of Lhe arLs and culLure lnlLlaLlve (owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee, 2012). Powever, whlle noL
expllclLly expressed, Lhls lnlLlaLlve holds opporLunlLles Lo encourage youLh and young resldenL arLlsLs Lo
sLay or reLurn Lo Lhe communlLy. noL only can reLenLlon be accompllshed by lncludlng youLh and young
adulL arLlsLs ln owell 8lver ln Lhe arLs and culLure communlLy, buL also by encouraglng Lhls cohorL Lo
acLlvely supporL and engage Lhe arL and culLure secLor of Lhelr communlLy Lhrough volunLeerlng, whlch
Lhls secLor heavlly relles on (owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee, 2012).

unforLunaLely, overlooklng local youLh and young adulLs ln Lhe developmenL of Lhelr own
communlLles ls a Lrend ln rural areas (CenLer for LnLrepreneurshlp, n.d.). Powever, wlLh a 10 year
lmplemenLaLlon plan (owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee, 2012), Lhls glves Lhe ArLs and CulLure
commlLLee ample Llme Lo Lake sLock of Lhelr goals and moblllze youLh and young adulL engagemenL.
WlLh young people, lnnovaLlon, educaLlon and Lhe lnsLanLanelLy of soclal medla presenL an excellenL
opporLunlLy Lo reach Lhe goals seL ouL ln Lhe Llmellne of Lhe lnlLlaLlve (owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure
Committee, 2012). One place to start may be by asking the youth in the community What
opporLunlLles exlsL for Lhe en[oymenL of vlsual arLs, muslc, and oLher culLural expresslons, as well as for
outdoor recreation? (Gruenewald, 2003, p. 643). ln asklng Lhls quesLlon, youLh are lmmersed ln Lhe
culLural offerlngs of Lhelr communlLy and are made presenL Lo Lhe place Lhey lnhablL (Cruenewald,
2003). ?oung people can acL as ambassadors ln promoLlng owell 8lver and lLs arLs and culLure, Lhls ls a
wasLed opporLunlLy lf youLh and young adulLs are noL encouraged Lo parLlclpaLe ln and develop Lhe arLs
and culLure lnlLlaLlve.

8**'A"+7A% "EE9'":/%, (9'5 '.+,73% +/% 9%17'*
WlLh boLh a susLalnablllLy charLer and a susLalnable offlclal communlLy plan, owell 8lver ls
worklng Loward dlrecLlng growLh and communlLy lnlLlaLlves for conLlnued communlLy susLalnablllLy
(owell 8lver CC, 2013). Powever, Lhese documenLs elLher group LogeLher youLh, famlly and speclal
needs and lgnore Lhe young adulL caLegory (owell 8lver CC, 2013), or barely menLlon youLh and young
adulLs beyond lncluslon ln focus groups (owell 8lver SusLalnablllLy CharLer, 2009, owell 8lver
CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). 1hls ldenLlfles Lhe opporLunlLy for owell 8lver Lo address youLh and
young adulL engagemenL and reLenLlon hollsLlcally ln Lhelr plans and acLlons, especlally as Lhey can help
address lssues of economlc, soclal and culLural susLalnablllLy (8ulksLra eL al., 2010, uavles, 2008).
lmporLanLly, owell 8lver should supporL lLs youLh and young adulL cohorL and be prepared Lo welcome
Lhem back when Lhey reLurn, Lhe percepLlon LhaL reLurnlng ls a slgn of fallure should be acLlvely
dlscouraged (MalaLesL, 2002, SLockdale, 2006). urawlng on Lhe followlng examples of norLh Amerlcan
rural communlLles addresslng youLh and young adulL reLenLlon lssues, owell 8lver can creaLe Lhelr own
sLraLeglc plannlng Lo purposefully engage youLh and encourage Lhelr reLurn. 1he flrsL Lwo examples are
easy meLhods of engaglng youLh and young adulLs before and afLer Lhey leave Lhe communlLy, whlle Lhe
Lhlrd exempllfles a sLraLegy for communlLy developmenL.

D0L,#>3 E+1>$(H B$L++"H S0>303 E:%0$#>2 0>" C0#>$0#>#>2 *+>>%*$#+>3 L#$= 0,1C>#
WlLh Lhe creaLlon of lLs youLh councll, lLs engaglng school programs, and Lhe opporLunlLles
provlded by Lhe arLs and culLure lnlLlaLlve, owell 8lver ls acLlvely engaglng youLh ln Lhe communlLy
before mlgraLlon occurs, whlch wlll encourage reLenLlon before mlgraLlon occurs (AbboLL-Chapman,
2001, uavles, 2008). Powever, lL ls lmporLanL Lo conslder how Lo encourage reLurn mlgraLlon once youLh
and young adulL have chosen Lo leave (uavles, 2008). 1he role of percepLlon plays an lmporLanL role ln
determining an individuals migration decisions and can play a role in lnfluenclng reLurn mlgraLlon

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

(Davies, 2008). In order to present a current portrayal of the communitys social and economic
opporLunlLles, 8awllns CounLy has come up wlLh a slmple way Lo address sLereoLypes LhaL communlLy
leaders may have and encourage reLurn mlgraLlon.

1hrough Lhe 1980s and 1990s, Lhe lack of local opporLunlLles for youLh and young adulLs saw Lhe
ouL mlgraLlon of youLh leadlng Lo a populaLlon decrease of 7-10, an age gap ln Lhe communlLy of 20 Lo
40 year olds, and aglng communlLy leaders (Schroeder, 2011). 1he early 2000s saw some mlgraLlon of
Lhose aged 30+ and recenL communlLy developmenL has focused on leadershlp program for youLh and
young adulLs ln Lhe communlLy as a reLenLlon sLraLegy (Schroeder, 2011). A separaLe sLraLegy has been
Lhe creaLlon of an alumnl assoclaLlon, conslsLlng of an emall and address daLabase of former and currenL
graduaLes, allowlng 8awllns CounLy Lo sLay ln conLacL wlLh currenL and former resldenLs vla emall as well
as soclal medla (Schroeder, 2011). ln Lhelr communlcaLlons, 8awllns CounLy speaks abouL upcomlng
evenLs lncludlng Lhelr annual alumnl banqueL, communlLy pro[ecLs, adverLlses career opporLunlLles ln
Lhe communlLy, and sollclLs appllcaLlons for Lhelr summer lnLern poslLlon (Schroeder, 2011). 1he alumnl
banqueL alone sees Lhe reLurn of 400 Lo 430 alumnl annually. Slmllar Lo owell 8lver, 8awllns CounLy has
experlenced an ouLward mlgraLlon of youLh and young adulLs resulLlng ln a gap ln youLh and young
adulLs, however, slnce Lhe esLabllshmenL of Lhe alumnl assoclaLlon, Lhe communlLy has seen Lhe
creaLlon of agrlculLural and small buslnesses, alded by Lhe professlonal recrulLmenL of alumnl
(Schroeder, 2011). 8y creaLlng an alumnl daLabase and hosLlng an annual alumnl banqueL and lnvlLlng all
alumnl Lo aLLend, owell 8lver could encourage Lhe reLurn of lLs youLh and young adulLs. 1hls
encourages Lhls cohorL Lo malnLaln Lles Lo Lhelr communlLy so LhaL one day Lhey may reLurn, whlle also
boosLlng Lhe local economy wlLh Lhls annual evenL. AddlLlonally, by havlng an emall daLabase of all
graduaLes from Lhe secondary school or vlu, owell 8lver can creaLe an elecLronlc newsleLLer Lo
encourage all alumni to keep a finger on the pulse of whats happening in the community, dispel
sLereoLypes abouL rural communlLles, promoLe [ob or career opporLunlLles, and encourage Lhe reLurn
mlgraLlon of lLs youLh and young adulLs.

I:++P<#%,"H T#33+1:# B> #>>+M0$#M% L0( +< #>M#$#>2 (+1$= $+ :%$1:>
AnoLher slmple reLenLlon sLraLegy LhaL encourages reLurn mlgraLlon comes from 8rookfleld,
Missouri and can be used for all of Powell Rivers departing or graduating students whether at the
secondary or posL-secondary level. upon graduaLlon, secondary sLudenLs ln 8rookfleld, Mlssourl are
presented with real mailboxes that are decoraLed wlLh lcons LhaL represenL Lhelr homeLown
(Schroeder, 2011). 1hls ldea was generaLed ouL of asklng quesLlons abouL Lhe klnd of message Lhe
communlLy wanLed graduaLes Lo recelve when leavlng Lhe communlLy (Schroeder, 2011), owell 8lver
needs Lo ask Lhls same quesLlon of communlLy and school leaders. 8y lncludlng a personallzed leLLer
slgned by communlLy leaders as well as a Cu of phoLographs of Lhelr experlences ln 8rookfleld, Lhe
schools goal was to acknowledge that although students may leave, they are always welcome and ln
facL encouraged, Lo reLurn and seL up Lhelr mallbox ouLslde of Lhelr home when Lhey do (Schroeder,
2011). 1hls served as a remlnder LhaL Lhe communlLy values and supporLs Lhem and LhaL anyone who
chose Lo sLay was a parL of LhaL communlLy and encourage Lo geL lnvolved (Schroeder, 2011).

1hrough slmple, meanlngful acLlon, Lhls communlLy has been able Lo fosLer a sense of belonglng
and communlLy ln lLs youLh and acLlvely combaLs Lhe sLlgma LhaL reLurnlng equals falllng, whlch ls
necessary ln order Lo for reLurn mlgraLlon Lo occur (MalaLesL, 2002, SLockdale, 2006) and owell 8lver
can easlly do Lhe same. 1he effecLlveness of slmple, meanlngful sLraLegles Lo engage and promoLe youLh
reLenLlon, such as LhaL employed by 8rookfleld, can be seen ln an asplrlng medlcal sLudenL who wroLe a
leLLer Lo hls communlLy explalnlng whaL hls mallbox meanL Lo hlm and hls lnLenLlon Lo reLurn Lo
6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8rookfleld upon compleLlng medlcal school (Schroeder, 2011). LngagemenL and reLenLlon sLraLegles do
noL need Lo be compllcaLed, buL may requlre conslderlng new and lnnovaLlve approaches. 8y provldlng
a small, buL meanlngful, physlcal Loken and personallzed leLLer Lo graduaLes, communlLy members ln
owell 8lver can work wlLh Lhe local school dlsLrlcL Lo boLh show and Lell lLs graduaLes LhaL Lhe
communlLy of owell 8lver supporLs Lhem ln whaLever Lhey do, wherever Lhey go, and LhaL owell 8lver
wlll always be Lhelr home. 1he message behlnd Lhe glfL ls whaL ls lmporLanL, agaln, Lhls ls a way for
owell 8lver Lo ensure lLs youLh and young adulLs feel a sense of communlLy and belonglng. Powever lL
Lransplres, owell 8lver should conslder ways ln whlch Lhey can connecL meanlngfully wlLh graduaLes Lo
creaLe a communlLy LhaL Lhey wlll wanL Lo sLay ln or reLurn Lo.

G=% Q+C%G+L> E+C;%$#$#M%>%33 K:+2:0C B *+C%U'0*P52#M%U'0*P 0;;:+0*=
Whlle Lhls lasL sLraLegy ls noL a case sLudy, lL ls an lnnovaLlve approach Lo rural communlLy
developmenL LhaL has been adopLed across many rural communlLles ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes and ls (llgure
1). Pome1own CompeLlLlveness (P1C) operaLes on Lhe core concepL LhaL rural communlLles have
everyLhlng Lhey requlre Lo be successful, Lhere are no experLs, only learners wlLh common goals
(Pome1own CompeLlLlveness [P1C], n.d.). 8ulldlng upon Lhls, Lhe communlLy developmenL sLraLegy
focuses on four plllars: 1) developlng local leadershlp, 2) lncreaslng communlLy engagemenL, 3)
energlzlng enLrepreneurs, 4) engaglng youLh (P1C, n.d.). 1hrough Lhls focus and a Lhree-phase
assessmenL, engagemenL and lmplementation plan, HTC builds upon local assets to create locally
drlven sLraLegles LhaL bear promlse for long-term sustainability in their communities (HTC, n.d., para.
4). lor example, ln Lhe flrsL flve years, PolL CounLy, an lsolaLed communlLy of 12,000 people, achleved
28 new buslness, 18 buslness expanslons, 172 new [obs, and ralsed flnanclal caplLal Lo puL Loward fuLure
communlLy pro[ecLs (P1C, n.d.).

1hls program ls abouL uslng and creaLlng opporLunlLles for Lhe exlsLlng resources and amenlLles
LhaL owell 8lver has. 1hls hlghllghLs whaL owell 8lver needs Lo reallze: LhaL lL does have Lhe capaclLy Lo
acL, engage and supporL clLlzens, and reallze susLalnablllLy goals and LhaL lLs greaLesL Lools ln dolng so
are lLs people, lncludlng youLh and young adulLs. 1he underlylng ldeas of engagemenL, enLrepreneurs,
leadershlp and uslng Lhe caplLal LhaL ls avallable Lo owell 8lver Lo creaLe susLalnable developmenL are
also ways Lo encourage youLh and young adulL engagemenL and reLenLlon (Cabrlel, 2002, Clendlnnlng eL
al., 2003, lrshad, 2013, reLLy eL al., 2006). 1hls model of self-rellance presenLs an opporLunlLy for
owell 8lver Lo conslder Lhelr own developmenL plans and geL more lnformaLlon abouL Lhe P1C model
Lo undersLand how lL can work for Lhem and creaLe Lhe changes requlred for long-Lerm reslllence.

)'*:$.,7'*
?ouLh and young adulL engagemenL and reLenLlon may noL appear Lo be an lmmedlaLe concern
for rural communlLles glven Lhe cusLomary and even expecLed ouL-mlgraLlon of youLh from rural areas
(MalaLesL, 2002, SLockdale, 2002). Powever, ouL-mlgraLlon of Lhls cohorL lmpacLs many rural
communlLles and ls recognlzed as a LhreaL Lo susLalnablllLy and reslllence of rural communlLles (Poman,
Pedrlc & ulck, 2010, Clendlnnlng eL al., 2003, MalaLesL, 2002, SLockdale, 2006). lor owell 8lver, Lhls
decllne ln Lhelr youLh and young adulLs has been parLlally masked by rapld growLh ln senlors (SLaLlsLlcs,
Canada, 2012, SLockdale, 2006). ln acknowledglng LhaL youLh and young adulLs are an lnLegral parL of a
susLalnable communlLy, owell 8lver should focus on youLh and young adulL engagemenL and reLenLlon
sLraLegles Lo address larger lssues of an aglng populaLlon, loss of human caplLal, lack of employmenL
opporLunlLles, and Lhe need for soclal caplLal and engagemenL.

)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1he local responses addresslng Lhe challenge of youLh and young adulL reLenLlon lndlcaLe LhaL
Lhe communlLy undersLands Lhe value of lLs youLh, buL may noL have developed sLraLegles Lo lnclude
and engage Lhem fully. 1he youLh councll wlll encourage youLh engagemenL, leL communlLy members
see Lhe value of lLs youLh and creaLe a space ln whlch youLh feel a sense of belonglng and communlLy.
1he educaLlon programs aL Lhe prlmary and secondary schools ln owell 8lver show evldence of a rlch
approach Lo culLlvaLlng young leaders and creaLe opporLunlLles for communlLy engagemenL. LasLly, Lhe
owell 8lver arLs and culLure lnlLlaLlve holds sLrong poLenLlal for youLh and young adulL engagemenL and
reLenLlon, buL Lhe lmporLance ls Lo acknowledge Lhe value Lhey brlng Lo developmenL and lnclude Lhem
ln Lhe process. 1hese Lhree lnlLlaLlves show promlse for youLh developmenL and showcase opporLunlLles
for owell 8lver Lo address Lhe lmpacLs of ouL mlgraLlon of youLh and young adulLs.

As parL of a greaLer communlLy of rural communlLles worldwlde, owell 8lver has Lhe
opporLunlLy Lo learn and beneflL from Lhe experlence of oLher communlLles and how Lhey have
succeeded ln addresslng slmllar challenges. Whlle owell 8lver has programs LhaL can focus on youLh
and young adulL engagemenL, Lhey need Lo develop sLraLegles for encouraglng young ouLward mlgranLs
Lo reLurn. Cne sLraLegy would be Lo creaLe and malnLaln an alumnl daLabase for Lhe local secondary
school and unlverslLy, and keeplng alumnl up Lo daLe abouL whaL ls happenlng ln Lhe communlLy whlle
lnvlLlng everyone back for an annual banqueL. AnoLher alLernaLlve ls Lo flnd a meanlngful way Lo
purposefully lnvlLe sLudenLs Lo remaln or reLurn Lo Lhe communlLy once Lhey have achleved Lhelr
lndlvldual goals. LasLly, ln conslderlng new and lnnovaLlve approaches Lo susLalnablllLy, owell 8lver has
Lhe opporLunlLy Lo lnvolve and engage all communlLy members Loward creaLlng a susLalnable
communlLy LhaL works for everyone.

1he lnvolvemenL of youLh and young adulLs ln Lhe communlLy wlll creaLe sLrong soclal caplLal,
fosLer a sense of belonglng and aLLachmenL Lo Lhe communlLy and provlde moLlvaLlon for reLurn
mlgraLlon (AbboLL-Chapman, 2001, 8ulksLra eL al., 2010, uale, Llng & newman, 2010, reLLy eL al., 2006).
lmporLanLly, lL ls noL abouL forclng youLh Lo sLay, raLher, communlLy lncluslon ls key Lo creaLlng
susLalnable communlLy developmenL (SLockdale, 2006). Lngaglng youLh and young adulLs wlll noL only
creaLe a more reslllenL communlLy, buL lL wlll allow all generaLlonal cohorLs Lo become famlllar wlLh Lhe
challenges Lhe communlLy faces, noL [usL Lhe ones LhaL lndlvldual cohorLs are aware of. ?ouLh and
young adulLs carry Lhe poLenLlal of Lhe fuLure wlLhln Lhem and so lL ls lmporLanL Lhe barrlers geL broken
down Lo encourage an lncluslve communlLy LhaL everyone wlshes Lo llve ln.


8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS
AbboLL-Chapman, J. (2001). Rural Resilience: Youth making a life in regions of high unemployment.
?ouLh SLudles AusLralla, 20(3), 26-31.
ArgenL, n. (2009). 8ural youLh mlgraLlon ln AusLralla. CeodaLe, 22(3), 6-9.
ArgenL, n., & Walmsley, !. (2008). 8ural mlgraLlon Lrends ln AusLralla: An overvlew of recenL Lrends and
Lwo lnland case sLudles. Ceographlcal 8esearch, 46(2), 139-132.
8olsLer, C. (2013, CcLober 29). MlnlsLry offlclal Lalks Lrades: owell 8lver leads ln Lechnlcal educaLlon.
owell 8lver eak [onllne]. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.prpeak.com/arLlcles/2013/10/29/news/doc32703f2ab3b6c804797749.LxL
Bryant, C., & Joseph, A.E. (2001). Canadas rural population: Trends in space and impllcaLlons ln place.
1he Canadlan Ceographer, 46(1), 132-137.
8ulksLra, L., 8oss, P., klng, C.A., 8aker, .C., Pegney, u., McLachlan, k., &8ogers-Clark, C. (2010). 1he
componenLs of reslllence percepLlons of an AusLrallan rural communlLy. !ournal of CommunlLy
sychology, 38(8), 973-991.
CenLre for 8ural LnLrepreneurshlp. (n.d.). 8ural 8enewal: As near as your own young people. 8eLrleved
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uLh20Lxec20Summary.pdf
Chew, P.L., La8ose, 8., SLelnfleld, C., & velasquez, A. (2011). 1he use of onllne soclal neLworklng by rural
youLh and lLs effecLs on communlLy aLLachmenL. lnformaLlon, CommunlcaLlon & SocleLy, 14(3),
726-747.
uale, A., Llng, C., & newman, L. (2010). CommunlLy vitality: The role of community-level resilience
adaptation and innovation in sustainable development. Sustainability, 2: 215-231.
uavles, A. (2008). uecllnlng youLh ln-mlgraLlon ln rural wesLern AusLralla: 1he role of percepLlons of rural
employmenL and llfesLyle opporLunlLles. Ceographlcal 8esearch, 46(2), 162-171.
uakhll, M., & ue Clercq, u. (2004). Puman caplLal, soclal caplLal, and lnnovaLlon: a mulLl-counLry sLudy.
LnLrepreneurshlp & 8eglonal uevelopmenL: An lnLernaLlonal !ournal, 16(2), 107-128.
uupuy, 8., Mayer, l., & MorlsseLLe, 8. (2000). 8ural youLh: sLayers, leavers and reLurn mlgranLs. SLaLlsLlcs
Canada, CLLawa. CaLalogue 11l0019ML no. 132. 8eLrleved from
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Cabrlel, M. (2002). Australias regional youth exodus. Journal of Rural Studies, 18(2), 209-212.
Clbson, C., & ArgenL, n. (2008). CeLLlng on, geLLlng up and geLLlng ouL? 8roadenlng perspecLlves on rural
youLh mlgraLlon. Ceographlcal 8esearch, 46(2), 133-138.
Clendlnnlng, A., nuLLall, M., Pendry, L., kloep, M., & Wood, S. (2003). 8ural communlLles and well-belng:
A good place Lo grow up? 1he Soclologlcal 8evlew, 31(1), 129-136.
Cruenewald, u.A. (2003). loundaLlons of place: A mulLldlsclpllnary framework for place-consclous
educaLlon. Amerlcan LducaLlonal 8esearch !ournal, 40(3), 619-634.
Plgglns, !. (2008). 8ural depopulaLlon lmpacLs: newfoundland and Labrador herlLage. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.herlLage.nf.ca/socleLy/depop_lmpacLs.hLml
Poman, C., Pedrlc, !., & ulck, !. (2010). lacLors LhaL lnfluence youLh reLenLlon ln norLhwesL Chlo.
nAC1A !ournal, 34(2), 42-47.
Pome1own CompeLlLlveness (P1C). (n.d.). Pome1own CompeLlLlveness: A come-back/glve-back
approach Lo rural communlLy bulldlng: AbouL us. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://hLccommunlLy.whhlve.com/abouL
Powley, C.8., Parmon, P.L., & Leopold, C.u. (1996). 8ural scholars or brlghL rednecks? AsplraLlons for a
sense of place among rural youLh ln Appalachla. !ournal of 8esearch ln 8ural LducaLlon, 12(3),
130-160.
g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

lrshad, P. (2013). ALLracLlng and reLalnlng people Lo rural AlberLa: A llsL of resources and llLeraLure
revlew. AgrlculLure and 8ural uevelopmenL CovernmenL of AlberLa. 8eLrleved from
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8eLalnlng-people.pdf
lsserman, A.M., leser, L., & Warren, u.L. (2009). Why some rural places prosper and oLhers do noL.
International Regional Science Review, 52(3): 300-342.
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youLh dlscusslon paper). CLLawa, Cn: Canadlan 8ural arLnershlp 8esearch. 8eLrleved from
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pracLlcal gulde Lo engaglng youLh ln pollcy maklng. 8eLrleved from
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dlscusslon paper on youLh engagemenL). 8eLrleved from
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1he CnLarlo 8ural Councll (1C8C). (2008). CreaLe a youLh councll ln your communlLy ln 10 easy sLeps.
8eLrleved from hLLp://www.ruralonLarlolnsLlLuLe.ca/flle.aspx?ld=061706a3-2f32-4d2b-a38a-
a3cf2c24c9ec
CuLdoor & Lcologlcal Learnlng ueparLmenL. (n.d.). CuLdoor & ecologlcal learnlng deparLmenL: School
dlsLrlcL 47. 8eLrleved from hLLp://www.ouLdoors.sd47.bc.ca
anelll, 8., nalrn, k., & McCormack, J. (2002). We make our own fun: Reading the politics of youth
wlLh(ln) communlLy. Soclologla 8uralls, 42(2), 106-130.
owell 8lver 8oard of LducaLlon. (n.d. a). owell 8lver board of educaLlon: Learners preparlng for Lhe
challenges of Lomorrow: School dlsLrlcL 47 (owell 8lver). 8eLrleved from
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owell 8lver 8oard of LducaLlon. (n.d.b). owell 8lver board of educaLlon. uual credlL programs:
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owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL [88u]. (2008). owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL CrowLh and uevelopmenL
Analysls llnal 8eporL, prepared by vannsLruLh ConsulLlng Croup ln assoclaLlon wlLh Landworks
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conLenL/uploads/2011/09/CrowLh-and-uevelopmenL-Analysls.pdf
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from
hLLp://pr.vlu.ca/communlLysusLalnablllLy/documenLs/SusLalnablllLyCharLerowell8lver8eglon2
0.pdf
reLLy, C., 8ramsLon, ., aLrlck, !., & annach, W. (2006). 1he relevance of communlLy senLlmenLs Lo
Australian rural youths intention to stay in their home communities. American Behavioral
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Schroeder, Cralg. (2011, !une 16). CenLre for 8ural LnLrepreneurshlp: roven sLraLegles Lo address youLh
ouL-mlgraLlon [weblnar]. 8eLrleved from
zo
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

hLLp://www.energlzlngenLrepreneurs.org/slLe/lndex.php?opLlon=com_conLenL&vlew=
arLlcle&ld=89&lLemld=33
SLaLlsLlcs Canada. (2012). locus on Ceography Serles, 2011 Census: Census subdlvlslon of owell 8lver,
C? - 8rlLlsh Columbla. SLaLlsLlcs Canada CaLalogue no. 98-310-xWL2011004. CLLawa, CnLarlo.
AnalyLlcal producLs, 2011 Census. 8eLrleved from hLLp://www12.sLaLcan.gc.ca/census-
recensemenL/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/lacLs-csd-eng.cfm?LAnC=Lng&Ck=CSu&CC=3927008
SLelner, A., & MarkanLonl, M. (2013). unpacklng communlLy reslllence Lhrough capaclLy for change.
CommunlLy uevelopmenL !ournal. Advance onllne publlcaLlon. 10.1093/cd[/bsL042
SLockdale, A. (2002). CuL-mlgraLlon from rural ScoLland: 1he lmporLance of famlly and soclal neLworks.
Soclologla 8uralls, 42(1), 41-64.
SLockdale, A. (2006). MlgraLlon: re-requlslLe for rural economlc regeneraLlon? !ournal of 8ural SLudles,
22(3), 334-366.
1ourlsm owell 8lver. (n.d.) 1ourlsm owell 8lver: 1he pearl on Lhe sunshlne coasL. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.dlscoverpowellrlver.com
Walz, L. (2013, CcLober 8). Councll encourages youLh lnvolvemenL: 8rooks secondary school sLudenLs
aLLend commlLLee meeLlng. owell 8lver eak [onllne]. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.prpeak.com/arLlcles/2013/10/08/news/doc32349de1cb3cc903926449.prL

z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


)9%"+7*1 <':7"$ )"E7+"$ !/9'.1/ -'.+/ 4*1"1%5%*+

8y. colelqb llls


A8S18AC1
1hls paper ls a dlscusslon of Lhe role soclal caplLal creaLed Lhrough clvlc engagemenL can have
on soclal susLalnablllLy ln Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL. 1he Sunshlne CoasL, locaLed ln Lhe
western coast of British Columbias mainland, creates the seLLlng for Lhls case sLudy as lL faces several
challenges Lo achlevlng susLalnablllLy. 1hese lnclude Lhe small amounL of young people ln Lhe
communlLy, Lhelr opporLunlLles for Lo creaLe soclal caplLal Lhrough parLlclpaLlon ln soclal and
recreaLlonal acLlvlLles and ln Lhe plannlng of reglonal pollcles. 1he Sunshlne CoasL has several lnnovaLlve
programs LhaL are worklng Lo lncrease young peoples clvlc engagemenL. 1hls paper lncludes an example
of one lnnovaLlve program from Lhe prlvaLe, publlc, and non-proflL secLor. 1hls paper also ouLllnes Lhree
oLher case sLudles from ouLslde Lhe reglon LhaL are appllcable Lo Lhe area and could conLlnue ln aldlng
Lhe developmenL of local soclal caplLal.
8*+9'3.:+7'*
CommunlLy engagemenL ls an lmporLanL componenL ln Lhe developmenL of a communlLy
because lL ls a bulldlng block for acLlon and a mechanlsm for brlnglng LogeLher dlverse parLs of a
communlLy (8rennan, 8arneLL, & McCraLh, 2009, nlcoLera, 2007, 8alsano 2003). LngagemenL ls boLh a
rlghL and responslblllLy of clLlzenshlp because lncluslon beneflLs boLh Lhe lndlvldual and Lhe communlLy
buL many posslblllLles for clvlc engagemenL remaln llmlLed for youLh (Camlno & Zeldln, 2002). ?ouLh
clvlc engagemenL ls a componenL of soclal caplLal, and lL lmplles LhaL Lhe more clvlc engagemenL a
socleLy can secure wlLhln lLs clLlzens, Lhe more soclal caplLal lL wlll have aL lLs dlsposal (8alsano, 2003,
8rennan, 8arneLL, & McCraLh, 2009). 1he poslLlve effecLs from youLh clvlc engagemenL can fosLer a
communlLles deslre Lo susLaln poslLlve youLh developmenL and Lo creaLe connecLlon Lo conLlnued clvlc
lnvolvemenL among youLh (8alsano, 2003, nlcoLera, 2007). 1he presence of soclal caplLal ln a
communlLy ls also represenLaLlve of Lhe level of soclal susLalnablllLy lL has achleved (llora & llora, 2013).
1he soclal aspecLs of susLalnablllLy deserve aLLenLlon from communlLy leadershlp and lL ls necessary Lo
have meanlngful clvlc parLlclpaLlon ln deflnlng whaL soclal susLalnablllLy means Lo Lhe communlLy (8l[l,
2011, llora & llora, 2013, 8esser, 2009, 8ramley & ower, 2009, LehLonen, 2004).

1hls case sLudy wlll dlscuss why youLh clvlc engagemenL and Lhe developmenL of soclal caplLal
are lmporLanL Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL (SC8u). llrsL lL wlll dlscuss whaL soclal caplLal and
clvlc engagemenL are and how Lhey are relaLed Lo susLalnablllLy. lL wlll Lhen go on Lo glve a brlef
descrlpLlon of Lhe SC8u. nexL lL wlll address Lhe challenges youLh have ln developlng soclal caplLal. lL wlll
Lhen ldenLlfy Lhree communlLy responses LhaL have been developed Lo address Lhls lssue and encourage
clvlc engagemenL wlLhln Lhe reglon. llnally, Lhe paper wlll close by offerlng suggesLlons from ouLslde Lhe
reglon on how Lo furLher respond Lo Lhe challenges of creaLlng soclal caplLal LhaL are compllmenLary Lo
Lhe currenL lnlLlaLlves Laklng place.

zz
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

)",% ,+.3= :'*+%F+
F+*#0, *0;#$0, 0>" *#M#* %>202%C%>$
Soclal caplLal refers Lo Lhe sLocks of soclal LrusL, norms, and neLworks LhaL people can draw
upon ln order Lo solve problems (8esser, 2009). 1hls deflnlLlon has creaLed a growlng consensus LhaL
soclal caplLal consLlLuLes an lmporLanL new dlmenslon of communlLy developmenL (Lang & Pornburg,
1998, uLnam, 2001, 8esser, 2009). lL also refers Lo Lhe resource poLenLlal of soclal relaLlonshlps, wlLh a
maln focus on creaLlng sLrong connecLlons beLween lndlvlduals and groups Lo moblllze resources and
pursue a shared goal (8esser, 2009, AgnlLsch, llora & 8yan, 2006). CommunlLles LhaL lack soclal caplLal
also lack Lhe capaclLy for change because Lhey do noL have Lhe neLworks of supporL (llora & llora,
2013). lf a communlLy has Loo much soclal caplLal lL becomes excluslve, buL Loo llLLle and lL ls noL a
communlLy aL all.

Clvlc engagemenL refers Lo all Lypes of lndlvldual volunLary acLlvlLles for larger group
parLlclpaLlon, noL [usL pollLlcs (llora & llora, 2013). lor clvlc engagemenL Lo be effecLlve, all clLlzens of
Lhe communlLy need Lo feel Lhey have equal opporLunlLy Lo have Lhelr volce heard. 1hls ls parLlcularly
lmporLanL ln rural communlLles where youLh and young adulLs are ofLen one of Lhe lowesL represenLed
demographlcs. Lngaglng wlLh fellow members of communlLy-based groups helps youLh Lo form soclal
neLworks, bulld soclal caplLal, and connecL Lo educaLlonal and occupaLlonal opporLunlLles (llanagan &
Levlne, 2010). CreaLlng a sense of communlLy among youLh has a poslLlve correlaLlon wlLh clvlc
engagemenL (Albanesl, Clcognanl, & Zanl, 2007). CreaLer clvlc engagemenL ls an lmporLanL parL of whaL
lL means for a reglon Lo be more susLalnable and Lhe SC8u should conLlnue adopLlng pollcles and
pracLlces LhaL wlll acLlvely encourage youLh clvlc parLlclpaLlon.

F1>3=#>% E+03$ D%2#+>0, J#3$:#*$
1he Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL ls locaLed on Lhe wesL coasL of Lhe 8rlLlsh Columbla,
beLween vancouver and owell 8lver. lL ls accesslble from boLh locaLlons Lhrough 8C lerrles. lL ls
comprlsed of Lhe ulsLrlcL of SechelL, Lhe 1own of Gibsons, Lhe SechelL llrsL naLlons governmenLs, and
flve dlfferenL elecLoral areas. lL has a beauLlful landscape where Lhe Ceorgla SLralL harmonlously meeLs
Lhe aclflc 8ange of Lhe CoasLal MounLalns, creaLlng some of Lhe besL ouLdoor recreaLlon opporLunlLles
ln Lhe world. AL [usL under 4000km2 lL also lncludes Lhe LradlLlonal LerrlLory of Lhe Shlshlh (SechelL) and
Skwxu7mesh uxwumlxw (Squamlsh) naLlons. ln 2011 Lhe populaLlon was 28,619 whlch ls 3.1 larger
Lhan ln 2006. 1he neL mlgraLlon lnLo Lhe area every year ls beLween Lhree hundred and slx hundred
people, mosLly from oLher parLs of 8rlLlsh Columbla (SCCl, 2011). 1he SCCl (2011) found LhaL Lhls
mlgraLlon has caused a dramaLlc shlfL ln Lhe age dlsLrlbuLlon and now Lhe ulsLrlcL ls comprlsed of a much
older populaLlon Lhan Lhe provlnclal average.

Challenges affecting young peoples civic engagement
AlLhough Lhe Sunshlne CoasL ls a beauLlful area LhaL ls worklng hard Lo malnLaln lLs susLalnablllLy
resldenLs are faclng several challenges. Challenges lnclude Lhe low number of young people resldlng ln
Lhe area, Lhe soclal and recreaLlonal opporLunlLles avallable Lo Lhem, and Lhe lack of lnvolvemenL of
young people ln Lhe communlLy plannlng process. 1he relaLlonshlp of Lhese Lhree challenges wlLh Lhe
developmenL of soclal caplLal and clvlc engagemenL wlll be dlscussed furLher ln Lhls secLlon.

@+1>2 ;%+;,% "%C+2:0;=#* "%<#*#$
Compared Lo Lhe provlnclal average, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL has an exLreme demographlc deflclL of
resldenLs beLween Lhe ages of flfLeen and LhlrLy (SLaLs Canada, 2011). 1he SC8u (2011) belleves Lhls ls an
z)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

lmmedlaLe concern because Lhere ls an lncreaslng need for young adulLs ln local governmenL, Lhe local
work force, and volunLeer organlzaLlons. lL ls lmporLanL for Lhe Sunshlne CoasL Lo aLLracL new resldenLs
ln LhaL age range, buL lL ls equally lmporLanL Lo reLaln Lhe youLh who wlll grow lnLo Lhls demographlc ln
Lhe nexL flve Lo LwenLy years. 1hls paper wlll refer Lo youLh, ages 13 Lo 19, and young adulLs, 20 Lo 29, as
young people. Clvlc engagemenL ls a way for young people Lo become lnvolved ln Lhe process of
preservlng Lhelr personal developmenL and Lhe Sunshlne CoasLs reglonal developmenL (8alsano, 2003).
lL wlll be hard for Lhls cohorL of young people Lo creaLe soclal caplLal lf Lhere are no young people Lo
creaLe a sLrong neLwork of connecLlons wlLh llvlng ln Lhe area.

-0*P +< 3+*#0, 0>" :%*:%0$#+>0, 0*$#M#$#%3
A lack of soclal and recreaLlonal opporLunlLles are barrlers Lo Lhe developmenL of soclal caplLal
for young people ln Lhe reglon. 8y addresslng Lhese lssues Lhe SC8u wlll be lncreaslng opporLunlLles for
young people Lo become clvlcally engaged. Soclal Lles are an essenLlal part of a young persons sense of
community, and they are directly related to community attachment which influences ones willingness
Lo acL on behalf of Lhe communlLy (8rennan, 8arneLL, & McCraLh, 2009). 1hese Lles are dependenL on
Lhe Llme spenL wlLh frlends and Lhe relaLlonshlps LhaL young people are able Lo develop. ?oung people
ofLen bulld Lhese Lles Lhrough parLlclpaLlng ln recreaLlonal acLlvlLles and soclal evenLs buL a recenL
survey shows LhaL 88 of young people on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL are noL saLlsfled wlLh evenlng or nlghL
Llme evenLs and esLabllshmenLs (SCCl, 2011). A survey conducLed by a consulLlng group helplng Lo
develop Lhe 8ecreaLlon MasLer lan (2011a) found LhaL Lhe lowesL recreaLlon program saLlsfacLlon ls
wlLh youLh programs for ages 13 Lo 18 and Lhe lowesL raLed spaces for recreaLlon are Lhose dedlcaLed Lo
youLh programmlng.

CommunlLles can be lnfluenLlal ln maklng changes Lo creaLe and malnLaln venues for Lhe
lnLeracLlon of young people and Lhe promoLlon of Lhese venues could noL only beneflL young people buL
allow for more lnLeracLlon wlLh oLher segmenLs of Lhe communlLy (8rennan, 8arneLL, & McCraLh, 2009).
1he challenge of dolng Lhls on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL ls LhaL movlng forward wlLh youLhful and lnnovaLlve
ldeas ls golng Lo requlre a shlfL ln Lhlnklng away from Lhe LradlLlonal leadershlp model LhaL ls currenLly ln
place (personal communlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013).

-0*P +< #>*,13#+> "1:#>2 ;,0>>#>2 ;:+*%33
WlLh Lhe soclal lssues faced ln Lhe SC8u lL ls essenLlal Lo creaLe sLraLegles LhaL lncrease Lhe
engagemenL of young people ln developmenL declslons. Pavlng acLlve represenLaLlon from young
people can help shape local well-belng and allow Lhem Lo Lake ownership of the SCRDs community
bulldlng efforLs ln Lhe years Lo come (8rennan, 8arneLL, & McCraLh, 2009). lL ls lnLeresLlng Lo noLe LhaL
Lhe SC8u was golng Lhrough Lwo publlc consulLaLlon programs ln 2011, one for Lhe 8ecreaLlon MasLer
lan, where engagemenL was done Lhrough a consulLanL from ouLslde of Lhe communlLy (SC8u, 2011a),
and for Lhe We Lnvlslon SusLalnablllLy lan, dlscussed ln Lhe nexL secLlon of Lhls paper, where
engagemenL was done by SC8u sLaff (SC8u, 2011b). ConsulLaLlon of boLh pro[ecLs Look Lwo compleLely
dlfferenL approaches and one was much more successful Lhan Lhe oLher.

uurlng 2011 Lhe SC8u hlred consulLanLs Lo begln Lhe process of creaLlng a new 8ecreaLlon
MasLer lan. uurlng Lhls process Lhe SC8u conducLed a youLh survey. 1he reporL lncluded
recommendaLlons on many of Lhe flndlngs from Lhls survey buL does noL menLlon LhaL Lhe survey was
only compleLed by 14 youLh ln Lhe communlLy. Cne of Lhe flrsL ways young people become engaged ln
Lhelr communlLy ls Lhrough recreaLlon (Sharpe, 2006). 1hls would have been a greaL opporLunlLy for Lhe
SC8u Lo begln engaglng youLh. ?ouLh who dld provlde lnpuL dld so Lhrough an onllne survey. llora and
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

llora (2013) found LhaL blankeL lnvlLaLlons Lo become clvlcally engaged Lo noL promoLe lncluslveness. lL
ls lmporLanL when Lrylng Lo geL parLlclpaLlon from young people ln clvlc acLlvlLles LhaL Lhey be recrulLed
and assured auLhenLlc roles (Camlno & Zeldln, 2002). lorLunaLely, Lhe 8ecreaLlon MasLer lan ls a llvlng
documenL and sLlll ln producLlon so lL ls noL Loo laLe for Lhe SC8u Lo flnd more lncluslve ways Lo engage
youLh and young people ln Lhe recreaLlon plannlng LhaL wlll affecL Lhe quallLy of Lhelr llves for many
years Lo come.

6%,E'*,%, +' ='.*1 E%'E$%, :7A7: %*1"1%5%*+ '* +/% ,.*,/7*% :'",+
Lach of Lhe challenges dlscussed above are LhreaLenlng Lhe soclal susLalnablllLy of Lhe Sunshlne
CoasL by llmlLlng Lhe opporLunlLles for young people Lo creaLe soclal caplLal. 1here are several
organlzaLlons ln Lhe SC8u LhaL undersLand Lhe lmporLance of bulldlng soclal caplLal wlLh young people.
1he followlng Lhree examples are worklng Lo bulld clvlc engagemenL Lhrough pollcy, awareness, and
educaLlon.

/ROE! +> $=% E+03$
8ecognlzlng Lhe sLaLe of Lhe younger generaLlon as a serlous lssue, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL
CommunlLy loundaLlon (SCCl) held a meeLlng of key sLakeholders on May 14, 2010 (vClCL on Lhe CoasL,
2011). Cne of Lhe goals LhaL came ouL of Lhls meeLlng was Lo acLlvely engage and empower Lhe younger
generaLlon on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL, whlch prompLed Lhe lnlLlaLlon of Lhree acLlons. llrsL, Lhe
developmenL of vClCL on Lhe CoasL (vClCL), an advlsory councll for susLalned leadershlp, and a
leadership pool for further community input and engagement. Second, stakeholders committed to
llsLenlng and learnlng abouL Lhe sLrengLhs and opporLunlLles for young adulLs llvlng on Lhe Sunshlne
CoasL. 1hlrdly, Lhey are worklng Lo address Lhe low saLlsfacLlon of youLh acLlvlLles by promoLlng and
encouraglng a vlbranL nlghLllfe for Lhe younger generaLlon (volce on Lhe CoasL, 2011).

vClCL descrlbes lLself as an organlzaLlon of researchers who seek knowledge and local daLa Lo
undersLand Lhe demographlcs of aLLracLlon and parLlclpaLlon on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL. 1hls ls lnnovaLlve
because Campbell and LrbsLeln (2012) found LhaL relaLlvely llLLle research aLLenLlon ls devoLed Lo how
communities organize efforts to integrate young peoples voice into community change. VOICE also
conslders lLself as an advocaLe for lnlLlaLlves, parLlclpaLlon opporLunlLles and lnfrasLrucLure Lo supporL a
Lhrlvlng young adulL populaLlon on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL. lLs parLlclpanLs are consulLanLs for local
organlzaLlons and governmenLs on Lhe lssues concernlng Lhe younger generaLlon of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL.
1hey also promoLe evenLs and opporLunlLles for young people Lhrough Lhelr successful soclal medla
campaigns. On November 12, 2013 their Facebook page had 603 likes as well as 201 followers on
1wlLLer.

Camlno and Zeldln (2002) found LhaL many clvlc lnvolvemenL and developmenL pro[ecLs LhaL
engage youLh become LokenlsLlc because youLh are only LaughL Lo be lnvolved and noL glven Lhe
leadershlp and admlnlsLraLlve opporLunlLles Lo Lruly be engaged. 1hrough Lhe lnvolvemenL of a group of
young people ln Lhls lnlLlaLlve engagemenL becomes more meanlngful because Lhere ls a greaLer
supporL sysLem ln place for Lhem.

E0;#,0>+ V>#M%:3#$( T+1>$0#> I#P% R;%:0$#+>3 K:+2:0C
Another innovative solution to young peoples civic engagement in the region is the Capilano
Universitys Mountain Bike Operations Certificate program ls very unlque, ln LhaL Lhere are no oLher
programs llke lL ln Lhe world. 1he program Leaches sLudenLs abouL Lhe Lourlsm lndusLry, rlsk
managemenL, evenL managemenL, markeLlng, guldlng and, leadershlp, wllderness flrsL ald,
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

envlronmenLal sLewardshlp, and communlcaLlon skllls (hLLp://www.capllanou.ca/mbo/). Cne of Lhe
maln focuses of Lhe program ls on susLalnable park and Lrall deslgn and bulldlng
(hLLp://www.capllanou.ca/mbo/). Lach year sLudenLs work Lo bulld one Lrall or park ln whlch Lhey have
Lo go Lhrough Lhe communlLy engagemenL process and Lhrough all governmenLal procedures (personal
communlcaLlon, CcLober 23, 2013). Pavlng sLudenLs becomlng clvlcally engaged Lhrough Lhelr educaLlon
allows Lhem Lo become more famlllar wlLh Lhe process and ln Lurn Lhey wlll be more llkely Lo parLlclpaLe
ln Lhe fuLure. CpporLunlLles LhaL fosLer poslLlve developmenL by offerlng novel, challenglng, and
engaglng experlences wlll effecLlvely creaLe awareness abouL clvlc engagemenL among young people
and allow Lhe paLhways Lo learnlng Lo remaln open (8rowne, CarsL, & 8laleschkl, 2011).

R>% E+03$ !>202%C%>$ K:+*%33
During the consultation process for the SCRDs We Envision, One Coast: In Nature, Culture, and
CommunlLy, Lhe SC8u used a communlLy developmenL approach Lo engage young people by going
where the people gather (SCRD, 2011c). They did this by attending community festivals and events,
parLlclpaLlng ln school arenL Advlsory Councll meeLlngs, and golng Lo local sporLlng evenLs (personal
communlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013). no new meeLlngs were held or organlzed and lndlvlduals were
encouraged Lo glve Lhelr feedback onllne, aL Lhelr convenlence, afLer havlng enough Llme Lo look aL Lhe
We Lnvlslon documenL Lhoroughly lf Lhey wanLed Lo (SC8u, 2011c).

8elng an acLlve citizen refers to an individuals engagement with their community and the role
Lhey adopL wlLhln LhaL seLLlng (8rady & uolan, 2009). 8y undersLandlng Lhe crlLlcal lmporLance of
engagemenL of all clLlzens (personal communlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013) Lhe SC8u creaLed Lhe
opporLunlLy for young people Lo become engaged and negoLlaLe Lhelr own Lerms of lnvolvemenL. 1he
engagemenL process for We Lnvlslon, by Lhe SC8u, dld lLs besL noL llmlL any opporLunlLles for young
people Lo be lnvolved.

ln comparlson wlLh Lhe engagemenL process for Lhe 8ecreaLlon MasLer lan Lhe clvlc
engagemenL process for We Lnvlslon was much more successful. Lmployees of Lhe SC8u, who llve ln Lhe
reglon, connecLed Lo clLlzens ln Lhe reglon by geLLlng Lhelr lnpuL on Lhe declslons regardlng susLalnablllLy
LhaL were belng made ln Lhe communlLy. 1hey noL only recelved valuable feedback buL were able Lo
develop soclal caplLal among Lhe sLaff and Lhe clLlzens LhaL Lhe sLaff engaged wlLh durlng Lhe process. All
communlLles should use lnlLlaLlves LhaL enhance Lhe knowledge and skllls of Lhelr local leadershlp (Cook
eL al., 2009).

8*7+7"+7A%, (9'5 '.+,73% +/% 37,+97:+
1he Lhree examples above are maklng greaL progress ln creaLlng soclal caplLal ln Lhe SC8u. 1hey
are allowlng young people Lo geL engaged boLh formally and lnformally. 1he followlng secLlon offers
Lhree suggesLlons LhaL could be lmplemenLed by Lhe SC8u, or Lhe SC8u could help supporL oLher
organlzaLlons wlLh Lhe developmenL of Lhem. 1hese programs are noL meanL Lo undermlne Lhe hard
work LhaL Lhe communlLy has already done whlle addresslng Lhese Lhree challenges, buL Lhey are meanL
as suggesLlons Lo be used ln supporL of Lhe currenL programs.

W0>2:0$$0 @+1$= E+1>*#,
A youLh councll can acL as a llalson beLween young people and Lhe reglonal governmenL by
advocaLlng on behalf of Lhe young people. 1he goal ls Lo lncrease lnvolvemenL of young people ln
declslon-making and civic affairs, and improve young peoples access to clLy servlces (Asher, 2006). 1hls
lnvolvemenL ls shown Lo be lnsLrumenLal ln Lhe personal developmenL of Lhe youLh lnvolved and Lhe
z6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

developmenL of Lhe communlLy, because Lhese youLh are represenLaLlve of Lhe fuLure leaders LhaL wlll
help shape local well-belng and Lake ownershlp of fuLure communlLy developmenL efforLs (8rennan,
8arneLL, & McCraLh, 2009).

?ouLh clvlc engagemenL ls an lssue across Lhe world and communlLles llke WangaraLLa, AusLralla,
face slmllar susLalnablllLy lssues as Lhe Sunshlne CoasL. LocaLed abouL 230 kllomeLres norLh easL of
Melbourne, Wangarattas total population was approximately 26,007, according to the 2006 census
(?ouLh SLraLegy, 2010). Cf Lhls populaLlon young people aged 12 23 years make up approxlmaLely
16.4 (?ouLh SLraLegy, 2010). ln WangaraLLa, Lhe youLh councll conslsLs of Lwelve young people
beLween Lhe ages of 14 and 18 who serve a one year Lerm. nomlnaLlons are held ln March and youLh
who would llke Lo have a say ln whaL happens for young people ln Lhe communlLy are encouraged Lo
become lnvolved. 1he youLh councll meeLs Lwlce a monLh Lo dlscuss youLh lssues, work on developlng
upcomlng evenLs for young people and developlng forums LhaL young people can use Lo have a volce ln
Lhelr local communlLy. ln uecember 2009, Lhe WangaraLLa ?ouLh Councll held a ?ouLh lorum of whlch
over 60 young people aLLended. 1hls lorum gave Lhe 8ural ClLy of WangaraLLa Councll and ?ouLh Councll
a chance Lo hear flrsLhand lssues LhaL are affecLlng young people ln Lhe 8ural ClLy of WangaraLLa.

Lxamples of ongolng youLh councll work lnclude:
1alklng wlLh oLher young people Lo learn whaL are Lhe lmporLanL lssues Lo Lhem
Providing advice to Council to make sure that young peoples concerns are heard
Worklng Lowards maklng WangaraLLa a more llvable place for young people by provldlng young
people wlLh enLerLalnmenL and soclal acLlvlLles
rovldlng young people wlLh lnformaLlon, represenLlng young people aL ?ouLh Councll and aL
oLher publlc forums and funcLlons
Worklng wlLh oLher wlder communlLy groups Lo make Lhe communlLy a beLLer place
lnvolved ln organlzlng award ceremonles, celebraLlons for young people, and developlng a youLh
newsleLLer
(bttp.//www.wooqototto.vlc.qov.oo/llvloq/yootb/ootbcooocll.osp).

8rady and uolan (2009) found lL ls lmporLanL Lo reflecL on Lhe role adulL menLors play ln youLh and
communlLy developmenL and Lo Lry Lo creaLe and enhance Lhese roles. lL ls lmporLanL Lo noLe LhaL adulL
menLors can learn [usL as much from Lhe young people ln Lhe communlLy as Lhe oLher way around, and
Lhls could help challenge Lhe modern clvlc processes LhaL lnhlblL Lhe parLlclpaLlon of young people.

@+1$=E+:%
1he second lnlLlaLlve from ouLslde Lhe reglon LhaL could be applled Lo Lhe SC8u ls ?ouLhCore.
?ouLhCore ls a youLh engagemenL program focused on bulldlng a wlde range of communlLy capaclLy and
youLh leadershlp opporLunlLles. lL ls a webslLe creaLed Lo help young people ln Lhe CreaLer vlcLorla area
connecL, learn and en[oy Lhelr communlLy ln a safe and poslLlve way (hLLp://youLhcore.ca/abouL). 1hls
lnlLlaLlve could be parL of Lhe already successful vClCL on Lhe CoasL webslLe as a youLh and young adulL
servlce provlder neLwork. Successful developmenL of Lhese Lypes of soclal neLworks helps bulld soclal
caplLal LhaL can creaLe communlLy level change by enhanclng Lhe communlLles capaclLy Lo address
currenL or fuLure problems (8oberLson eL al., 2012) by creaLlng awareness of Lhe lssues and
opporLunlLles LhaL exlsL.

?ouLhCore creaLes a vlrLual map of Lhe CreaLer vlcLorla area and allows users Lo lnLeracL wlLh lL
Lo flnd programs and servlces LhaL lnLeresL Lhem. 1hls could be helpful on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL because
z)
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young people would be able Lo search Lhe ulsLrlcL as a whole or break lL down by area. lL would also
make lL easler for young people Lo see Lhe evenLs and acLlvlLles LhaL are golng on ln oLher areas of Lhe
ulsLrlcL. ?ouLh can see Lhlngs on Lhe map by a daLe on Lhe calendar, Lhrough plcLures and places on Lhe
map, or by speclflc Loplcs, needs and lnLeresLs wlLhln Lhe programs daLabase
(hLLp://youLhcore.ca/abouL).

1he ?ouLhCore.ca porLal recelves over 300,000 hlLs annually, and over 33,000 pages are
accessed monLhly (as of !uly 2010). 1he success of ?ouLhCore.ca ls shared by Lhe youLh and youLh-
servlng communlLy of CreaLer vlcLorla. AlLhough Lhe CreaLer vlcLorla Area ls qulLe a blL larger Lhan Lhe
Sunshlne CoasL, Lhe exacL same model was applled Lo vernon, a communlLy of slmllar slze ln Lhe 8rlLlsh
Columbla Ckanagan valley. unforLunaLely, vernon only recelved fundlng unLll 2009 buL Lhe map ls sLlll
avallable for youLh onllne.

K:#>*% !"L0:" O3,0>" B33+*#0$#+> <+: )%L*+C%:3 $+ E0>0"0
1he flnal lnlLlaLlve from ouLslde Lhe reglon LhaL could be scaled and applled ls a communlLy
lncluslon program. 1he CommunlLy lncluslon rogram run by Lhe rlnce Ldward lsland AssoclaLlon for
newcomers Lo Canada lnLroduces newcomers Lo a volunLeer who ls well esLabllshed ln Lhe communlLy.
1hls program ls deslgned Lo creaLe opporLunlLles for broader lnLegraLlon of new lmmlgranLs, help Lhem
ad[usL Lo llvlng on rlnce Ldward lsland and make connecLlons Lo Lhelr communlLles. 1he connecLlons
Lhey creaLe are Lhe beglnnlng of creaLlng soclal caplLal. CommunlLy lncluslon rogram volunLeers help
new lmmlgranLs feel welcome ln Lhelr new communlLy by spendlng Llme LogeLher, dlscusslng varlous
aspecLs of llfe ln rlnce Ldward lsland and maklng connecLlons wlLh lndlvlduals, groups and
organlzaLlons ln Lhe communlLy. (bttp.//www.pelooc.com/cooteot/looq/eo/poqe/commoolty_loclosloo).

1he Sunshlne CoasL aLLracLs a small amounL of lmmlgranLs every year, buL Lhls ls a program LhaL
could also be used for any young person who ls new Lo Lhe communlLy. 8y geLLlng Loured around Lhe
communlLy wlLh a volunLeer, from a volunLeer neLwork of young people, Lhls program could help creaLe
Lhe soclal caplLal ln new resldenLs as well as sLrengLhen Lhe soclal caplLal of young adulLs who are
currenLly ln Lhe communlLy. lL would also be beneflclal Lo Lhe volunLeer because Lhey are becomlng
engaged ln Lhelr communlLy by helplng Lo welcome new members, Lhe volunLeer could also share
lnformaLlon abouL opporLunlLles Lo learn more and become lnvolved ln Lhe communlLy, llke vClCL on
Lhe CoasL.

)'*:$.,7'*
Slmllar Lo many oLher reglons, Lhe SC8u faces barrlers Lo creaLlng meanlngful clvlc engagemenL
opporLunlLles for young people. Along wlLh a lack of young people comprlsed ln Lhe populaLlon, Lhere ls
also a lack of soclal and recreaLlonal opporLunlLles for young people Lo bulld Lhe soclal caplLal necessary
for clvlc engagemenL and llmlLed youLh lncluslon durlng Lhe recreaLlonal plannlng process.
1he Sunshlne CoasL has creaLed several lnnovaLlve responses allowlng more youLh clvlc
engagemenL. 1he flrsL ls Lhe vClCL on Lhe CoasL group, LhaL advocaLes for youLh and young adulL needs.
1he second ls Lhe MounLaln 8lke CperaLlons program aL Capllano unlverslLy whlch Leaches young
people how Lo navlgaLe governmenLal process Lhrough mounLaln blke Lrall developmenL. llnally, Lhe
SCRDs community engagement methods during the creation of the We Envision document, by going to
where Lhe people were Lhey help Lo creaLe and sLrengLhen soclal caplLal ln Lhe reglon.

1here are many dlfferenL approaches LhaL Lhe SC8u could use, ln addlLlon Lo and collaboraLlon
wlLh Lhe above lnlLlaLlves. 1hree examples of programs elsewhere ln Lhe world LhaL could be scaled Lo flL
z8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Lhe SC8u are Lhe WangraLLa ?ouLh Councll, ?ouLhCore, and rlnce Ldward lslands AssoclaLlon for
newcomers. 1he WangraLLa ?ouLh Councll ls a good example of Lhe Lypes of acLlvlLles LhaL a youLh
councll can plan and how youLh can be lnvolved ln pollLlcal processes. 1he second ls a vlrLual youLh map
slmllar Lo ?ouLhCore. 8y creaLlng a vlrLual map of Lhe enLlre SC8u youLh could flnd acLlvlLles golng on ln
Lhe dlfferenL areas of Lhe ulsLrlcL LhaL may lnLeresL Lhem. 1he flnal way ls by adapLlng Lhe CommunlLy
lncluslon rogram offered by Lhe rlnce Ldward lsland AssoclaLlon for newcomers Lo Canada, Lhls
program could be used ln Lhe SC8u Lo welcome new young people Lo Lhe communlLy and begln Lo
creaLe Lhe soclal caplLal necessary for Lhem Lo feel parL of Lhe communlLy.

ueveloplng soclal caplLal ln a communlLy wlll help Lo creaLe soclal susLalnablllLy (llora & llora,
2013, 8l[l, 2011, 8rennan, 8arneLL, & McCraLh, 2009). lL ls soclal caplLal LhaL allows young people Lo
become lnvolved ln Lhelr communlLy Lhrough clvlc engagemenL. 8y conLlnulng Lo lnvesL ln and develop
Lhe programs and lnlLlaLlves ln Lhe communlLy, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL wlll conLlnue Lo
move closer Lo becomlng soclally susLalnable.



zg
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8LlL8LnCLS
AgnlLsch, k., llora, !., & 8yan, v. (2006). 8ondlng and brldglng soclal caplLal: 1he lnLeracLlve
effecL on communlLy acLlon. CommunlLy uevelopmenL, 37(1), 36-31.
Albanesl, C., Clcognanl, L., & Zanl, 8. (2007). Sense of communlLy, clvlc engagemenL and soclal
well-being ln lLallan adolescenLs. !ournal of CommunlLy & Applled Soclal
sychology, 17(3), 387-406.
ArgenL, n., & Walmsley, !.l.M. (2008). 8ural youLh mlgraLlon Lrends ln AusLralla: an overvlew of recenL
Lrends and Lwo lnland case sLudles. Ceographlcal 8esearch, 46(2), 139-132.
Asher, k. (2006). An lCC 8ecommendaLlon Comes Lo Llfe: 1he Municipal Youth Cabinets Role ln
lncluslon. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://s[hdc.ca/pdf/2006/lCC8ecommendaLlon.pdf.
8alsano, A. 8. (2003). ?ouLh clvlc engagemenL ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes: undersLandlng and
addresslng Lhe lmpacL of soclal lmpedlmenLs on poslLlve youLh and communlLy
developmenL. Applled uevelopmenLal Sclence, 9(4), 188-201.
8esser, 1. (2009). Changes ln small Lown soclal caplLal and clvlc engagemenL. !ournal of 8ural
SLudles, 23, 183-193.
8l[l, 8. (2011). never wasLe a good crlsls: 1owards soclal susLalnable developmenL. Soclal
lndlcaLors 8esearch, 102(1), 137-168.
8rady, 8., & uolan, . (2009). ?ouLh menLorlng as a Lool for communlLy and clvlc engagemenL:
8eflecLlons on flndlngs of an lrlsh research sLudy. CommunlLy uevelopmenL,
40(4), 339-366.

8ramley, C., & ower, S. (2009). urban form and soclal susLalnablllLy: Lhe role of denslLy and
houslng Lype. LnvlronmenL and plannlng. 8, lannlng & deslgn, 36(1), 30-48.
8rennan, M.A., 8arneLL, 8.v., & McCraLh, 8. (2009). 1he lnLersecLlon of youLh and communlLy
developmenL ln lreland and llorlda: bulldlng sLronger communlLles Lhrough youLh clvlc
engagemenL. CommunlLy uevelopmenL, 40(4), 331-343.
8rlLlsh Columbla MlnlsLry of CommunlLy Servlces and CommunlLy uevelopmenL. (2010).
MlnlsLry Servlce lan. hLLp://www.bcbudgeL.gov.bc.ca/2010/sp/pdf/mlnlsLry/cd.pdf
8rowne, L.., CarsL, 8.A., & 8laleschkl, M.u. (2011). Lngaglng ?ouLh ln LnvlronmenLal
SusLalnablllLy: lmpacL of Lhe Camp 2 Crow rogram. !ournal of ark and 8ecreaLlon
AdmlnlsLraLlon, 29(3).
Camlno, L., & Zeldln, S. (2002). lrom perlphery Lo cenLer: 1he paLhways for youLh clvlc
engagemenL ln Lhe day-Lo-day llfe of communlLles. Applled uevelopmenLal Sclence, 6(4),
213-220.
Campbell, u., & LrbsLeln, n. (2012). Lngaglng youLh ln communlLy change: 1hree key
lmplemenLaLlon prlnclples. CommunlLy uevelopmenL, 43(1), 63-79.
Cook, C.C., Crull, S.8., 8ruln, M.!., ?usL, 8.L., Shelley, M.C., Laux, S., Memken, !., nelmeyer, S & WhlLe,
8.!. (2009). Lvldence of a Pouslng ueclslon Chaln ln 8ural CommunlLy vlLallLy. 8ural Soclology,
74(1), 113-137.
llanagan, C., & Levlne, . (2010). Clvlc engagemenL and Lhe LranslLlon Lo adulLhood. 1he luLure of
Chlldren, 20(1), 139-179.
Lang, 8. L., & Pornburg, S. . (1998). WhaL ls soclal caplLal and why ls lL lmporLanL Lo publlc
pollcy? Pouslng ollcy uebaLe, 9(1), 1-16.
LehLonen, M. (2004). 1he envlronmenLalsoclal lnLerface of susLalnable developmenL:
capablllLles, soclal caplLal, lnsLlLuLlons. Lcologlcal economlcs, 49(2), 199-214.u
nlcoLera, n. (2007). Measurlng nelghborhood: A conundrum for human servlces researchers and
pracLlLloners. Amerlcan !ournal of CommunlLy sychology, 40(1-2), 26-31.
)o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

uLnam, 8. u. (2001). 8owllng alone: 1he collapse and revlval of Amerlcan communlLy. new
?ork, n?: Slmon and SchusLer.
8oberLson, .!., Lewls, L.8., Sloane, u.C., Calloway-Cllllam, L., & nomachl, !. (2012).
ueveloplng neLworks for communlLy change: explorlng Lhe uLlllLy of neLwork analysls.
CommunlLy uevelopmenL, 43(2), 187-208.
Sharpe, L. k. (2006). 8esources aL Lhe grassrooLs of recreaLlon: CrganlzaLlonal capaclLy and
quallLy of experlence ln a communlLy sporL organlzaLlon. Lelsure sclences, 28(4),
383-401.
SLaLlsLlcs Canada. (2011). 2011 naLlonal Pousehold Survey. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://
www12.sLaLcan.gc.ca/ nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof deLallspage.cfmLang=L&Ceo1=Cu&
Code1=3929&uaLa=CounL&Search1exL=Sunshlne20CoasL&Search1ype=8eglns&
Search8=01&A1=All&81=All&CusLom=&1A8lu=1
Sunshlne CoasL CommunlLy loundaLlon. (2012). vlLal Slgns updaLe. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://
sccfoundaLlon.com/wp/wp-conLenL/uploads/vlLalSlgnsupdaLe_2012.pdf.
Sunshlne CoasL CommunlLy loundaLlon. (2011). vlLal Slgns 8eporL. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://
sccfoundaLlon.com/wp/wp-conLenL/uploads/2011_vlLalSlgns_llnAL-lo.pdf.
Sunshlne CoasL CommunlLy loundaLlon. (2010). vlLal Slgns updaLe. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://
sccfoundaLlon.com/wp/wp-conLenL/uploads/SCCl_2010vlLalupdaLe.pdf
Sunshlne CoasL CommunlLy loundaLlaon. (2009). vlLal Slgns 8eporL. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://
sccfoundaLlon.com/wp/wp-conLenL/uploads/ClCvlLalSlgns8eporL.pdf

Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL (2013). AgrlculLural Area lan: Sunshlne CoasL. 8eLrleved
from: hLLp://www.scrd.ca/flles/llle/CommunlLy/lannlng/AA208ackground
208eporL20!an201120201320compressed.pdf
Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL (2011a). 8ecreaLlon MasLer lan Survey. 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.scrd.ca/flles/llle/CommunlLy/arks/SC8u_llnalSurvey8eporL_uec03.pdf
Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL. (2011b). We Lnvlslon Cne CoasL: 1ogeLher ln naLure, CulLure and
CommunlLy. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://www.onecoasL.ca/flles/llle/!an20201220
SusLalnablllLy20lan-20low20res20ul20(3).pdf.
Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL. (2011c). We Lnvlslon ConsulLaLlon 8eporL. 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.onecoasL.ca/flles/ llle/WebslLe20consulLaLlon20reporL20updaLed
20Aprll2013(1).pdf.
vClCL on Lhe CoasL. (2011). ALLracLlng, 8eLalnlng, and Lngaglng ?oung AdulLs on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL.
8eLrleved from: hLLp://dl.dropboxuserconLenL.com/u/2399326/CommunlLy20lan
20!uly2013202011.pdf
?ouLh SLraLegy: 8ural ClLy of WangaraLLa (2010). 8eLrleved from: hLLp://
www.wangaraLLa.vlc.gov.au/councll/documenLs/lmages/?ouLh-
SLraLegy-161110.pdf










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Attracting the Creative Class to Powell River, BC

8y Moteo 5cbolletos

8*+9'3.:+7'*
1he CreaLlve Class and a knowledge-based economy are consldered lmporLanL componenLs for
reglonal developmenL, especlally ln urban areas (llorlda, 2012), alLhough aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class
for susLalnable developmenL ls [usL as lmporLanL for rural areas (eLrov, 2007, Selada, vllhena da Cunha,
& 1omaz, 2011, McCranahan & Wo[an, 2007). llorlda (2012) dlsLlngulshes beLween Lwo levels wlLhln
Lhe CreaLlve Class. Pe descrlbes Lhe super creaLlve core as people who produce new forms or deslgns,
ready Lo be Lransferred, such as unlverslLy professors, englneers, archlLecLs and arLlsLs. Members of Lhe
second group work ln occupaLlons LhaL need creaLlve problem solvlng, such as flnanclal servlces, healLh
care and buslness managemenL (llorlda, 2012). 1hese professlons mosLly requlre a hlgh level of human
caplLal and a hlgh degree of formal educaLlon (llorlda, 2012). Cenerally, Lhe CreaLlve Class ls mosL llkely
Lo move Lo rural areas because of Lhe quallLy of llfe and quallLy of place Lhese communlLles offer, so-
called amenlLles (Selada eL al., 2011, Lewls & uonald, 2010). 8oLh reglons wlLh naLural amenlLles and
communlLles wlLh a college or unlverslLy are consldered magneLs for aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class
(McCranahan & Wo[an, 2007).

1hls case sLudy examlnes how Lhe clLy of owell 8lver can aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class ln order Lo
address some of lLs susLalnablllLy lssues. owell 8lver ls locaLed ln Lhe souLh-wesL of malnland 8rlLlsh
Columbla, approxlmaLely 143 km norLhwesL of vancouver on Lhe upper Sunshlne CoasL. lL ls slLuaLed
beLween Lhe SLralL of Malasplna and Lhe CoasL MounLaln range (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a), whlch
provlde beauLlful naLural amenlLles for Lhe communlLy. owell 8lver ls a rural reglon consldered lsolaLed
as lL ls only accesslble by ferry or by plane (1ourlsm owell 8lver, 2013, vannsLruLh ConsulLlng Croup,
2008). lounded upon a resource-based economy, owell 8lver remalns dependenL on prlmary
industries, such as forestry (PRREDS, 2011). In the last 25 years the city of Powell Rivers population
remalned sLagnanL wlLh approxlmaLely 13,000 lnhablLanLs. Closer examlnaLlon, however, reveals LhaL
owell 8lver has undergone a slgnlflcanL populaLlon shlfL, as Lhe populaLlon over 63 years ls growlng,
whlle Lhe percenLage of people aged 0 Lo 44 ls decllnlng (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a). 1he clLy of owell
8lver offers lLs lnhablLanLs a greaL varleLy of servlces, lncludlng healLh care, recreaLlon, culLure, as well
as educaLlon up Lo a posL-secondary level (88LuS, 2011).

Pavlng boLh naLural amenlLles and a unlverslLy ln Lown, Lhe clLy of owell 8lver can aLLracL Lhe
CreaLlve Class and reLaln Lhem ln order Lo develop Lhe communlLy ln a susLalnable way, boLh
economlcally and soclally. lollowlng a Lhree-day fleldLrlp Lo owell 8lver, lncludlng dlscusslons wlLh local
governmenL and lndusLry represenLaLlves, lL ls evldenL LhaL Lhe communlLy has susLalnablllLy challenges.
1hls paper wlll ldenLlfy Lhree of Powell Rivers sustainability issues which can be addressed by attracting
Lhe CreaLlve Class. lL wlll descrlbe Lhe local responses Lo Lhese challenges and, flnally, lL wlll glve
examples of how oLher communlLles around Lhe world solved slmllar lssues wlLh aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve
Class.

<.,+"7*"#7$7+= 7,,.%,
owell 8lver provldes boLh naLural amenlLles and a unlverslLy. 1herefore, Lhe communlLy should
be able Lo address some of lLs susLalnablllLy lssues by aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class. llrsL of all, owell
8lver faces Lhe challenge of a maLurlng populaLlon. A second challenge ls Lhe local economy and Lhe
)z
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employmenL slLuaLlon as owell 8lver depends Lo a large exLenL on foresLry (ClLy of owell 8lver,
2013a). 1he Lhlrd lssue for owell 8lver ls Lhe low level of baslc and hlgher educaLlon. 1he Lhree
challenges are lnLerrelaLed and consLlLuLe LhreaLs Lo owell 8lver when Lrylng Lo susLaln a healLhy
communlLy.

B2#>2 J%C+2:0;=#*3
ALLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class Lo owell 8lver can be a soluLlon for Lhe lssue of an aglng
populaLlon. A maLurlng populaLlon ls a problem LhroughouL Canada. 1he number of people aged 63 or
older is almost five million, which accounts for 14.8% of Canadas population (Statistics Canada, 2012).
1he maln reasons for Lhls shlfL are decreaslng blrLh raLes, hlgher llfe expecLancy and an aglng baby
boomer generaLlon (uandy & 8ollman, 2008). 1he demographlc change ls even more slgnlflcanL ln
Powell River as more than 23% of the 13,165 inhabitants are 65 or older. In addition, Powell Rivers
populaLlon aged beLween 0 and 44 are ln decllne (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a). 1he medlan age of 49.6 ln
owell 8lver ls conslderably hlgher Lhan Lhe average age ln Lhe provlnce, whlch ls 41.9 years (ClLy of
owell 8lver, 2013a). lf owell 8lver falls Lo aLLracL Lhe younger CreaLlve Class lL wlll sLruggle Lo susLaln
lLs populaLlon, as Lhe aglng Lrend ls expecLed Lo conLlnue.

An aglng populaLlon does noL only have effecLs on Lhe demographlc proflle of owell 8lver, buL
lL ls closely llnked Lo concerns abouL susLalnable economlc developmenL and economlc dlverslflcaLlon ln
owell 8lver.

!*+>+C( 0>" !C;,+(C%>$ J#M%:3#<#*0$#+>
The creation of employment opportunities is crucial to economic and social well-belng. 1here ls
a sLrong relaLlonshlp beLween Lhe presence of creative and cultural industries and regional prosperity
(Power, 2011, p. 8). The attraction of the Creative Class can positively change Powell Rivers
employment opportunities and sustain its economy. Powell Rivers economy is still somewhat
dependenL on foresLry and Lhe paper mlll (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a, ArllngLon Croup lannlng +
ArchlLecLure lnc., 2013). CLher core lndusLrles are ubllc AdmlnlsLraLlon, ArLs and CulLure, AquaculLure,
AgrlculLure and Mlnlng (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a). 1he communitys income relies significantly on
pensions. In 2009, pensions represented almost 25% of Powell Rivers income, which is much higher
Lhan Lhe provlnclal average of 13.9 (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a). lncome from non-work sources
lncreased ma[orly beLween 2000 and 2009, whereas employmenL lncome decreased ln Lhe same perlod
of Llme from 62.9 Lo 34.6 (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a). ALLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class would noL only
help owell 8lver Lo normallze Lhe sources of lncome, buL also Lo dlverslfy lLs economy, by creaLlng
more knowledge-based and creaLlve buslnesses. owell 8lver already has a well-represenLed arLs secLor
(owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee, 2012), buL lacks oLher groups wlLhln Lhe CreaLlve Class, for
lnsLance medlcal pracLlLloners (88LuS, 2013a). ALLracLlng Lhese people ls lmporLanL Lo meeL Lhe fuLure
needs of lLs aglng populaLlon.

ln addlLlon, a sLudy conducLed by Lhe owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon (2012) reveals LhaL
residents perceptions of Powell Rivers economy are unsaLlsfacLory. More Lhan 73 of parLlclpanLs of
Lhe owell 8lver vlLal Slgns survey raLe Lhe currenL economy as falr, below average or poor (owell 8lver
CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). llndlng good [obs ln owell 8lver ls a blg concern, especlally for
residents in their 30s. More than 50% believe that the future job supply in the community will be below
average or poor (owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). ln order Lo susLaln a healLhy economy ln
owell 8lver, Lhose challenges need Lo be addressed.

))
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

!"1*0$#+>
LducaLlon ls a susLalnablllLy lssue ln owell 8lver, whlch ls closely llnked Lo Lhe economlc
developmenL of Lhe communlLy, as Lhe Lrend ls for employers Lo seek employees wlLh hlgh educaLlon
(owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). 1he proporLlon of resldenLs aged beLween 18 and 63 who
graduaLe from Plgh School ls only 49.8, compared Lo a provlnclal average of 38.6 (owell 8lver
CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). 1he percenLage of resldenLs holdlng a unlverslLy degree ls only 11,
whereas Lhe provlnclal average ls 19 (owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). 8ecause of lLs
percelved hlgher level of educaLlon (llorlda, 2012), aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class can help normallze Lhe
educaLlon level, boLh secondary and posL-secondary, ln owell 8lver.

Accordlng Lo Lhe sLudy by Lhe owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon (2012) lL ls evldenL LhaL
resldenLs do noL regard Lhe educaLlon sysLem ln owell 8lver as very good or effecLlve. Lspeclally Lhe
age group of people aged 18 and younger view the communitys commlLmenL Lo help people reach a
good level of llLeracy and educaLlon as below average (owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). 1he
avallablllLy of learnlng faclllLles ln owell 8lver ls consldered falr, below average or poor (owell 8lver
CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012), whlch means LhaL owell 8lver needs Lo lmprove lLs educaLlon secLor ln
order to enhance the communitys education level.

D':"$ 9%,E'*,%,
laclng Lhe problems of an aglng populaLlon, a lack of baslc educaLlon and an economy
dependenL on few lndusLrles, owell 8lver has already Laken some sLeps Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class
and develop susLalnably.

D%3;+>3% $+ !*+>+C( 0>" !C;,+(C%>$ J#M%:3#<#*0$#+>
In advanced economies, the generation of new ideas and the translation/commercialization of
Lhese ldeas lnLo new producLs, servlces and experlences are Lhe prlmary source of economlc value and
wealth creation (AuthentiCity, 2008, p. 3). As a first step to address the economic issue in Powell River
and Lo capLlvaLe Lhe CreaLlve Class, Lhe local governmenL formed a Mayor 1ask lorce Lo creaLe a plan for
economic revitalization (City of Powell River, 2013a). The plans goals are closely connected to attracting
Lhe CreaLlve Class. lor example, Lhe clLy wlll supporL efforLs ln lncreaslng Lhe knowledge-based
lndusLrles secLor and Lhe healLh care secLor, whlch lnclude a large varleLy of [ob opporLunlLles for Lhe
CreaLlve Class. 1he governmenL wlll also supporL Lhe ArLs and CulLure secLor, as well as Lhe 1ourlsm
secLor, whlch are consldered creaLlve occupaLlons (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a).

Happy, existing businesses help to attract new businesses (PRREDS, 2013b, p. 9). Due to that
facL, 1he owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy (88LuS), Lhe owell 8lver CommunlLy
luLures and Lhe local Chamber of Commerce developed Lhe 8uslness 8eLenLlon and Lxpanslon rogram
ln 2011 (88LuS, 2013c). noL only does Lhe program supporL local buslnesses ln Lhelr operaLlons,
[ourneys and expanslon, buL lL also helps Lo ldenLlfy problems and opporLunlLles and supporLs buslness
owners wlLh bulldlng relaLlonshlps (88LuS, 2013b). 1he goal ls Lo prevenL buslnesses from relocaLlng
and, aL Lhe same Llme, promoLe owell 8lver Lo poLenLlal enLrepreneurs (88LuS, 2013b). owell 8lver
already aLLracLed buslnesses ln Lhe creaLlve secLor, for example lndependenL arLlsLs and compuLer and
lnLerneL servlces (owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee, 2012). 8eLalnlng Lhose buslnesses mlghL
draw oLher creaLlve enLrepreneurs Lo owell 8lver. AnoLher lnlLlaLlve Lo help enLrepreneurs Lo open
Lhelr buslness ln owell 8lver ls CommunlLy luLures. 1he non-proflL group provldes dlrecL flnanclal help
and lnformaLlon servlces for people who wanL Lo sLarL, or already have, a small buslness (CommunlLy
luLures, 2013, ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a). Slnce lLs esLabllshmenL ln 1988, CommunlLy luLures helped
)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Lo creaLe 1,336 local [obs ln owell 8lver (CommunlLy luLures, 2013). 1he organlzaLlon supporLs owell
8lver aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class, as Lhey focus on asslsLlng buslnesses ln Lhe aerospace-lndusLry and
Lhe lnnovaLlon Lechnology secLor (S. 8uskle, personal communlcaLlon, CcLober 21sL, 2013), whlch are
boLh parL of Lhe CreaLlve Class.

1he CreaLlve Class ls aLLracLed by naLural amenlLles and a good quallLy of llfe (Lewls & uonald,
2010, McCranahan & Wo[an, 2007). romoLlng Lhe communlLles sLrengLhs ln arLs, culLure and
recreaLlon (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a), 1ourlsm owell 8lver can also funcLlon as a Lool for enLlclng Lhe
CreaLlve Class Lo move Lo owell 8lver. Many new resldenLs declde Lo sLay afLer a vlslL and every vlslLor
represenLs a poLenLlal, fuLure resldenL (owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee, 2012).

To conclude, Powell Rivers non-proflL organlzaLlons are maklng efforLs Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve
Class wlLh supporL of Lhe local governmenL. noLwlLhsLandlng, Lhere ls more poLenLlal for owell 8lver Lo
be a sLronger magneL for Lhe CreaLlve Class by focuslng on Lourlsm markeLlng and Lhe knowledge-based
and creaLlve secLor.

D%3;+>3% $+ !"1*0$#+>
Pavlng a hlgh level of educaLlon ls lmporLanL for Lhe CreaLlve Class because Lhelr occupaLlons
requlre lL ln mosL cases. owell 8lver Lrles Lo address Lhe lssue of a low level of educaLlon wlLh dlfferenL
approaches. lor lnsLance, School ulsLrlcL no. 47 cooperaLes wlLh Lhe prlvaLe secLor Lo provlde
opporLunlLles for long-Lerm employmenL ln owell 8lver (88LuS, 2011). Cne of Lhe lnnovaLlve
programs ls Lhe arLners ln LducaLlon (lL) rogram (88LuS, 2011). lL ls a parLnershlp beLween Lhe
school dlsLrlcL and parenLs who allows chlldren Lo be educaLed aL home (arLners ln LducaLlon, 2013).
lL follows Lhe currlculum seL by Lhe 8C MlnlsLry of LducaLlon buL Lakes lnLo accounL Lhe dlfferenL
learnlng sLyles and needs of sLudenLs and offers asslsLance, dlrecLlon and flexlblllLy for sLudenLs and
parenLs (arLners ln LducaLlon, 2013). AnoLher lnlLlaLlve Lo enhance Lhe educaLlon level ln owell 8lver
and, aL Lhe same Llme, creaLe employmenL opporLunlLles ls Lhe owell 8lver LducaLlon Servlces SocleLy
(8LSS). 8LSS ls a non-proflL organlzaLlon dedlcaLed Lo lmprove enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLles LhaL can
enhance Lralnlng and employmenL opporLunlLles (88LuS, 2011). 8LSS parLners wlLh publlc schools,
posL-secondary lnsLlLuLlons, buslnesses and Lhe governmenL Lo lncrease educaLlon and employmenL
opporLunlLles ln owell 8lver and lL also Lrles Lo ldenLlfy barrlers Lo educaLlon for marglnallzed groups
(8LSS, 2013).

lurLhermore, owell 8lver provldes anoLher educaLlonal lnlLlaLlve Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class
from ouLslde of Canada. 1he lnLernaLlonal rogram offers experlences acqulred abroad for sLudenLs Lo
enhance Lhelr Lngllsh skllls. 1he program helps lnLernaLlonal sLudenLs ln owell 8lver Lo obLaln Lngllsh
skllls qulckly, due Lo Lhe lack of dlfferenL languages spoken here (88LuS, 2011), where 96 of
households speak Lngllsh (owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). 1he lnLernaLlonal educaLlon
program ls supporLed by Lhe local governmenL (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013a). 1hls program creaLes
awareness of owell 8lver ouLslde of Canada and mlghL help aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class Lo mlgraLe Lo Lhe
communlLy. AnoLher lnnovaLlve program LhaL lncreases creaLlvlLy ln owell 8lver ls Lhe owell 8lver
ulglLal lllm School (8ulS, 2013, 88LuS, 2011). 1he program offers hands on undersLandlng of
fllmmaklng, whlch ls a CreaLlve Class occupaLlon. lL ls open Lo grade 12 Plgh School sLudenLs, as well as
Plgh School graduaLes (8ulS, 2013).

Pavlng a unlverslLy nearby can be a magneL for Lhe CreaLlve Class (McCranahan & Wo[an, 2007).
WlLh vancouver lsland unlverslLy (vlu), owell 8lver has a permanenL, year-around campus. ln addlLlon
)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Lo Lhe campus, Lhe courses vlu offers aL lLs owell 8lver locaLlon are deslgned Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve
Class, e.g. arLs, buslness or healLh care (vlu, 2013). AlLhough Lhere are courses relaLed Lo creaLlve
occupaLlons, vlu and owell 8lver should conLlnue Lo creaLe undergraduaLe courses relaLed Lo Lhe
CreaLlve Class Lo lncrease lLs aLLracLlveness and Lo Lake advanLage of havlng a unlverslLy campus ln
Lown. CovernmenLal efforLs Lo supporL Lhe knowledge-based secLor and educaLlon (ArllngLon Croup
lannlng + ArchlLecLure lnc., 2013) can also help Lo aLLracL creaLlve workforce.

ln summary, Lhere ls evldence LhaL owell 8lver offers educaLlonal programs Lo lmprove Lhe
level of educaLlon ln Lhe communlLy and Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class aL Lhe same Llme. neverLheless,
Lhere ls sLlll room for enhancemenL, for lnsLance, by developlng unlverslLy programs ln knowledge-based
lndusLrles ln order Lo aLLracL and reLaln creaLlve sLudenLs and Lo provlde Lhem wlLh knowledge, skllls
and opporLunlLles Lo open a buslness ln owell 8lver.

8**'A"+7A% ,'$.+7'*, (9'5 '.+,73% +/% 9%17'*
ln owell 8lver, sLraLegles Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class Lo Lackle Lhe underlylng economlc and
soclal susLalnablllLy lssues already exlsL. CLher lnnovaLlve sLraLegles addresslng susLalnablllLy lssues by
aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class occur. 1hls secLlon examlnes Lwo lnnovaLlve approaches LhaL address
similar issues to Powell Rivers. The strategies are not 100 Lransferable Lo owell 8lver, buL Lhey can
funcLlon as a baslc ldea Lo develop slmllar sLraLegles.

G=% D1:0, K:0*$#$#+>%: K:+2:0CH E=#,%
1he 8ural racLlLloner rogram ln Chlle represenLs a successful sLraLegy Lo aLLracL and reLaln
physlclans Lo rural communlLles and Lo address Lhe lack of medlcal pracLlLloners ln rural Chlle (ena, eL
al., 2010). arLlclpanLs work ln a rural area for aL leasL Lhree years and a maxlmum of slx years and
recelve flnanclal, educaLlonal and managemenL lncenLlves, for example a pald resldency, aLLracLlve
salary and beneflLs proporLlonal Lo Lhe degree of lsolaLlon of houslng (ena, eL al., 2010). uesplLe Lhe
flnanclal beneflLs, mosL parLlclpanLs ldenLlfled non-flnanclal lncenLlves as mosL lmporLanL. 1he program
can be seen as successful as 90 of parLlclpanLs ln a survey raLed Lhelr experlence as poslLlve and 69.7
planned Lo pracLlce as a speclallsL ln a rural area (ena, eL al., 2010).

A 8ural racLlLloner rogram ls a good sLraLegy Lo aLLracL medlcal pracLlLloners Lo rural areas
and Lo meeL Lhe needs of Lhe rural populaLlon. 8y lmplemenLlng a slmllar program on a smaller scale ln
owell 8lver, Lhe communlLy can meeL Lhe needs for medlcal professlonals (88LuS, 2013a) and, aL Lhe
same Llme, aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class. 1he program can be Lransferred Lo oLher lndusLrles, such as
englneerlng or educaLlon. 1he lmplemenLaLlon of a slmllar program for educaLlon professlonals, boLh
unlverslLy and Plgh School Leachers, would noL only aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class, buL also help Lo lncrease
Lhe level of educaLlon by provldlng hlghly educaLed professlonals. ln addlLlon Lo flnanclal beneflLs,
owell 8lver ls able Lo aLLracL poLenLlal parLlclpanLs wlLh naLural amenlLles and a hlgh quallLy of llfe,
whlch are Lhe maln reasons for Lhe CreaLlve Class Lo move (Lewls & uonald, 2010).

lmplemenLlng a program llke Lhe 8ural racLlLloner rogram ln Chlle can be helpful for owell
8lver ln Lhe healLh care secLor Lo meeL fuLure needs of Lhe maLurlng populaLlon, buL also ln Lhe
educaLlon secLor Lo address lLs susLalnablllLy lssues. lL ls an advanLage LhaL owell 8lver already has a
posL-secondary lnsLlLuLlon Lo provlde Lhe professlonal Lralnlng requlred for Lhe pro[ecL.

)6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

)+:$= E0:+,#>0 B:$3 O>*1'0$+:H F#,%: E#$(H )+:$= E0:+,#>0
1he norLh Carollna ArLs lncubaLor ln Sller ClLy ls a pro[ecL ln cooperaLlon wlLh Sller ClLy and Lhe
CenLral Carollna CommunlLy College Lo creaLe an lnnovaLlve buslness clusLer of arLs-based small
buslnesses founded ln 2001 (Lambe, 2008). 1he ldea was Lo purchase abandoned bulldlngs ln Lhe clLy
CenLre, renovaLe Lhem and use Lhem as sLudlos for arLlsans. 8esldes offerlng affordable renLs, Lhe
program provldes speclal asslsLance ln markeLlng, professlonal developmenL and buslness managemenL
(Lambe, 2008). ln parLnershlps wlLh Lhe CenLral Carollna CommunlLy College, Lhe program offers
crafLwork-relaLed skllls developmenL as well as enLrepreneurlal help on how Lo open up and run a
buslness (Lambe, 2008). 1he pro[ecL was funded by Lhe local governmenL and local economlc
developmenL CenLre. (Lambe, 2008).

A pro[ecL llke Lhe norLh Carollna ArLs lncubaLor ls Lransferable Lo owell 8lver and wlll help Lo
aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class. Sller ClLy ls sllghLly smaller Lhan owell 8lver, buL also has a college campus
and a hlgh degree of ArLs and CulLure (Lambe, 2008). 1he lmplemenLaLlon of an arLs clusLer ln owell
8lver wlll noL only sLrengLhen Lhe creaLlve secLor, buL also lncrease Lhe employmenL opporLunlLles and
sLrengLhen Lhe economy. lL ls evldenL LhaL dlfferenL shareholders ln owell 8lver, llke Lhe local
governmenL, 88LuS, CommunlLy luLures, Lhe ArLs Councll and vlu would have Lo work closely LogeLher
and supporL Lhe pro[ecL equally, because, ln order Lo lncrease Lhe economlc developmenL, small
buslness lncubaLors have Lo provlde Lralnlng and supporL, along wlLh affordable space, wheLher Lhey are
focused on arLlsLs or oLher enLrepreneurs (Lambe, 2008). 1he pro[ecL can be Lransferred Lo oLher
lndusLrles. lL ls concelvable, LhaL owell 8lver can lmplemenL a pro[ecL llke Lhe norLh Carollna ArLs
lncubaLor for compuLer or lnLerneL servlces, because Lhere ls already a basls for Lhls lndusLry (owell
8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee, 2012).

LsLabllshlng Lhls Lype of pro[ecL can help owell 8lver Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class and Lo
address Lhe challenges of dlverslfylng Lhe economy and provldlng employmenL opporLunlLles. lor Lhe
pro[ecL Lo be successful, lL ls lmporLanL LhaL all sLakeholders work closely LogeLher and provlde
opportunities for innovative economic growth of Powell Rivers creative economy.

)'*:$.,7'*
ALLracLlng members of creaLlve or knowledge-based occupaLlons Lo rural areas ls essenLlal for
reglonal developmenL (Selada, vllhena da Cunha, & 1omaz, 2011, McCranahan & Wo[an, 2007). ln Lhe
case of owell 8lver, aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class can help Lo address Lhe challenge of an aglng
populaLlon, Lo dlverslfy Lhe economy, Lo provlde beLLer employmenL opporLunlLles and Lo enhance Lhe
educaLlon level ln Lhe communlLy.

lL ls clear from Lhe lnlLlaLlves LhaL are Laklng place ln owell 8lver LhaL Lhe local governmenL and
dlfferenL oLher sLakeholders are aware of Lhe lssues owell 8lver faces ln order Lo be economlcally and
soclally susLalnable. 1here are efforLs Lo dlverslfy Lhe economy by means of programs llke Lhe 8uslness
8eLenLlon and Lxpansion Program or organizations like Community Futures. The governments effort to
aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class ls also obvlous, as lL wlll supporL Lhe knowledge-based lndusLrles secLor.
owell 8lver can be a magneL for Lhe CreaLlve Class because of lLs naLural amenlLles and quallLy of llfe,
buL lacks Lhe efforL Lo promoLe LhaL. 1ourlsm ln owell 8lver can be a helpful Lool Lo enhance Lhe
promoLlon. ln addlLlon Lo Lhe economlc efforLs, educaLlonal lnlLlaLlves Lake place Lo lncrease Lhe
educaLlonal level and also Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class. vlu, for example already offers programs relaLed
Lo Lhe creaLlve economy, such as healLh care or educaLlon programs. School ulsLrlcL no. 47 offers
dlfferenL lnlLlaLlves Lo beLLer educaLe sLudenLs and aLLracL lnLernaLlonal sLudenLs Lo owell 8lver. 1hls
))
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

can be helpful by Lrylng Lo aLLracL Lhe CreaLlve Class. neverLheless, educaLlon sLlll has a huge growLh
poLenLlal, especlally ln Lhe posL-secondary secLor, as havlng a unlverslLy nearby can be one of Lhe mosL
aLLracLlve facLors for Lhe CreaLlve Class (McCranahan & Wo[an, 2007).

8oLh Lhe rural pracLlLloners program ln Chlle and Lhe norLh Carollna ArLs lncubaLor can be seen
as successful pro[ecLs for aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class Lo rural areas and addresslng susLalnablllLy lssues.
8oLh pro[ecLs also have poLenLlal Lo be adapLable for owell 8lver. 1he rural pracLlLloners program can
be used Lo aLLracL medlcal professlonals, school Leachers or unlverslLy professors. 1herefore, owell
8lver needs Lo provlde flnanclal, educaLlonal and lnLrlnslc lncenLlves and has Lo cooperaLe wlLh Lhe
unlverslLy and economlc sLakeholders ln order Lo lmplemenL a program for susLalnable economlc
growth. The North Carolina Arts Incubator can be transferred to Powell Rivers arts community or to the
compuLer and lnLerneL servlce lndusLry ln owell 8lver. lL requlres a sLrong parLnershlp among all
sLakeholders, buL lL could resulL ln a susLalnable economlc developmenL, employmenL opporLunlLles and
Lhe aLLracLlon of Lhe CreaLlve Class.

All ln all, Lhe sLakeholders ln Lhe communlLy are aware of Lhe susLalnablllLy lssues and make
efforLs Lo address Lhem by aLLracLlng Lhe CreaLlve Class Lo owell 8lver. 1he lnlLlaLlves seem Lo be well
LhoughL-ouL, so Lhere ls hope LhaL owell 8lver wlll manage Lo develop susLalnably.


)8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS
ArllngLon Croup lannlng + ArchlLecLure lnc. (2013). ClLy of owell 8lver SCC - 8ackground 8eporL.
8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from hLLp://powellrlverocp.flles.wordpress.com/2013/02/pr-ocp-
background-reporL-12-feb-2013.pdf
AuLhenLlClLy. (2008). CreaLlve ClLy lannlng lramework. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from CreaLlve
ClLy:
hLLp://www.creaLlveclLy.ca/daLabase/flles/llbrary/creaLlve_clLy_plannlng_framework_feb08.pdf
ClLy of owell 8lver. (2013a). ClLy of owell 8lver CC 8ylaw 2080. 8eLrleved november 1, 2013, from
hLLp://powellrlverocp.com/
ClLy of owell 8lver. (2013b). uemographlc Lrend lmpllcaLlons for CC. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013,
from hLLp://powellrlverocp.flles.wordpress.com/2013/02/pr-ocp-lnlLlal-open-house-posLers-30-
[an-2013_page_6.[pg
CommunlLy luLures. (2013). CommunlLy luLures owell 8lver. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from
hLLp://prfuLures.ca/
uandy, k., & 8ollman, 8. u. (2008). Senlors ln 8ural Canada. 8ural and Small 1own Canada Analysls
8ulleLln, 7(8), pp. 1-36.
llorlda, 8. (2012). 1he 8lse of Lhe CreaLlve Class. hlladelphla: 8aslc 8ooks.
Lambe, W. (2008). Small 1owns, 8lg ldeas. n.C. 8ural Lconomlc uevelopmenL CenLer.
Lewls, n. M., & uonald, 8. (2010). A new 8ubrlc for 'CreaLlve ClLy' oLenLlal ln Canada's Smaller ClLles.
urban SLudles, 47(1), pp. 29-34.
McCranahan, u. A., & Wo[an, 1. 8. (2007). 1he CreaLlve Class: A key Lo 8ural CrowLh. Amber Waves,
3(2), pp. 17-21.
arLners ln LducaLlon. (2013). AbouL us. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from arLners ln LducaLlon
ulsLrlbuLed Learnlng ln owell 8lver & Lhe Comox valley:
hLLp://www.sd47.bc.ca/school/ple/AbouL/ages/defaulL.aspx
ena, S., 8amlrez, !., 8ecerra, C., CarabanLesc, !., ArLeagab, & Cscar. (2010). 1he Chllean 8ural
racLlLloner rogramme: a mulLldlmenslonal sLraLegy Lo aLLracL and reLaln docLors ln rural areas.
8ull World PealLh Crgan, 88, pp. 371378.
eLrov, A. n. (2007). A Look beyond MeLropolls: Lxplorlng CreaLlve Class ln Lhe Canadlan erlphery.
Canadlan !ournal of 8eglonal Sclence, 3, pp. 431-474.
owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure CommlLLee. (2012). owell 8lver ArLs and CulLure lnlLlaLlve. 8eLrleved
november 1, 2013, from owell 8lver Clvlcweb:
hLLps://powellrlver.clvlcweb.neL/uocumenLs/uocumenLulsplay.aspx?ld=2378
owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon. (2012). Powell Rivers Vital Signs. Retrieved November 2, 2013,
from vlLal Slgns Canada:
hLLp://www.vlLalslgnscanada.ca/flles/localreporLs/owell8lver_2011.pdf
ower, u. (2011). rlorlLy SecLor 8eporL: CreaLlve and CulLural lndusLrles. Luropean Commlsslon for
LnLerprlse and lndusLry.
8ulS. (2013). Who we are, whaL we do. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from 1he owell 8lver ulglLal
lllm School: hLLp://prdfs.ca/abouL-us/
8LSS. (2013). AbouL us. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from owell 8lver LducaLlonal Servlces SocleLy:
hLLp://www.pressbc.com/purpose.hLml#
88LuS. (2011). CommunlLy roflle & SlLe SelecLor uaLabase. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from
hLLp://www.prreds.com/aLLachmenLs/2013/CommunlLyroflle.pdf
88LuS. (2013a). 8esldenL ALLracLlon rogram. 8eLrleved november 1, 2013, from 88LuS ro[ecL
rlorlLles 2013: hLLp://www.prreds.com/pro[ecLs.hLml
)g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

88LuS. (2013b). 8uslness 8eLenLlon and Lxpanslon rogram. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from
hLLp://www.edabc.com/aLLachmenLs/171/ScoLL208andolph_88&L_owell208lver20LuA8
C2088L20resenLaLlon20!une202013.pdf
88LuS. (2013c). 88LuS 8uslness 8eLenLlon & Lxpanslon. 8eLrleved november 1, 2013, from owell
8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy: hLLp://www.prreds.com/brne.hLml
Selada, C., vllhena da Cunha, l., & 1omaz, L. (2011). CreaLlve-based sLraLegles ln small clLles: A case-
sLudy approach. 8edlge, 2(2), pp. 79-111.
SLaLlsLlcs Canada. (2012). 1he Canadlan opulaLlon ln 2011: Age and Sex. 8eLrleved CcLober 29, 2013,
from hLLp://www12.sLaLcan.gc.ca/census-recensemenL/2011/as-sa/98-311-x/98-311-x2011001-
eng.pdf
1ourlsm owell 8lver. (2013). CeLLlng Lo owell 8lver. 8eLrleved november 10, 2013, from ulscover
owell 8lver: hLLp://www.dlscoverpowellrlver.com/geLLlng-here/
vannsLruLh ConsulLlng Croup. (2008). 88u 8eglonal CrowLh and uevelopmenL Analysls - llnal 8eporL.
8eLrleved november 10, 2013, from hLLp://www.powellrlverrd.bc.ca/wp-
conLenL/uploads/2011/09/CrowLh-and-uevelopmenL-Analysls.pdf
vlu. (2013). rograms & Courses. 8eLrleved november 2, 2013, from owell 8lver Campus:
hLLp://pr.vlu.ca/calendar/lndex.asp

o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

!/% <.*,/7*% )'",+ !9"7$> !'.97,5 +' +/% <.*,/7*% )'",+
6%17'*B CG)G

8y Aooo Nebm ooJ vl letetseo


8*+9'3.:+7'*
G=% F1>3=#>% E+03$ G:0#,? G+1:#3C $+ $=% F1>3=#>% E+03$ D%2#+>H I.E.
1ourlsm has become one of Lhe largesL lndusLrles and employers ln Lhe world of whlch naLure-
based Lourlsm ls Lhe fasLesL growlng secLor, comprlsed of aLLracLlons, acLlvlLles and experlences,
lnvolvlng lnLeracLlon wlLh naLural and culLural resources (kuenzl & Mcneely, 2008). Accordlng Lo
8almford eL al. (2009), naLure-based Lourlsm has noLable poLenLlal Lo conLrlbuLe Lo susLalnablllLy ln an
envlronmenLal, soclal and economlc manner. More preclsely, naLure-based Lourlsm engages people wlLh
Lhe envlronmenL and can Lherefore poslLlvely shape people's aLLlLudes Lowards naLure and ralse
awareness Loward Lhe lmporLance of conservaLlon. lurLher, lL can generaLe healLhy lelsure
opporLunlLles for Lhe pracLlLloner as well as creaLe [obs wlLhln Lhe communlLy llvlng near naLural
amenlLles by creaLlng Lravel servlces LhaL caLer Lo vlslLor needs and levels of saLlsfacLlon. Plklng, a
naLure-based Lourlsm acLlvlLy, llnks Lo susLalnablllLy because lL ls an all-season acLlvlLy wlLh many healLh
beneflLs and comparaLlvely low lmpacL on Lhe envlronmenL. lurLher, lL ls accesslble by a large number of
people due Lo lLs low level of necessary skllls requlred (Plll, Coldenberg and lreldL, 2009).
1he Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, locaLed on Lhe souLhern malnland coasL of 8rlLlsh Columbla, ls
exLremely rlch ln naLural amenlLles and has a hlgh LourlsL poLenLlal for naLure-based Lourlsm. 1he 8eglon
ls home Lo one of Lhe besL esLabllshed hlklng Lralls ln Lhe provlnce, 1he Sunshlne CoasL 1rall (SC1), whlch
ls surrounded by beauLlful naLural amenlLles (owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy, 2012).
AlLhough, Lhe range of naLural amenlLles ln Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL ls ldeal for hlklng,
various tourist brochures and magazines describe the SCT as British Columbia's best-kept secret
(PempsLead, 2011, p. 188). 8ased on meeLlngs wlLh varlous Lourlsm sLakeholders ln owell 8lver, one
could ldenLlfy LhaL Lourlsm Lo Lhe 8eglon ls a key economlc resource and lncreaslng vlslLor numbers Lo
Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall ls vlLal Lo susLalnable Lhe 8eglon's economy ln order Lo conLrlbuLe Lo
susLalnablllLy developmenL. 1herefore, Lhls paper focuses on ldenLlfylng means of lncreaslng Lourlsm Lo
Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall Lo enhance Lhe susLalnablllLy of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL.
ln dolng so, Lhls paper provldes an overvlew of Lhe key daLa relaLed Lo Lhe SC1. lollowlng, susLalnablllLy
challenges ln regards Lo lncreaslng Lourlsm Lo Lhe SC1 are ldenLlfled, and local responses Lo Lhe
susLalnablllLy challenges are descrlbed. 1hen, ln order Lo conLrlbuLe Lo furLher undersLandlng, Lhls paper
lnLroduces Lhree lnnovaLlve case sLudles from ouLslde Lhe 8eglon. 1hese lnnovaLlve approaches address
Lhe key challenges ldenLlfled ln Lhls paper ln order Lo glve some key ldeas LhaL could help Lo overcome
Lhe susLalnablllLy challenges Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall ls faclng wlLh regard Lo lncreaslng Lourlsm
numbers.

G=% F1>3=#>% E+03$ G:0#,
1he SC1 ls locaLed ln souLhwesL 8rlLlsh Columbla on Lhe upper Sunshlne CoasL and runs from
Sarah olnL ln uesolaLlon Sound Lo SalLery 8ay. Along Lhe SC1, one can see a wlde varleLy of landscapes,
coasLal shorellnes, creeks and lakes, old growLh foresLs and panoramlc. 1he SC1 has many feaLures such
as belng home Lo Lhe hlghesL per caplLa populaLlon of arLlsLs, arLlsans and crafLers ln Canada or lLs
award-wlnnlng 13 km wheelchalr accesslble lakeslde Lrall (Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm, n.d.).


"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

ln 1992, a group of ouLdoor enLhuslasLs formed Lhe owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy
(8AWS), a non-proflL charlLable socleLy. 1he goal of Lhls group was Lo connecL one wlLh naLure,
Lhrough wllderness and parks, by bulldlng a long-dlsLance hlklng Lrall. ln 2000, a 180 km Lrall along Lhe
upper Sunshlne CoasL had been esLabllshed, comprlslng many smaller Lralls. ln 2009, 8AWS was
awarded a developmenL granL by Lhe rovlnce's lsland CoasLal Lconomlc 1rusL Lo lmprove Lhe
lnfrasLrucLure of Lhe SC1, by e.g. bulldlng huLs (owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy, CommunlLy
luLures uevelopmenL CorporaLlon & Puman 8esources uevelopmenL Canada, 2000).

1he SC1 ls 180 km long and aLLracLs a growlng number of vlslLors from all over Lhe world. 1here
are 12 shelLers or huLs ln place whlch can be used free of charge. 1he SC1 has 24 enLry polnLs vla varlous
logglng roads. Moreover, Lhe SC1 offers Lhree dlfferenL levels of dlfflculLy (easy-moderaLe-dlfflculL) Lo flL
dlfferenL sLyle of hlkers and as well famllles. 1here ls an exlsLlng lnfrasLrucLure of accommodaLlon,
camplng, hosplLallLy and Lravel servlces ln place ln order Lo servlce poLenLlal vlslLors. AlLhough Lhe
lnfrasLrucLure ls ln place, lL has been recognlzed LhaL Lhere ls a need for lmprovemenL, such as
esLabllshlng more dlrecL servlce provlders, e.g. guldlng ouLflLLlng and equlpmenL renLal (owell 8lver
arks and Wllderness SocleLy, 2012). lor lnsLance, Lhe 8eglon ls known for excellenL dlvlng faclllLles buL
Lhere ls no dlvlng sLore ln owell 8lver where one can buy dlvlng gear (ersonal CommunlcaLlon,
CcLober 22, 2013).

Summlng up, Lhe SC1 ls surrounded by greaL amenlLles and has greaL poLenLlal Lo lncrease vlslLor
numbers ln order Lo conLrlbuLe Lo more susLalnable developmenL wlLhln Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon.
Powever, lncreaslng Lourlsm developmenL Lo Lhe SC1 ls an lssue LhaL faces several challenges. 1he
susLalnablllLy challenges descrlbed ln Lhe followlng secLlon focus on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall ln 8rlLlsh
Columbla as a case sLudy example and may noL be Lransferable Lo oLher Lralls.

<.,+"7*"#7$7+= :/"$$%*1%, "*3 $':"$ 9%,E'*,%,
A reglon llke Lhe Sunshlne CoasL can face a varleLy of susLalnablllLy challenges ln regards Lo
naLure-based Lourlsm. lor Lhe SC1 ln parLlcular, lncreaslng vlslLor numbers ls one of Lhe blggesL lssues
LhaL needs Lo be addressed ln order Lo conLrlbuLe Lo more susLalnablllLy ln Lhe 8eglon. ln regards Lo
susLalnablllLy challenges and local responses Lowards Lourlsm lncrease Lo Lhe SC1, four caLegorles were
creaLed as a frame for Lhls case sLudy paper. 1hese four caLegorles are sLakeholders & pollcy, economy,
lmage markeLlng and LransporLaLlon, whlch also have been ldenLlfled ln a survey conducLed by Lhe
MlnlsLry of 1ourlsm, SporLs & Lhe ArLs, MlnlsLry of LnvlronmenL and Lhe rovlnce of 8rlLlsh Columbla ln
2006-2007 as a parL of Lhe 8C's 1ralls SLraLegy. Challenges and local responses ln regards Lo Lhese four
caLegorles wlll be dlscussed ln more deLall ln Lhe followlng.

F$0P%=+,"%:3 A K+,#*(
ln regards Lo susLalnablllLy challenges of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal
ulsLrlcL sLaLes LhaL Lhere ls no reglonal process ln place Lo esLabllsh sLraLeglc prlorlLles and Lo provlde a
framework LhaL would asslsL local governmenLs LhroughouL Lhe owell 8lver 8eglon ln deLermlnlng Lhe
mosL approprlaLe pro[ecLs for lnvesLmenL. 8esldes LhaL sLaff resources are very llmlLed. 1here ls no
shared sLraLegy for aLLracLlng vlslLors Lo Lhe 8eglon. SLakeholders need Lo share responslblllLles and Lo
supporL each oLher (Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 2012). 1herefore, sharlng responslblllLles and
supporLlng each oLher can be seen as a challenge for Lhe case of Lhe SC1 among sLakeholders. AnoLher
challenge ls LhaL noL all local buslnesses are supporLlve of Lourlsm (ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober
21, 2013) and Lherefore a shared sLraLegy LhaL beneflLs all and represenLs Lhe oplnlons of dlfferenL
sLakeholders ls lmporLanL.
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


lurLhermore, some feel LhaL Lhere ls a lack of leadershlp, pollcy and regulaLlon ln regards Lo
markeLlng Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall (ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). 1herefore, Lhe
markeLlng of Lhe 1rall needs Lo be enhanced. 1here are many lndlvldual groups worklng on Lhelr own so
one has Lo brlng Lhem all LogeLher ln order Lo lmplemenL a shared markeLlng sLraLegy and Lo markeL Lhe
1rall Lo wlder audlences Lo aLLracL more vlslLors. Cverall Lhere ls a greaL dlverslLy of buslnesses and
organlzaLlons LhaL all have dlfferenL oplnlons and dynamlcs, whlch makes lL very hard Lo esLabllsh
parLnershlps and move Lhe area forward. 1hls leads Lo a loL of complexlLy LhaL can be undermlnlng Lhe
effecLlveness of dlfferenL organlzaLlons (Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 2012).

Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm plays a slgnlflcanL role ln promoLlng Lourlsm Lo vlslLors and
governmenLs. lL has been recognlzed LhaL Lhese efforLs need Lo conLlnue. 8uL ln order Lo do so,
addlLlonal resources, such as fundlng, are requlred and an on-golng commlLmenL from local buslnesses
ln Lhe 8eglon ls needed. 1here ls also a need Lo come up wlLh new Lourlsm producLs ln order Lo aLLracL
vlslLors Lo Lhe area. 1he 8eglon's naLural seLLlng and asseLs are very unlque so one should make use of
Lhem wlLhln reglonal markeLlng and markeL Lhose asseLs Lo poLenLlal vlslLors (ersonal CommunlcaLlon,
CcLober 22, 2013).

1he owell 8lver 8eglon ls very quleL ln wlnLer and Lourlsm ls noL conslsLenL LhroughouL Lhe
year. Moreover, Lhe 8eglon ls mlsslng Lourlsm servlces and Lherefore enhanclng Lourlsm servlces ln Lhe
8eglon could aLLracL more vlslLors (ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013).

-+*0, D%3;+>3%3
ln regards Lo Lhese susLalnablllLy challenges menLloned above, Lhe 8ecreaLlon and 1ralls
SLraLegy for 8rlLlsh Columbla, wrlLLen by Lhe MlnlsLry of 1ourlsm, SporLs & Lhe ArLs, MlnlsLry of
LnvlronmenL and Lhe rovlnce of 8rlLlsh Columbla (2007), sLaLes LhaL Lhere are currenLly flve provlnclal
governmenLal agencles dlrecLly or lndlrecLly lnvolved ln Lhe managemenL of recreaLlonal Lralls. 1hese
are Lhe: MlnlsLry of 1ransporLaLlon, MlnlsLry of AgrlculLure and Lands, MlnlsLry of 1ourlsm, SporLs and
Lhe ArLs, MlnlsLry of LnvlronmenL and 1ourlsm. 8esldes Lhose provlnclal governmenLal agencles, Lhere
are federal, reglonal and munlclpal levels of governmenL, llrsL naLlons, local sLakeholders and lnLeresL
groups. ln order Lo coordlnaLe a shared and susLalnable vlslon for managlng 8.C.'s Lralls, Lhe MlnlsLry of
1ourlsm, SporLs and ArLs and Lhe MlnlsLry of LnvlronmenL lnlLlaLed Lhe developmenL of a 8ecreaLlon
1ralls SLraLegy for 8.C. (MlnlsLry of 1ourlsm, SporL & Lhe ArLs, MlnlsLry of LnvlronmenL, rovlnce of
8rlLlsh Columbla, 2007). 1he Sunshlne CoasL and Lhe SC1 are a parL of Lhe 8ecreaLlon 1ralls SLraLegy for
8.C. ln 2007, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1ralls SocleLy (SC1S) was formed ln order Lo supporL Lhe plannlng,
developmenL and managemenL of a susLalnable Lrall neLwork, whlch embraces Lhe dlverslLy of Lrall users
and nurLures soclal, culLural, healLh, economlc and envlronmenLal beneflLs for Lhe Lower Sunshlne
CoasL. 1he socleLy addresses some of Lhe managemenL lssues LhaL have been ldenLlfled wlLhln Lhe
8ecreaLlon 1ralls SLraLegy for 8.C. 1he socleLy manages a susLalnable mulLl-use Lrall neLwork for
educaLlonal, recreaLlonal, economlcal and envlronmenLal beneflLs Lo Lhe publlc, by lnLegraLlng Lhe
communlLy wlLhln a parLnershlp (Sunshlne CoasL 1ralls SocleLy, n.d.). 1he SC1S has creaLed a wrlLLen lLs
own Lrall sLraLegy, Lhe so-called Sunshlne CoasL 1rall SLraLegy, ln order Lo ldenLlfy whaL Lralls are
lmporLanL Lo Lhe local communlLy, whaL recreaLlonal asseLs need Lo be proLecLed and managed ln a
susLalnable manner (Sunshlne CoasL 1ralls SocleLy, 2013).

Cne of Lhe sLraLeglc prlorlLles for Lhe years 2012-2013 of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL ls
Lo ad[usL Lhe sLrucLure of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm 8oard ln order Lo make sure LhaL all key
)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

sLakeholders' lnLeresLs heard. Moreover, a new reglonal vlslon, goals and ob[ecLlves for Lourlsm
developmenL are planned. 8y sharlng responslblllLles beLween llrsL naLlons, local governmenL, Lourlsm
buslnesses, Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm, local communlLles and oLher organlzaLlons, Lhe 8eglon wlll be
beLLer poslLloned as a compeLlLlve desLlnaLlon wlLh a susLalnable growLh sLraLegy (Sunshlne CoasL
8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 2012).

ln order Lo overcome Lhe markeLlng lssues of Lhe 8eglon, a reglon-wlde vlslLor gulde wlll be
creaLed where Lhe SC1 wlll be feaLured. MarkeLlng maLerlals for nlche producLs and Lourlsm LargeL
markeLs wlll be enhanced ln order Lo promoLe new Lourlsm producLs and aLLracL nlche vlslLors. 8y dolng
so, Lhe 8eglon's core asseLs wlll be sLrengLhened ln order Lo promoLe addlLlonal markeL-ready vlslLor
experlences (Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 2012).

!*+>+C(
ln regards Lo susLalnablllLy challenges of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall ln Lerms of Lhe economy, maln
key lssues are LhaL Lhere ls only llmlLed fundlng avallable for sLaff resources and markeLlng acLlvlLles.
Accordlng Lo a leaslblllLy SLudy and 8uslness lan by Lhe owell 8lver SporLs and 8ecreaLlon Councll,
whlch was funded by Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver ln 2012, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall ls currenLly under-
markeLed Lo wlder audlences even Lhough faclllLles and lnfrasLrucLure are well esLabllshed. uue Lo
economlc pressures and Lhe fundlng of oLher ma[or lnfrasLrucLure lnvesLmenLs, only llmlLed fundlng ls
avallable and Lherefore has been noL posslble Lo markeL Lhe 8eglon more exLenslvely (ClLy of owell
8lver, 2012).

Accordlng Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm lan updaLe 8eporL by Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal
ulsLrlcL ln !anuary 2012, ln order Lo overcome Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm's sLaff shorLage, Lhe Munlclpal
and 8eglonal ulsLrlcL 1ax (M8u1) could be lncreased by 2, whlch would address Lhls lssue. 1hls ls a
consumer Lax LhaL ellglble lodglngs ln 8C charge on Lhe purchase prlce of accommodaLlon. lL ls
esLlmaLed LhaL Lhe lnLroducLlon of Lhe M8u1 would ralse $233,000 annually (Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal
ulsLrlcL, 2012). WlLh Lhe addlLlonal Lax money, new lnvesLmenLs can be done so LhaL Sunshlne CoasL
1ourlsm could expand capaclLy and markeL Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall Lo a wlder audlence (Sunshlne CoasL
8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 2012).

-+*0, D%3;+>3%3
Accordlng Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 'Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall has Lhe poLenLlal Lo
become a slgnlflcanL desLlnaLlon Lrall' (Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 2012). 1he SC1 ls a key Lourlsm
resource and needs Lo be markeLed ln order Lo enhance Lourlsm developmenL.

8eLween 2007 and 2011, Lhere has been a conslderable growLh and change ln Lhe Lourlsm
lndusLry aL Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon. ln 2012, Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm (SC1) had an operaLlng budgeL
of $177,300. Accordlng Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL (2012), around 38 of Lhose funds came
from Lhe publlc secLor and 14 from 1ourlsm 8C's CommunlLy 1ourlsm CpporLunlLles fund. 1he oLher
48 came from membershlp fundlng and sLakeholder acLlvlLles, such as cooperaLlve markeLlng and
workshops. SLlll, Lhe level of fundlng ls well below Lhe proposed levels of Lhe lnlLlal plan.

ln 2009, 8AWS parLnered up wlLh School ulsLrlcL #47 and recelved a granL from Lhe provlnce's
lsland CoasLal Lconomlc 1rusL (lCL1). 1he parLnershlp launched a $3 mllllon pro[ecL, whlch enhanced Lhe
wllderness Lrall, bullL elghL backcounLry shelLers, Lwo wllderness mounLaln huLs, plus a fully accesslble

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

wllderness camp aL 1hornLon 8ay on owell Lake, and new faclllLles for Lhe dlsabled aL lnland Lake
(Walz, 2009).

OC02% C0:P%$#>2
1he SC1 ls faclng general susLalnablllLy challenges ln Lerms of lmage markeLlng. Low vlslLor
numbers are ofLen caused by low publlclLy and markeLlng LhaL can be addressed by lmproved lmage
markeLlng. 8eachlng Lhe local audlence, as well as a wlder audlence needs meanlngful promoLlon, Lhls
can be challenglng. ln order Lo lncrease Lhe popularlLy of Lhe SC1, flrsL a LargeL audlence needs Lo be
ldenLlfled ln order Lo develop a correspondlng lmage markeLlng and medla campalgn.

lurLher, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL faces problems ln Lhe scope of lmage markeLlng,
whlch may affecL Lhe vlslLor raLes of Lhe SC1 as well. Accordlng Lo McCarLhy (2011), especlally owell
8lver, as a blg Sunshlne CoasL CommunlLy, flghLs Lhe ouLdaLed reputation of a stinky pulp mill town (p.
1). lurLhermore, accordlng Lo sLaff of Lhe Capllano unlverslLy, many people percelve Lhe overall Lravel
Llme Lo Lhe reglon longer Lhan Lo oLher reglons ln 8.C., whlch may be caused due Lhe facL LhaL one has Lo
Lake a ferry ln order Lo geL Lo Lhe 8eglon (ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 23, 2013).

-+*0, D%3;+>3%3
8y looklng aL Lhe SC1, Lhe owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy (8AWS), who malnLalns
Lhe SC1, has acknowledged LhaL publlclLy ls one of Lhe mosL lmporLanL facLors wlLhln lmage markeLlng ln
order lncrease Lourlsm. AlLhough an lmage markeLlng sLraLegy ls noL currenLly deflned, dlfferenL forms
of medla and adverLlsemenL llke brochures, guldebooks and maps are provlded Lo promoLe Lhe SC1
(owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy, 2012). Accordlng Lo Lhe MarkeLlng ulrecLor of 1ourlsm
owell 8lver Lhose prlnLed medla formaLs can be found on 8C lerrles and ln local LourlsL lnformaLlon
cenLers (ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013).

8esldes LhaL, Lhere are Lourlsm ads ln Lravel magazlnes, promoLlng Lhe 8eglon's naLural
amenlLles and asseLs. 1hose ads speak noL only Lo LourlsLs ouLslde Lhe reglon buL also Lo resldenLs. uue
Lo Lhe facL LhaL Lhe budgeL of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm ueparLmenL ls comparaLlvely small, onllne
promoLlon ls a sLrong and lnfluenclng meLhod of an lmage markeLlng sLraLegy for Lhe SC1 (owell 8lver
arks and Wllderness SocleLy, 2012). lnformaLlon abouL Lhe SC1 can be found on Lhe web page,
www.sunshlnecoasL-Lrall.com, where vlslLors can geL clearly arranged lnformaLlon relaLed Lo Lhe 1rall
accesslblllLy, maps, membershlps, sLakeholders, eLc. lurLher, dlfferenL llnks Lo homepages, such as Lhe
Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm Cfflce ln owell 8lver as well as local buslnesses and accommodaLlons are
provlded. AddlLlonally, comblnaLlons of hlklng and a varleLy of acLlvlLles llke blrd waLchlng, swlmmlng
and canoelng are sLressed ouL by onllne adverLlslng ln order Lo lncrease Lhe publlclLy of Lhe Lrall wlLhln a
broad audlence (owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy, 2012). ln regards Lo Lhe LargeL audlence, Lhe
SC1 does noL seem Lo aLLracL a speclflc LargeL group. Powever, Lhe MarkeLlng ulrecLor of 1ourlsm owell
8lver sLaLed LhaL Lhe 8eglon especlally wanLs Lo aLLracL Lhe young 'CreaLlve class' (ersonal
CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013).

G:0>3;+:$0$#+>
Access Lo a desLlnaLlon depends on Lhe dlfferenL modes of LransporLaLlon LhaL are offered as
There is no tourism without travel (Hyer, 2000, p. 147). According to Mundy (2011), comparatively
low vlslLor numbers of Lhe SC1 are dlrecLly llnked Lo llmlLed LransporLaLlon opporLunlLles ln Lhe 8eglon,
whlch ls seen as a weakness of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL. uue Lo far Lravel dlsLances,
alLernaLlve forms of LransporLaLlon, oLher Lhan englne-drlven are a reglonal challenge (Sunshlne CoasL

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1ralls SocleLy, 2013). 8esldes alr LransporLaLlon, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL ls hlghly dependenL
on waLer LransporLaLlon, whlch ls malnly carrled ouL by 8C lerrles (Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm, 2012).
8esldes Lrall access lssues, Lhe SC1 also face challenges ln regards Lo reglonal LransporLaLlon.

-+*0, D%3;+>3%3
AlLhough, some access polnLs of Lhe SC1 are only accesslble by car, several access polnLs Lo Lhe
SC1 have recenLly been creaLed ln a way, LhaL Lhey are elLher accesslble by fooL or alLernaLlve forms
LransporLaLlon e.g. blcycles (ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013). Moreover, Lhe SC1 has 13 km
LhaL are accesslble by wheelchalr. lurLher, adequaLe parklng spaces ln marshallng areas have been bullL
ln order Lo have enough parklng spaces ln case Lourlsm numbers lncrease (Sunshlne CoasL 1ralls SocleLy,
2013). Powever, approaches Lo creaLe alLernaLlve forms of LransporLaLlon Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon
are sLlll belng developed (owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy, 2012).

Summlng up, ln regards Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, lncreaslng Lourlsm numbers Lo
Lhe SC1 has greaL poLenLlal Lo conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe economlc, soclal and envlronmenLal susLalnablllLy of Lhe
8eglon, buL Lhere are susLalnablllLy challenges regardlng sLakeholders & pollcy, economy, lmage
markeLlng and LransporLaLlon. AlLhough, local responses showed LhaL sLakeholders are aware of Lhose
challenges, Lhere ls a need Lo enhance Lhe cooperaLlon among sLakeholders, lncrease Lhe fundlng
resources, enhanclng Lhe lmage of Lhe SC1 and Lo develop acLlon plans regardlng LransporLaLlon ln Lhe
8eglon.

1o lllusLraLe how oLher reglons respond Lo Lhose menLloned challenges, Lhe followlng
paragraphs demonsLraLe lnnovaLlve case sLudles from ouLslde Lhe 8eglon LhaL address Lhose challenges
ldenLlfled aL Lhe SC1 and glve key ldeas on how Lo overcome Lhe challenges descrlbed.

8**'A"+7A% 2EE9'":/%, (9'5 H.+,73% '( +/% 6%17'*

S+P+"0 G:0*P #> K0;10 )%L X1#>%0
1he followlng case sLudy addresses Lhe lack of a sLakeholder neLwork and a shared managemenL
sLraLegy for Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall. 1hls case sLudy lllusLraLes LhaL lL ls cruclal for a desLlnaLlon Lo
empower local communlLles ln order Lo ensure susLalnable Lourlsm.

1he kokoda 1rack ls 96 km long and runs Lhrough Lhe Cwen SLanley 8ange ln apua new
Culnea. 1he Lrack ls Lhe mosL famous ln apua new Culnea and ls known for belng Lhe locaLlon of Lhe
World War ll baLLle beLween !apanese and AusLrallan forces ln 1942 (Wearlng, Wearlng and Mcuonald,
2010).

ln order Lo lnclude Lhe local communlLy lnLo Lhe developmenL of susLalnable Lourlsm along Lhe
kokoda 1rack, Lhe kokoda 1rack SLraLegy urpose AuLhorlLy (k1A) was creaLed, represenLlng local
communlLles along Lhe Lrack, provlnclal and local-level governmenL auLhorlLles, Lourlsm auLhorlLles, Lour
operaLors and smaller buslnesses. A LoLal of flve workshops wlLh all sLakeholders were held ln order Lo
ask whaL each sLakeholder values abouL Lhe reglon. Soclal mapplng was used as a meLhod ln order Lo geL
every sLakeholder Lo draw a map of Lhe reglon and Lo hlghllghL whaL mlghL be a relevanL asseL Lo
LourlsLs. Moreover, workshops were held ln order Lo engage sLakeholders and Lhe local communlLy ln
Lhe plannlng and developmenL process of Lourlsm. An Lco Lrekklng sLraLegy was developed among all
Lhese dlfferenL sLakeholders. 8efore Lhe esLabllshmenL of k1A and Lhe Lco Lrekklng sLraLegy, local
communlLles along Lhe Lrack had no say ln Lourlsm developmenL and dld noL beneflL from Lourlsm
6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

revenue aL all. Moreover, Lhe Lrack has only been promoLed among Lour operaLors ln Lhe reglon. AfLer
lmplemenLlng Lhe Lco Lrekklng sLraLegy and by esLabllshlng Lhe k1A, local communlLles were
empowered and beneflLLed from Lourlsm Lo Lhe Lrack Lhrough equal revenue dlsLrlbuLlon and local
power renegoLlaLlons. ln Lhls case sLudy, Lourlsm led Lo a new developmenL sLraLegy LhaL empowered
local communlLles and lncluded dlfferenL klnd of sLakeholders ln Lhe developmenL process (Wearlng,
Wearlng and Mcuonald, 2010).

8y looklng aL Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rack one can conclude LhaL a posslble challenge could be a
lack of a sLakeholder neLwork LhaL ls ln charge for managlng and markeLlng Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall. As
presenLed ln Lhe kokoda 1rack case sLudy, a sLraLegy was developed by dlfferenL klnd of sLakeholders
LhaL all worked Lowards Lhe same goal. lL ls cruclal for local communlLles Lo have a say ln Lourlsm
developmenL and LhaL Lhere ls a shared vlslon and sLraLegy beLween local sLakeholders. 1here are many
dlfferenL sLakeholders presenL ln Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon LhaL supporL Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall buL ln
order Lo lncrease Lhe 1rall's popularlLy, lL would be advlsable LhaL Lhese sLakeholders work LogeLher ln a
way LhaL makes Lhem all beneflL from Lourlsm.

W%3$ E+03$ G:0#,H I.E.
1he followlng case sLudy glves key ldeas on how Lo overcome challenges ln regards Lo fundlng.
1he WesL CoasL 1rall (WC1) ls a 73 km long Lrall, along Lhe souLh-wesLern edge of vancouver lsland ln
8rlLlsh Columbla. 1he WC1 connecLs Lhe 1rallhead aL acheena 8ay ln Lhe norLh Lo Lhe 1rallhead aL Lhe
mouLh of Lhe Cordon 8lver ln Lhe souLh. acheena 8ay, Cordon 8lver and nlLlnaL are Lhe only Lhree
recognlzed access 1rallheads on and off Lhe WesL CoasL 1rall. 1here are no oLher enLry-exlL polnLs. 1he
WC1 ls raLed as one of Lhe world's besL hlklng Lralls and open from May 1sL unLll SepLember 30Lh every
year (arks Canada, 2013). 1he 1rall ls so popular LhaL lLs use ls resLrlcLed, by charglng a $93 user fees.
Lveryone uslng and hlklng Lhe WC1 requlres a Lrall use permlL regardless of Lhe number of nlghLs one
spends on Lhe Lrall. 1hls lncludes landlng anywhere on Lhe WC1 by boaL or kayak and day hlklng. ln order
Lo reduce envlronmenLal lmpacLs and vlslLor pressures, a quoLa sysLem for Lrall use permlLs ls ln place.
1hls sysLem ls ln place Lo provlde users wlLh a more saLlsfylng experlence (arks Canada, 2013). 8esldes
LhaL Lhere ls an alLernaLlve Lrall ln order Lo manage use and fund Lhe WC1. 1here ls a vlslLor lnformaLlon
CenLer LhaL ls open dally. 1he WC1 hosLs 10,000 hlkers each year. vlslLors Lo Lhe WC1 come from Lhe
Lower Malnland (23), vancouver lsland (13), AlberLa (19), Cermany (11) and Lhe uS WesL CoasL
(6) (owell 8lver arks and Wllderness SocleLy, CommunlLy luLures uevelopmenL CorporaLlon of Lhe
owell 8lver, & Puman 8esources uevelopmenL Canada, 2000).

8y comparlng Lhe WesL CoasL 1rall Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall, one can say LhaL Lhere ls a blg
dlfference ln Lhe 1rall's popularlLy and vlslLor demand. 1he WC1 ls well known Lo Lhe ouLslde even
Lhough Lhe SC1 has Lhe poLenLlal, resources and asseLs Lo become one of Lhe world's besL Lralls. A
challenge for Lhe SC1 ls a lack of fundlng for markeLlng acLlvlLles ln order Lo lncrease awareness. As
lllusLraLed ln Lhls case sLudy from 8.C., charglng a user fee creaLed addlLlonal fundlng. 1he money owned
by Lhe user fee can be used ln order Lo markeL Lhe Lrall Lo wlder audlences or Lo lncrease sLafflng
resources. Moreover, by charglng a user fee, Lhe envlronmenLal lmpacLs on Lhe Lrall are mlnlmlzed
because Lhere ls only a cerLaln amounL of vlslLors LhaL can access Lhe Lrall aL Lhe same Llme.

T#,<+:" G:0*P #> )%L Y%0,0>"
1he followlng lnnovaLlve approach from ouLslde Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon wlll address
challenges regardlng lmage markeLlng and LransporLaLlon. ln Lerms of lncreaslng Lourlsm numbers, lL has
been sLressed earller LhaL lmage markeLlng plays an lmporLanL role for Lhe SC1. 1herefore, Lhe Mllford
)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Track, as one of New Zealands oldest and most popular hiking tracks, demonstrates a good example of
elaboraLed lmage markeLlng, whlch ls a cruclal elemenL of aLLracLlng approxlmaLely 14,000 people Lo Lhe
Lrack each year (1he Mllford Lrack celebraLes 123 years, 2013). 1he case sLudy of Lhe Mllford 1rack has
been parLlcularly chosen because of lLs slmllarlLles Lo Lhe SC1. 8oLh Lralls are surrounded by aLLracLlve
naLural landscapes, and boLh Lralls requlre a ferry rlde ln order Lo access Lhe Lrall. 1he Mllford 1rack
belongs to New Zealands Great Walks, which are managed by the Department of Conservation. The
1rack ls a 33.3 km four-day hlke Lhrough Lhe mounLalns near Mllford Sound on new Zealand's SouLh
lsland ln Lhe counLry's llord land reglon LhaL can elLher be experlenced lndependenLly or gulded
(ueparLmenL of ConservaLlon, 2013).

ln Lhls scope, key ldeas of Lhe Mllford 1rack regardlng lmage markeLlng wlll be ouLllned. llrsL, ln
order Lo develop an lmproved lmage markeLlng sLraLegy, a survey on behalf of Lhe ueparLmenL of
ConservaLlon was underLaken Lo ldenLlfy Lhe LargeL audlence and Lhelr needs. 1he survey, whlch
provlded daLa from 384 walkers LhaL hlked Lhe Mllford 1rack, gave lnformaLlon abouL Lhe vlslLor
demographlcs, Lhelr experlences and saLlsfacLlons. 1he daLa showed LhaL Lhe sample group was a young
and lnLernaLlonal group of people (Cessford, 1998, p. 10). 8ased on Lhe resulLs, an lmage markeLlng
sLraLegy was developed LhaL hlghllghLs Lhe advenLure experlence of hlklng Lhe Mllford 1rack. WlLh
regard Lo conLemporary research on Lhe young and lnLernaLlonal LargeL audlence, Lhe Mllford 1rack
focuses on mulLlmedla-based onllne adverLlslng wlLh a sLrong vlsual focus LhaL lncludes many plcLures
and promoLlonal vldeos from popular lnLernaLlonal web pages LhaL show Lhe naLural landscapes and
advenLurous momenLs LhaL vlslLors experlenced whlle hlklng Lhe Mllford 1rack. WlLhln Lhls lmage
markeLlng approach, Lhe challenge of ferry LransporLaLlon Lo Lhe 1rack has been addressed ln an
lnnovaLlve way, namely Lhe obllgaLory 1 hour 13 mlnuLes ferry rlde has been lnLegraLed lnLo Lhe lmage
markeLlng approach as belng an advenLurous parL of Lhe hlklng experlence (ueparLmenL of
ConservaLlon, 2013).

ln Lerms of lncreaslng Lourlsm Lhrough lmproved lmage markeLlng, Lhls case sLudy mlghL be
from conslderable lnLeresL for Lhe SC1 because of lLs slmllar lnfrasLrucLural clrcumsLances and
challenges. 1he onllne markeLlng sLraLegles of Lhe Mllford 1rack could sub serve Lhe lmage markeLlng of
Lhe SC1 ln order Lo aLLracL a growlng number of young audlence, whlch Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon wanLs
Lo aLLracL Lo Lhe area ln general (ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 22, 2013). lurLher, onllne markeLlng
enhancemenL could be an opLlon Lo aLLracL more vlslLors because of lLs low Lurnover cosLs and Lhe
already exlsLlng webslLe of Lhe SC1.

WlLhln promoLlonal brochures, ferry LransporLaLlon could be addressed ln a more fun way as
lllusLraLed ln Lhe Mllford 1rack case sLudy where Lhe ferry rlde was adverLlsed as belng a fun advenLure.
Moreover, ln order Lo aLLracL more vlslLors, lL ls lmporLanL Lo address Lhe facL LhaL Lhe Sunshlne CoasL
1rall has Lhe same dlsLance from vancouver by car and ferry as Lhe WesL CoasL 1rall on vancouver lsland
for lnsLance.

Summlng up, ln regards Lo Lhe Lhree case sLudles from ouLslde Lhe reglon, lL may be advlsable
for Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall Lo aLLracL fundlng from dlfferenL areas, for example Lhrough donaLlons or
Lrall user charges. lurLhermore, sLakeholders could lmprove Lhelr communlcaLlon and collaboraLlon by
esLabllshlng a sLakeholder neLwork. 8esldes LhaL lmproved lmage markeLlng could lncrease vlslLor
numbers, ln parLlcular young LourlsLs. AddlLlonally, Lhe lack of alLernaLlve LransporLaLlon could be used
as an aLLracLlon Lool Lo make Lhe [ourney Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall an advenLurous experlence.

8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

)'*:$.,7'*
1hls paper focused on Lhe lssue of lncreaslng Lourlsm Lo Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 1rall Lo lmprove Lhe
susLalnable developmenL of Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL. LocaLed on Lhe souLhern malnland
coasL of 8rlLlsh Columbla, Lhe Sunshlne CoasL 8eglon ls exLremely rlch ln naLural amenlLles and has a
hlgh poLenLlal for naLure-based Lourlsm. Moreover, Lhrough secondary research ln Lhe fleld, one could
ldenLlfy LhaL Lourlsm ls a key resource and lncreaslng vlslLor numbers Lo Lhe 8eglon could sLlmulaLe Lhe
8eglon's economy ln order Lo conLrlbuLe Lo susLalnablllLy developmenL. lncreaslng Lourlsm numbers Lo
Lhe SC1 could conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe economlc, soclal, and envlronmenLal susLalnablllLy of Lhe 8eglon buL
Lhere are susLalnablllLy challenges regardlng sLakeholders & pollcy, economy, lmage markeLlng and
LransporLaLlon LhaL need Lo be addressed. AlLhough, local responses showed LhaL sLakeholders are
aware of Lhose challenges, Lhere ls a need Lo enhance Lhe cooperaLlon among sLakeholders, lncrease Lhe
fundlng resources, enhanclng Lhe lmage of Lhe SC1 and Lo develop acLlon plans regardlng
LransporLaLlon.

WlLhln Lhe Lhree lnnovaLlon case sLudles from ouLslde Lhe 8eglon, key ldeas were glven on how
Lo overcome some of Lhe challenges Lhe SC1 ls faclng. key ldeas lncluded Lhe creaLlon of a sLakeholder
neLwork LhaL ls sharlng managemenL sLraLegles, aLLracLlng fundlng from Lrall user charges, enhanclng
onllne markeLlng and promoLlng LransporLaLlon as an advenLurous parL of an experlence.
















g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS

8almford, A., 8eresford, !., Creen, !., naldoo, 8., Walpole, M., & Manlca, A. (2009). A global
perspecLlve on Lrends ln naLure-based Lourlsm. LoS 8lology, 7(6), e1000144.
Cessford, C. (1998). vlslLor saLlsfacLlons, lmpacL percepLlons, and aLLlLudes Loward managemenL
opLlons on Lhe Mllford 1rack. WelllngLon, new Zealand: ueparLmenL of ConservaLlon.
ClLy of owell 8lver. (2012). owell 8lver SporL & 8ecreaLlon 1ourlsm SLraLegy. owell 8lver: ClLy of
owell 8lver.
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hLLp://www.doc.govL.nz/uocumenLs/parks-and-recreaLlon/Lracks-and-walks/
souLhland/mllford-Lrack-brochure.pdf
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Lhe sunshlne coasL Lrall. rlnce Ceorge ClLlzen. 8eLrleved november 1, 2013 from
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mounLaln rldges and lakes. 1lmes - ColonlsL. 8eLrleved from
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np/bc/paclflcrlm/acLlv/acLlv6a.aspx
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Puman 8esources uevelopmenL Canada. (2000). leaslblllLy SLudy and 8uslness lan. nanalmo.
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from SocleLy Lo compleLe Lrall sLraLegy:
hLLp://www.coasLreporLer.neL/arLlcle/20130204/SLCPLL10101/30204 9998/-
1/SLCPLL1/socleLy-Lo-compleLe-Lrall-sLraLegy
o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Sunshlne CoasL 1ralls SocleLy. (n.d.). Sunshlne CoasL 1ralls SocleLy. 8eLrleved november 1, 2013
from AbouL Lhe SocleLy: hLLp://scLralls.ca/vlslon.hLml
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Polden, L. (2012). Achlevlng susLalnable moblllLy: every day and lelsure-Llme Lravel ln Lhe Lu.
AshgaLe ubllshlng.






"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


C"$"*:7*1 )/"*17*1 I%5'19"E/7:,

8y. Iostloe lowell


8*+9'3.:+7'*
1hls paper looks aL rural and remoLe communlLles and some of Lhe challenges LhaL Lhe people ln
Lhese communlLles face regardlng susLalnablllLy lssues. roblems such as agrlculLure and food securlLy,
LransporLaLlon, Lourlsm developmenL, quallLy of llfe for youLh and young adulLs, healLh and wellness,
clvlc engagemenL and balanclng demographlcs are concerns for many small communlLles around Canada
and Lhe world. 1hls paper wlll focus on one small clLy ln 8rlLlsh Columbla called owell 8lver. Whlle
many of Lhe lssues owell 8lver faces are lnLerrelaLed, Lhe focus wlll be on how Lhe communlLy ls
deallng wlLh changlng demographlcs and lLs efforLs balance Lhe needs of lLs largesL demographlc Lhe
over 63 age group and how lL ls Lrylng Lo reLaln and aLLracL young adulLs aged 23 44 Lo Lhe area ln
order Lo lmprove Lhe local economy. 1he paper wlll also lnLroduce lnnovaLlve lnlLlaLlves belng
underLaken ln oLher communlLles ln order Lo address slmllar lssues.

-+*0$#+> A J%3*:#;$#+> +< K+L%,, D#M%:
owell 8lver ls a beauLlful coasLal clLy locaLed abouL 143 km norLhwesL of vancouver, 8C and 27 km
norLheasL of CourLenay-Comox on Vancouver Island. It is known as the Upper Sunshine Coast. It is
slLuaLed on a narrow coasLal plaln whlch rlses Lo Lhe CoasL MounLaln 8ange whlch wlLh lLs wesLern
orlenLaLlon allows mosL of Lhe clLy Lo have specLacular vlews of Lhe Malasplna SLralghL and vancouver
lsland. Lven Lhough Lhe clLy ls on Lhe malnland, Lhere are no roads connecLlng lL Lo Lhe rovlnclal
Plghway neLwork. 1wo ferry crosslngs are requlred Lo geL Lo owell 8lver from vancouver and lL wlll
Lake abouL 4 3 hours. owell 8lver can also be accessed by alr. aclflc CoasLal Alrllnes offers dally
fllghLs from vancouver and Lhe alrporL ls convenlenLly locaLed near Lhe clLy. A flnal opLlon Lo geL Lo
owell 8lver ls by bus, however, you wlll sLlll need Lo Lake Lhe Lwo ferrles. (CeLLlng Lo owell 8lver, n.d.),
(ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013. p.3).

Powell River is situated within the Tlaamin traditional territory and the Powell River Regional District.
WlLhln lLs [urlsdlcLlon ls Lhe souLhern bay of owell Lake and Cranberry Lake. 1he clLy has four qulLe
dlsLlncL nelghborhoods: 1ownslLe, Wlldwood, Cranberry Lake and WesLvlew. Lach ls relaLlvely small buL
also has a coheslve sense of communlLy. 1ownslLe ls Lhe oldesL nelghborhood ln owell 8lver and lL ls
where CaLalysL Mlll ls locaLed. lL was deslgnaLed by Lhe PlsLorlc SlLes and MonumenLs 8oard of Canada
as a naLlonal PlsLorlc SlLe ln 1933 and as a naLlonal PlsLorlc ulsLrlcL ln 1993 (one of only seven ln
Canada). Cver 400 orlglnal bulldlngs remaln wlLhln lLs orlglnal 1910 Lown plan border (1ownslLe PerlLage
SocleLy of owell 8lver, n.d.). Wlldwood ls Lhe mosL norLherly nelghborhood and Lhe mosL rural. CaLalysL
aper Mlll owns abouL 1/3 of Lhe land ln Wlldwood. 1he loLs are much blgger wlLh many small acreages
and LracLs of AL8 lands. Cranberry was Lhe flrsL suburb of Lhe 1ownslLe because lL was wlLhln walklng
dlsLance Lo Lhe mlll. 1he nelghborhood surrounds Cranberry Lake whlch Loday ls noL sulLable for
swlmmlng buL lL does provlde a beauLlful place Lo paddle (88LuS, 2011). WesLvlew ls Lhe largesL
nelghborhood maklng up Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver. lL comprlses abouL x Lhe LoLal area. 1hls area ls Lhe
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

reLall and servlce CenLre of Lhe clLy. lL ls also where abouL 60 of Lhe populaLlon for owell 8lver llves
(ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013).

Also of importance to Powell River is the existence of the Tlaamin community. The community lies
just north of the City of Powell River on the nations main reserve, Sliammon. The community is made
up of abouL 1000 members mosL of whom llve ln Lhe reserve (88LuS, 2011).

I:#%< Q#3$+:#*0,5!*+>+C#*0, E+>$%Z$ +< K+L%,, D#M%:
1he owell 8lver reglon ls and has been rlch ln naLural resources. 1hese naLural resources are whaL
attracted its first settlers. In the early 1900s, Townsite of Powell River was esLabllshed as a paper mlll
Lown. 1he mlll ensured a hlgh sLandard of llvlng. Powever, Lhe large pulp and paper mlll/foresL secLor
lndusLry, along wlLh oLher resource lndusLrles such as flshlng, have decllned and are no longer able Lo
supporL Lhe local economy. owell 8lver, and Lhe surroundlng area, ls now Lrylng Lo dlverslfy lLs
economy (Kleinsteuber, C., Kleinsteuber, E., de la Torre, D., & Meikle, D., 2006). Due to the communitys
lsolaLlon, Lhe soclal coheslon among lLs resldenLs has been hlsLorlcally very sLrong. Powever, wlLh an
aglng populaLlon, Lhe economlc and employmenL shlfL from wealLhy reglon and mlll Lown Lo more soclo-
economlc dlverslLy, owell 8lver faces a new soclal challenge (A SusLalnablllLy CharLer for Lhe owell
8lver 8eglon, 2013).

J%C+2:0;=#* E=0,,%>2%3
Many small and rural communlLles ln Canada face challenges relaLed Lo Lhelr changlng demographlcs.
An aglng populaLlon, youLh and young adulL ouL-mlgraLlon and fewer newcomers are challenges for
mosL small communlLles (uuxbury, n. & Campbell, P., 2011). owell 8lver ls no excepLlon Lo Lhls paLLern.
1he populaLlon of Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver ln 2011 was 13,397 whlch ls abouL 68 of Lhe LoLal 8eglonal
ulsLrlcL populaLlon of approxlmaLely 19,900. Cver Lhe lasL 23 years, Lhe populaLlon of Lhe ClLy has
flucLuaLed very llLLle and appears sLable. Powever, looklng more closely, whaL has happened ls LhaL Lhe
demographlcs have changed, Lhe age group 0 19 has decllned slgnlflcanLly as has Lhe group 23 49.
1he age groups 30 70+ have all lncreased slgnlflcanLly. 1he one excepLlon ls Lhe age group 20 24
whlch has seen a sllghL lncrease.

As Lhe charL shows, Lhe populaLlon may have remalned qulLe sLable, however, Lhe age groups as
a proporLlon of populaLlon have changed conslderably. 1hls can have lmporLanL lmpllcaLlons for Lhe ClLy
movlng forward ln Lerms of susLalnablllLy. Some of Lhose lmpllcaLlons are LhaL Lhe clLy ls aglng whlch
means it needs to be friendly for the aging population in terms of meeting their different demands ln
Lhe fuLure, such as houslng, LransporLaLlon and avallablllLy of servlces, Lhe ClLy could face a poLenLlal
labour shorLage whlch may requlre aLLracLlon and reLenLlon of younger age groups. (ClLy of owell 8lver
8ackground 8eporL, 2013). ln facL, ln 2007, Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver felL LhaL Lhe lack of resldenLs ln Lhe
13 24 year age group was a crlLlcal challenge as Lhls group represenLed Lhe presenL and fuLure labour
force LhaL wlll be requlred Lo aLLracL new lnvesLmenL lncome Lo Lhe reglon (CommunlLy need 8uslness
Case). 8elng unbalanced demographlcally can affecL owell 8lver soclally, economlcally and
envlronmenLally. lf Lhere are noL enough people ln Lhe worklng age group Lhen lL makes lL dlfflculL for
Lhe aglng group Lo reLlre. lf Lhere ls no one Lo Lake over Lhe buslnesses as people reLlre, buslnesses wlll
have no cholce buL Lo close down. AnoLher facLor ls as Lhe populaLlon ages, lL needs more healLh care. lf
Lhere are noL enough young adulLs belng Lralned ln healLh relaLed flelds or even enough Lo be Lralned,
there wont be enough people to look after the elderly which could force them to look elsewhere for
reLlremenL. AddlLlonally, as Lhe elderly move lnLo long-Lerm care faclllLles or reLlremenL vlllages, Lhey
wlll need Lo sell Lhelr homes. lf Lhere are no resldenLs ln Lhe worklng age group ln Lown wanLlng or able
)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Lo buy Lhose homes, Lhe houses could remaln empLy or Lake a very long Llme Lo sell. lor Lhe ClLy Lo
conLlnue Lo grow and be a dynamlc, carlng and lncluslve communlLy, lL ls lmporLanL LhaL owell 8lver
can meeL Lhe challenges lL ls faclng.


J%$0#,%" B2% I:%0P"+L> '( E%>313 @%0:3 6774 $+ 6744

B2% I:%0P"+L> 6774 K:+;+:$#+> 6744 K:+;+:$#+> [ *=0>2%

6774U
6744
0 - 4 years 630 4.90 330 4.20 -12.70
3 - 9 years 820 6.30 610 4.60 -23.60
10 - 14 years 930 7.20 700 3.30 -24.70
13 - 19 years 970 7.30 830 6.30 -14.40
20 - 24 years 310 3.90 333 4.10 4.90
23 - 29 years 343 4.20 470 3.60 -13.80
30 - 34 years 690 3.30 323 4 -23.90
33 - 39 years 1030 7.90 620 4.70 -39.80
40 - 44 years 1093 8.40 790 6 -27.90
43 - 49 years 1043 8.10 1040 7.90 -0.30
30 - 34 years 943 7.30 1123 8.30 19
33 - 39 years 780 6 1163 8.80 49.40
60 - 64 years 690 3.30 1073 8.20 33.80
63 - 69 years 603 4.70 890 6.80 47.10
70 + years 1733 13.40 2240 17 29.10
G+$0, K+;1,0$#+> 46H\]7 477[ 4^H4_` 477[ 4.87[

D':"$ "EE9'":/%, +' +/% :/"$$%*1%, '( :/"*17*1 3%5'19"E/7:,
B2#>2 K+;1,0$#+>
1he World PealLh CrganlzaLlon deflnes an age-friendly city as one that encourages active aging by
opLlmlzlng opporLunlLles for healLh, parLlclpaLlon and securlLy ln order Lo enhance quallLy of llfe as
people age. ln pracLlcal Lerms, an age-frlendly clLy adapLs lLs sLrucLures and servlces Lo be accesslble Lo
and inclusive of older people with varying needs and capacities. The WHO report continues by
hlghllghLlng areas of concern such as, avallablllLy of servlces, LransporLaLlon and houslng.
(World PealLh CrganlzaLlon, p.1) 1hese were some of Lhe lssues broughL up by ln Lhe ClLy of owell
8lver 8ackground 8eporL as posslble lmpllcaLlons Lo Lhe Citys aging demographic. However, Powell
8lver ls deflnlLely proacLlve ln Lrylng Lo deal wlLh lLs demographlc challenges and offers lLs aglng
populaLlon many servlces.

Cne of Lhe servlces avallable Lo Lhe aglng populaLlon ls a hosplLal. owell 8lver Ceneral PosplLal was
recenLly bullL ln 1994 and provldes quallLy care 24 hours a day. lL has 33 beds, a fully equlpped lnLenslve
Care unlL, operaLlng and emergency rooms, x-ray and physlcal Lherapy faclllLles, oncology deparLmenL,
laboraLory, hydro-Lherapy pool and a hellpad for alr ambulance. Also avallable are Lwo long-Lerm care

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

faclllLles wlLh a LoLal of 138 beds and Lhe servlces of a vlslLlng speclallsL who makes regularly scheduled
Lrlps Lo Lhe communlLy (88LuS, 2011).

As for LransporLaLlon, Powell River has adopted a complete streets approach in its Sustainability
Charter. This approach requires streets to be planned, designed, operated and maintained to enable
safe, convenlenL and comforLable Lravel and access for users of all ages and ablllLles, regardless of Lhelr
mode of transportation (City of Powell River, 2013, p.64). 1he communlLy LranslL servlce ls sponsored
by Lhe clLy ln parLnershlp wlLh Lhe 8eglonal ulsLrlcL and 8C 1ranslL and lncludes Lhree servlces:
convenLlonal flxed rouLes, fully accesslble rural LranslL and door-Lo-door Handy art for people with
dlsablllLles. ln Lhe SusLalnablllLy CharLer, Lhe ClLy sLaLes lL wlll work Lowards 100 accesslble bus servlce
and lmplemenL LranslL-supporLlve measures wlLhln Lhe clLy such as, lnLroduclng low floor buses,
provldlng LranslL rouLe and schedule lnformaLlon aL bus sLops, esLabllshlng LranslL amenlLy sLandards for
bus shelLers, accesslblllLy feaLures and llghLlng. (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013, p. 64 & 70)

1he ClLy also recognlzes ln lLs SusLalnablllLy CharLer Lhe lmpllcaLlons LhaL Lhe changlng demographlc
proflle wlll have on Lhe form, denslLy and locaLlon of lLs houslng needs ln Lhe fuLure. 1he changes wlll
requlre greaLer flexlblllLy ln Lhe Lype of houslng avallable such as, smaller dwelllngs ln close proxlmlLy Lo
servlces and amenlLles (ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013, p.21-22).
Cne lasL example showlng how proacLlve Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver ls regardlng lLs aglng populaLlon ls
that a proposal for the Better at Home Initiative has been initiated, which when launched will provide
non-medlcal servlces such as llghL housekeeplng, grocery shopplng, LransporLaLlon Lo appolnLmenLs,
slmple home repalrs, frlendly vlslLlng, llghL yard work and snow shovellng (eak Cnllne, 2013). 1hls
should allow more people Lo remaln ln Lhelr homes for much longer before conslderlng movlng Lo a
reLlremenL home or asslsLed llvlng communlLy whlch can help wlLh pressures on local servlces.

@+1>2 B"1,$ D%$%>$#+> 0>" B$$:0*$#+> E+C'0$#>2 @+1>2 B"1,$ R1$UT#2:0$#+>
opulaLlon reLenLlon and aLLracLlon ls a ma[or lssue for small/rural communlLles, and lL ls ofLen LlghLly
coupled wlLh economlc dlverslflcaLlon exlgencles (uuxbury & Campbell, 2011). owell 8lver, llke many
oLher small communlLles, ls aware of Lhe ouL-mlgraLlon of lLs youLh and young adulLs. As Lhe background
reporL showed, Lhere has been a huge loss of young adulLs from 2001 Lo 2011 ln Lhe 23 44 year age
group. lrom a survey ln Lhe vlLal Slgns 8eporL for owell 8lver, a ma[orlLy of people age 31-40 sald Lhey
thought finding good jobs is difficult and they didnt expect much improvement in the future (Vital Signs,
2012).

1o combaL Lhls ouL flow of young adulLs and Lo aLLracL oLher young adulLs Lo Lhe area owell 8lver
has made some lnnovaLlve parLnershlps wlLh local organlzaLlons such as, vancouver lsland unlverslLy,
School ulsLrlcL 47, 88LuS, CommunlLy luLures, and 8SC. 1he ClLy has also shown LhaL Lhey are open Lo
ma[or lndusLrlal Lax breaks ln an aLLempL Lo reLaln and aLLracL larger lndusLrles (Canadlan 8uslness
!ournal, n.d.).

owell 8lver ls very forLunaLe Lo have ln lLs communlLy a fully-fledged unlverslLy. vlu has shown lLs
commlLmenL Lo owell 8lver and Lhe susLalnablllLy charLer by belng a parL of Lhe plannlng and
developlng process. lL has worked wlLh varlous organlzaLlons ln Lhe communlLy Lo develop courses LhaL
Lhe ClLy needs for lLs reLenLlon and aLLracLlon of young adulLs. vlu owell 8lver has parLnered wlLh Su
47 Lo creaLe Lrades Lralnlng programs where sLudenLs ln grade 10 can begln Lhelr Lralnlng so LhaL by Lhe
Llme Lhey graduaLe Lhey already have a Lrade. Some examples of Lhese programs are Cullnary ArLs and
CarpenLry (Canadlan 8uslness !ournal, n.d.), (vancouver lsland unlverslLy 8 programs and courses).

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Looklng Lowards Lhe fuLure, vlu owell 8lver plans Lo develop an Aborlglnal educaLlon sLraLegy Lo beLLer
meeL Lhe needs of Lhe Sllammon llrsL naLlons people, expand lnLernaLlonal LducaLlon whlch Lhey feel ls
a key componenL of economlc developmenL ln Lhe reglon and conLlnue Lo offer and enhance access Lo
Lrades programs (vancouver lsland unlverslLy, 2013).

88LuS, Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy, has also made lLs commlLmenL Lo
reLaln and aLLracL young adulLs known by developlng a 8uslness 8eLenLlon and Lxpanslon rogram. 1he
mandate of the program is to diversify the local economy through new investment attraction, business
retention and expansion, and capacity building (investment readiness). Its strategy is Community
capaclLy building projects (Product Development), Marketing (Selling of Product) (PRREDS Business
8eLenLlon and Lxpanslon rogram, 2013). 1he 88LuS 8oard of ulrecLors lnclude a varleLy of people
from many organlzaLlons ln Lhe communlLy such as, realLors, banks, vlu, uS 47, Lo name a few. ln 2011
88LuS began lLs 8uslness CounLs rogram where lL developed a llsL of buslness conLacLs and LargeLed
100 buslnesses from mulLlple secLors Lo lnLervlew Lo dlscover whaL Lhe ma[or lssues faclng buslness ln
Lhe reglon were. Slnce Lhen Lhey have senL ouL regular newsleLLers Lo buslnesses Lo promoLe Lralnlng
programs, buslness Lools, workshops, and granL and flnanclng opporLunlLles, held workshops ln
parLnershlp wlLh CommunlLy luLures and generally beLLer connecLed Lhe buslness communlLy wlLh Lhe
local governmenL. 1hls program allows for a beLLer undersLandlng of Lhe LhreaLs and barrlers Lo buslness
and of Lhe opporLunlLles ln Lhe reglon whlch helps provlde sLablllLy ln Lhe buslness communlLy whlch ln
Lurn lmproves lnvesLmenL readlness and aLLracLlveness (88LuS 88&L, 2013). A beLLer connecLed
buslness secLor can be lnfluenLlal ln lnlLlaLlng local communlLy and economlc developmenL (Lambe, W.,
2008, p. 139). A beLLer buslness aLmosphere can help encourage Lhe currenL buslness owners and reLaln
more buslnesses ln Lhe communlLy and posslbly aLLracL more buslnesses because of Lhe opLlmlsLlc
ouLlook.

CommunlLy luLures ls anoLher organlzaLlon ln owell 8lver LhaL noL only supporLs Lhe reLenLlon and
aLLracLlon of young adulLs for economlc reasons buL also for susLalnable envlronmenLal and soclal
reasons. Cl ls an organlzaLlon LhaL supporLs small buslnesses and economlc developmenL ln rural
communlLles across Canada and lL began ln owell 8lver ln 1988. 1hey have provlded loans for 334
enLrepreneurs for a LoLal of $11,163,330.00 whlch has resulLed ln 1,336 local [obs (CommunlLy luLures
owell 8lver, n.d.). lL recognlzes Lhe susLalnablllLy lssues LhaL owell 8lver faces wlLh regard Lo lLs
changlng demographlcs. SLeve 8uskle, 8uslness AnalysL/Loans Manager aL CommunlLy luLures ln owell
River clearly states this in his article Change, Transition and an Affordable Future Vision. The economic
drlvers of change ln Lhe owell 8lver 8eglon are clearly havlng an lnfluence on small and medlum slzed
buslness. lL ls no secreL LhaL over Lhe pasL decade or so, naLlonal and global economlc lnfluences have
serlously marglnallzed foresLry, lumber and relaLed pulp and paper economles. Cne of Lhe
consequences of Lhese changes has been Lhe ouL-mlgraLlon of young adulLs from Lhe owell 8lver
communlLy, and an lncreaslng ln-mlgraLlon of reLlrees. 1hls has resulLed ln a LhlrLeen year lncrease ln
the populations median age from thirty-four Lo forLy-seven (Buskie, S., p. 2). Community Futures is
also ln supporL of Lhe owell 8lver SusLalnablllLy CharLer and hopes Lo conLlnue worklng wlLh oLher
communlLy lnLeresL groups, all local governmenLs and buslness ln asslsLlng small buslness ln owell 8lver
Lo be successful whlle ensurlng Lhe meeLlng of wlder susLalnable developmenL goals (8uskle, S., p.3).
CommunlLy luLures parLnered wlLh 88LuS ln 2011 wlLh Lhe esLabllshmenL of Lhe 8uslness 8eLenLlon
and Lxpanslon rogram and has provlded asslsLance Lo local buslnesses across mulLlple secLors (88LuS,
2013). Lnsurlng a vlbranL local buslness secLor ls very lmporLanL for reLalnlng currenL buslnesses and
aLLracLlng new ones.

6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

As menLloned earller, owell 8lver Look a very lnnovaLlve approach ln 2003 Lo slgnlflcanLly reduce
Ma[or lndusLry Lax raLes Lo ensure the financial viability of Catalyst Papers paper operations in the
communlLy and Lo reLaln local [obs for Lhe worklng age group of young adulLs age 23 - 44. Leadlng
8rlLlsh Columbla ln Lhls move, owell 8lver has enabled CaLalysL Lo reallze $18 mllllon ln savlngs whlch ln
Lurn has allowed lL Lo make slgnlflcanL lnvesLmenLs ln upgradlng lLs mlll and Lransferrlng ownershlp of lLs
surplus properLles Lo Lhe 8SC for redevelopmenL. All of whlch have been helpful ln showlng LhaL owell
8lver ls open and welcomlng Lo aLLracLlng and reLalnlng buslness developmenLs LhaL provlde new [obs
and revenues (Canadlan 8uslness !ournal, n.d.).

8**'A"+7A% "EE9'":/%, +' :/"*17*1 3%5'19"E/7:, (9'5 '.+,73% +/%
9%17'*
Whlle owell 8lver and lLs varlous communlLy organlzaLlons and parLnershlps have come up wlLh
some lnnovaLlve approaches Lo deallng wlLh susLalnablllLy lssues LhaL a changlng demographlc presenL,
oLher communlLles faclng Lhe same lssues have Loo, and some of Lhese approaches may prove useful for
owell 8lver ln Lhe fuLure.

B2#>2 K+;1,0$#+>
Senlors are Lhe fasLesL growlng age group ln Canada wlLh nearly flve mllllon aged 63 and over ln 2011
whlch was a 27 lncrease from Lhe 2001 census. 1hls Lrend ls conLlnulng and durlng Lhe nexL 23 years,
Lhe populaLlon of people 63 and older ls expecLed Lo double Lo 10.4 mllllon whlch wlll make senlors
abouL 23 of Lhe populaLlon by 2036. 1hls growlng populaLlon of senlors ls beglnnlng Lo reshape many
Canadlan communlLles (lederaLlon of Canadlan MunlclpallLles, 2013).

ln 2006, Saanlch, 8C collaboraLed ln a world-wide WHO project to make the city more age-friendly.
They developed over 60 recommendations that would ensure that Saanich would be age-friendly in the
fuLure. 1he Lhree maln areas where Lhere were barrlers were regardlng ouLdoor spaces, LransporLaLlon
and houslng approprlaLe for lndependenL llvlng. Some currenL lnlLlaLlves underway addresslng Lhe Lhree
areas of concern are sldewalk and curb lmprovemenL programs whlch emphaslze accesslblllLy wlLh
crosswalks and curb cuLs, bench dedlcaLlon programs ln parks and aL bus sLops Lo allow resL areas for
Lhe publlc, maLure drlvers educaLlon workshops offered by Saanlch ollce, covered cycle and scooLer
parklng aL faclllLy enLrances, amended zonlng bylaws Lo lndlcaLe Saanlch AdapLable Pouslng regulaLlons
for aparLmenLs and volunLary guldellnes for Lownhouses and slngle famlly dwelllngs Lo beLLer faclllLaLe
lndependenL llvlng (e.g. wlder Lhan normal doorways, no sLep enLry ways, relnforced walls for grab bars
and handralls) and zonlng bylaw whlch provldes for dlverse houslng Lypes such as mlxed-use and senlors
congregaLe houslng ln mosL mulLl - famlly zones (ulsLrlcL of Saanlch, 2008).

1he lsland 1rusL Senlors Pouslng SLraLegy suggesLs clLles flnanclal and regulaLory lncenLlves Lo asslsL
wlLh maklng senlors houslng affordable. Cne of Lhe sLraLegles was allowlng affordable houslng unlLs on
approprlaLe properLles. Lxamples lnclude sulLes wlLhln exlsLlng homes, as an addlLlon Lo an exlsLlng
home or ln a guesL house or carrlage house. 1hey also suggesL LhaL zonlng or covenanLs could be used Lo
resLrlcL Lhe unlL for renLal or use by a relaLlve of Lhe homeowner (Senlors Pouslng SLraLegy, 2010, p. 28).
1he ClLy of CourLenay llsLened Lo Lhe suggesLlons and ln 2011 adopLed a zonlng amendmenL bylaw
whlch wlll allow carrlage homes on loLs larger Lhan 1230 square meLers. 1he carrlage homes are llmlLed
Lo 73 square meLers and Lhls ls wrlLLen lnLo Lhe zonlng. 1he homes are a creaLlve way Lo have accessory
unlLs wlLhouL havlng sulLe wlLhln Lhe maln dwelllng, and Lhey also asslsL ln provldlng affordable senlor
houslng (Andor,2011).

)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1he lsland 1rusL also suggesLs malnLalnlng Lhe exlsLlng houslng sLock before focuslng on new
consLrucLlon Lo avold posslble lmpacLs Lo nelghborhoods, Lhe envlronmenL and pressure on servlces
(Senlors Pouslng SLraLegy, 2010). Cne communlLy LhaL does [usL LhaL ls Lhe ClLy of CaLlneau, Cuebec.
1hrough lLs rogramme of AdapLed Pouslng for Senlors lndependence, lL offers flnanclal asslsLance Lo
low lncome senlors aged 63+ ln need of mlnor home repalrs of up Lo $3300. 1hls program allows senlors
Lo conLlnue llvlng ln Lhelr homes lndependenLly and wlLh a greaLer sense of securlLy (lCM. p. 13). 1hls
flnanclal lncenLlve could be offered by owell 8lver ln addlLlon Lo or ln lleu of Lhe flnanclal asslsLance for
home modlflcaLlons currenLly avallable Lhrough Lhe 8C Pouslng Pome AdapLaLlons for lndependence
(8C Pouslng, n.d.). Cne oLher lncenLlve offered by Lhe ClLy of CaLlneau regardlng houslng ls Lhe
auLhorlzaLlon of Lhe developmenL of secondary sulLes on loLs conLalnlng slngle famlly dwelllngs. 1he
declslon was made ln order Lo allow senlors Lo conLlnue Lo llve wlLh Lhelr famllles (lCM., p. 13).

Cne lnnovaLlve lnlLlaLlve ln Calgary LhaL addresses Lhe LransporLaLlon of senlors, Lhelr moblllLy and
Lhe envlronmenL ls LhaL Lhe ClLy offers unllmlLed access Lo Calgary 1ranslL servlces for all senlors over 63
for a reduced cosL of $93.00 per year. 1hls ensures LhaL all senlors have access Lo affordable publlc
LransporLaLlon (lCM., p. 23). 1he geography of owell 8lver, wlLh lLs hllls ln WesLvlew and Lhe dlsLance
beLween Cranberry and 1ownslLe belng Loo far for mosL senlors Lo walk, makes Lhe adopLlon of an
lnnovaLlve lnlLlaLlve llke Lhls very useful for senlors and would ald greaLly ln Lhelr moblllLy and ablllLy Lo
remaln lndependenL.

@+1>2 B"1,$ D%$%>$#+> 0>" B$$:0*$#+> E+C'0$#>2 @+1>2 B"1,$ R1$UT#2:0$#+>
?oung adulL reLenLlon and aLLracLlon ls an lssue LhaL many small and rural communlLles are faclng ln
Canada and abroad. Small communlLles are aware LhaL many of Lhe LradlLlonal naLural resource based
lndusLrles are ln decllne, so Lhe communlLles have Lo look Lo oLher ways of developlng new sources of
lncome. ln addlLlon Lo Lhls, however, Lhey have Lo re-envlslon and relnvenL Lhemselves for new
funcLlons and roles ln order Lo malnLaln communlLy vlLallLy whlch can help reLaln and aLLracL new
resldenLs (uuxbury, n., & Campbell, P., 2011). CommunlLles are cerLalnly focuslng on economlc
developmenL Lo help buslnesses grow and creaLe local [obs, buL Lhey are also looklng aL ways Lo lncrease
Lhe human caplLal such as enhanced learnlng opporLunlLles whlch allows Lhe people worklng and llvlng
in the community to be productive. By including human capital as part of a communitys economic
developmenL sLraLegy, Lhey are also promoLlng lncluslon and an lncreased sense of coheslveness and
sense of belonglng wlLhln Lhe communlLy (lrshad, P, 2013 clLed from
www.lmmlgraLlonnorLhwesLernonLarlo.ca). LngagemenL and parLlclpaLlon of communlLy members ls
beneflclal on a broader basls and alds ln Lhe aLLracLlon and reLenLlon of new resldenLs by lncreaslng Lhe
reslllency of Lhe communlLy whlch lmproves communlLy dynamlcs and lncreases Lhe capaclLy Lo
collaboraLe and meeL common goals (lrshad, P., 2013).

Lnhanced learnlng opporLunlLles, as menLloned, can be lmporLanL for boLh economlc developmenL
and lncreaslng human caplLal. ClLles such as owell 8lver whlch have a unlverslLy ln Lhelr communlLy can
develop lnnovaLlve lnlLlaLlves Lo aLLracL and reLaln Lhelr young adulLs. Cne such lnlLlaLlve ln Allendale,
S.C. was Lhe creaLlon of a reglonal leadershlp lnsLlLuLe Lo Lraln emerglng leaders wlLh Lhe skllls needed Lo
increase the communitys economic development. Allendale partnered with the local branch of the
unlverslLy of SouLh Carollna Lo creaLe Lhe program. 1hrough Lhe programs, almed aL youLhs and adulLs,
lL prepares clLlzens Lo Lake Lhe lead ln economlc and communlLy developmenL. All parLlclpanLs begln by
learnlng abouL Lhe soclal and economlc lssues ln Lhelr communlLy. Cnce Lhey have a deeper awareness
of Lhese lssues, Lhe lnsLlLuLe helps Lhe parLlclpanLs declde on a problem area Lo Lackle ln Lhelr
communlLy. 1he sLudenLs are Lhen connecLed Lo relevanL boards and commlLLees Lo begln seeklng
8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

soluLlons. Slnce Lhe program began, Lhe lnsLlLuLe has Lralned more Lhan 1,100 adulLs and 800 youLhs,
who have become more engaged and educaLed clLlzens. Some of Lhe adulLs have gone on Lo hold
elecLlve offlce or have generaLed granL money for redevelopmenL ln Lhelr communlLy. 1he lnsLlLuLe has
helped Lo generaLe more Lhan $9 mllllon ln granL fundlng for Lhe area. 1hrough Lhe lnsLlLuLe, Allendale ls
creaLlng leaders Lo susLaln economlc developmenL over Lhe long Lerm. 1hls program shows LhaL
leadershlp developmenL ls economlc developmenL. lL also shows LhaL leadershlp developmenL can be
used as a Lool for soclal lnvolvemenL ln Lhe communlLy. Pavlng access Lo a local unlverslLy ls an asseL for
small communlLles and Lhelr economlc developmenL (Lambe, W., 2008, p. 137-139).

Cullnary 1ourlsm ln nlagara ls anoLher example of a communlLy unlverslLy parLnershlp LhaL can lead
Lo lnnovaLlve lnlLlaLlves. 1he unlverslLy already had a cullnary arLs program. ln an efforL Lo aLLracL more
LourlsLs Lo Lhe area and promoLe cullnary Lourlsm, a Cullnary 1ourlsm Alllance was formed Lo brlng
LogeLher growers, producers, processors, Lourlsm operaLors and Lhe unlverslLy. 1ogeLher a reglonal
ldenLlLy was developed and promoLed. 1hey secured agrlculLural resources and food supplles and
creaLed opporLunlLles for LourlsLs Lo sample local producLs and experlences. 1o be successful requlred
Lhey work LogeLher Lo creaLe a unlqueness ln Lhe producLs and servlces, educaLe LourlsLs and promoLe
Lhe local culLure Lhrough fesLlvals and evenLs (verma, A., 2012). owell 8lver already has a successful
cullnary program runnlng Lhrough a parLnershlp wlLh Lhe Su 47 and vlu. 1here are also qulLe a few
fesLlvals, such as Lhe 8lackberry fesLlval and Sea falr, where cullnary Lourlsm could be lnLroduced.

ln norway, lL ls felL LhaL ln order Lo achleve a successful resLrucLurlng of Lhe presenL rural economlc
sLrucLures LhaL Lhe educaLlonal secLor musL be recrulLed as a parLner. Schools Lhere have concenLraLed
on educaLlonal lssues Lo Lhe excluslon of local economlc developmenL, lnsLead of Lackllng Lhe lssues wlLh
development in mind. They have been producing employees that are recipients of jobs when they
should have been producing creators of jobs. With that in mind, an innovative scheme called Dynamic
Local Schools has been lmplemenLed.

1he model for uynamlc Local Schools lncludes Lhree componenLs: pupll enLerprlse (prlmary and
secondary level), LerLlary (college/unlverslLy) level courses ln Lhe world of work and enLrepreneurshlp,
and Lhe bulldlng of neLworks. ln Lhe upll LnLerprlse componenL, Lhe sLudenLs produce any good or
servlce LhaL compeLence, local resources, condlLlons of producLlon, and poLenLlallLles ln Lhe markeL
allow. arLlclpaLlon requlres each upll LnLerprlse go Lhrough Lhe producLlon process of developlng a
buslness ldea, analyzlng Lhe need for Lhe producL or servlce ln Lhe local markeL, evaluaLlng local
resources, evaluaLlng flnanclal clrcumsLances, lmprovlng and LesLlng Lhe producL, esLabllshlng Lhe
enLerprlse, producLlon, markeLlng and sales. 1he sLudenLs are all responslble for esLabllshlng and
runnlng Lhe enLerprlse whlch ln Lurn promoLes accounLablllLy ln Lhe sLudenLs. 1he role of Leachers and
local buslness ls Lo glve advlce and Lo reporL. arLlclpaLlon allows sLudenLs Lo galn experlence, self-
esLeem and Lhe ablllLy Lo LranslaLe knowledge lnLo acLlon. 1eachers, Lhe local buslness communlLy,
puplls and parenLs become lnvolved ln a process whlch furLhers enLrepreneurshlp.

The tertiary level in the world of work and entrepreneurship is made up of three main parts: a
general LheoreLlcal componenL, pracLlcal work experlence, and pro[ecL work. Agaln Lhls level course
allows for close adapLaLlon of local requlremenLs and resources. 1he sLudenLs are noL glven speclflc
vocaLlonal Lralnlng for a parLlcular vocaLlon, however, Lhey are glven Lhe opporLunlLy Lo pracLlce general
enLrepreneurshlp. Course parLlclpanLs lnclude Leachers, local enLrepreneurs, pollLlclans and publlc
admlnlsLraLors or a comblnaLlon LhaL mlrrors whaLever local parLnershlps LhaL have been successful
for Lhe developmenL of new enLerprlses ln Lhe local communlLy concerned. 8y havlng Lo deal wlLh real
llfe challenges and learnlng Lo Lake advanLage of opporLunlLles, Lhese college/unlverslLy level courses
g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

aim to instill optimism and a belief that it is possible to shape the future of ones community. This belief
ls very lmporLanL and as shown ln Lhe vlLal Slgns reporL, lL ls someLhlng LhaL ls mlsslng ln owell 8lver,
where people are noL very opLlmlsLlc abouL Lhe fuLure of [obs ln Lhe reglon.

1he uynamlc Local Schools lnlLlaLlve has been well recelved by local communlLles as well as by key
auLhorlLles aL local and reglonal levels all over norway, and has been ln conslderable demand ln urban
communlLles as well. 1he lnlLlaLlve has grown and flnanclal supporL for lL comes noL only from Lhe
reglonal level buL also Lhe LmploymenL Servlces and Lhe 8ural uevelopmenL SupporL Scheme. 1he
uynamlc Local Schools lnlLlaLlve, ln addlLlon Lo oLher cenLral sLraLegles llke parLnershlps and [olnL
ventures, is important to rural development. It is helping to enhance the rural communitys inherent
poLenLlal and Lhereby securlng lLs long-Lerm survlval. ln addlLlon, Lhe younger generaLlon ls developlng a
markeL-orlenLed enLrepreneurlal splrlL (k[elsen, C, 1994). 1hls enLrepreneurlal splrlL ls very lmporLanL
and can add opLlmlsm and a sense of posslblllLy for Lhe fuLure of Lhe communlLy.

)'*:$.,7'*
Changes Lo Lhe naLural resource based economles of many rural communlLles have prompLed
changes ln Lhe way people can earn a llvlng. 1hese changes have also prompLed changes Lo Lhe
composition of the rural communities populations. These population changes can create challenges
LhaL can affecL Lhe ablllLy of Lhelr resldenLs Lo work LogeLher producLlvely and reallze poslLlve soclal,
economlc and envlronmenLal ouLcomes (LLuk, L., keen, M. & Wall, C. 2012).

As Lhls paper has shown, owell 8lver ls one of Lhese communlLles faclng challenges creaLed by a
changlng economlc base whlch has creaLed a changlng populaLlon. 1he slgnlflcanL growLh of Lhe 63+ age
group and Lhe slgnlflcanL decrease ln Lhe 23 44 age groups ls cerLalnly creaLlng challenges for Lhe ClLy.
Powever, owell 8lver has been proacLlve ln faclng Lhese challenges and has made a commlLmenL Lo do
so ln an envlronmenLally, economlcally and soclally susLalnable manner wlLh Lhe recenL adopLlon of Lhe
owell 8lver SusLalnablllLy CharLer.

owell 8lver ls forLunaLe Lo have a fully equlpped hosplLal and Lwo long-Lerm care faclllLles Lo meeL
Lhe needs of lLs resldenLs of all ages. AlLhough, lL ls quesLlonable wheLher or noL Lwo long-Lerm care
faclllLles wlll be enough Lo meeL Lhe growlng needs of Lhe communlLy. As Lhe 2007 CommunlLy need
8uslness Case sLaLes, as more people age and more reLlrees move Lo Lhe reglon new Lypes of resldenLlal
and lnsLlLuLlonal bulldlngs, such as exLended care faclllLles wlll be needed Lo caLer Lo Lhe growlng reLlree
populaLlon ln Lhe reglon(CommunlLy need 8uslness Case, p. 9). 1he adopLlon of Lhe susLalnable
approaches Lo Lhe fuLure needs of lLs 63+ age group regardlng LransporLaLlon/moblllLy and houslng sLlll
need Lo be puL lnLo acLlon. Powever, once lmplemenLed, Lhese approaches should prove Lo go a long
way Lowards maklng owell 8lver an age-frlendly clLy. 1he lnnovaLlve approaches LhaL oLher clLles have
lmplemenLed are deflnlLely worLh conslderlng as well. Small changes, for example, benches aL bus sLops
ln order Lo provlde resL areas llke Saanlch has lnsLalled, can make a blg dlfference ln Lhe ablllLy of senlors
Lo malnLaln Lhelr lndependence and remaln healLhy. lmplemenLlng oLher lnlLlaLlves such as allowlng
carrlage houses would noL only allow senlors Lo remaln ln owell 8lver, whlch ls lmporLanL as Lhey are a
large parL of Lhe economy, buL also lL could help wlLh Lhe ln-mlgraLlon and reLenLlon of younger adulLs.
lf senlors could bulld and move lnLo Lhelr own carrlage homes, Lhelr maln home could be glven Lo Lhelr
chlldren who may be enLlced Lo move Lo a small communlLy, or remaln ln one, wlLh such an lncenLlve.

As has been dlscussed, Lhe aLLracLlon and reLenLlon of young adulLs ls a serlous challenge for small
communlLles. 1he loss of young people noL only deprlves Lhe communlLy of labour and human caplLal, lL
6o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

also deprlves Lhe communlLy of reproducLlve poLenLlal. When young adulLs leave a communlLy Lhere are
lmmedlaLe negaLlve lmpacLs and Lhere are longer Lerm problems because Lhe communlLy wlll noL be
able Lo replace workers who exlL Lhe labour force aL reLlremenL age (8rown, u., 2010). When Lhls
happens communlLles need Lo be able Lo aLLracL newcomers.

owell 8lver has used a number of lnnovaLlve parLnershlps and approaches Lo deal wlLh Lhe challenge
of young adulL reLenLlon and aLLracLlon. Powever, some of Lhe approaches have dealL wlLh lndusLry and
offerlng flnanclal and Lax lncenLlves whlch show owell 8lver as a buslness frlendly place. Whlle
recruiting industries can generate substantial and easily enumerated impact on the economy, they dont
always fit with local goals and values (Cook, C., Buin, M., Yust, B., Crull, S., Shelley, M., Laux, S.,
Memken, !., nlemeye, S., and WhlLe, 8., 2009 clLlng 1erluln, 2003 clLlng Lowe, Murdoch and Ward,
1993). Also, large lndusLrles requlre a large workforce whlch Lhe owell 8lver 8ackground 8eporL has
lndlcaLed may be a poLenLlal problem as Lhe ClLy could face labour shorLages ln Lhe fuLure due Lo a
slgnlflcanL decllne ln Lhe populaLlon of Lhe worklng age group 23 44. AnoLher lssue wlLh large
lndusLrles ls LhaL Lhey are noL always very envlronmenLally susLalnable and could lead Lo confllcLs wlLh
Lhe SusLalnablllLy CharLer LhaL owell 8lver has adopLed.

CLher approaches Laken by owell 8lver and lLs parLnershlps, such as Lhe 88LuS 8uslness ALLracLlon
and 8eLenLlon rogram are much more ln llne wlLh susLalnable economlc developmenL. SLlmulaLlng and
sLrengLhenlng local enLrepreneurlal growLh and Lhe local workforce ls whaL mosL economlc
developmenL llLeraLure recommends along wlLh bolsLerlng soclal coheslon among local buslness owners
(uLnam 1998 clLed ln Cook eL al, 2009). 1he 88LuS 8uslness ALLracLlon and 8eLenLlon rogram ls also
ln llne wlLh whaL kenneLh CoaLes, Lhe Canada 8esearch Chalr ln 8eglonal lnnovaLlon, sald ln a
newspaper arLlcle earller Lhls year, abouL rural economlc developmenL, whlch was LhaL Lhe besL soluLlon
Lo rural economlc developmenL problems would be for local communlLles Lo forgeL abouL aLLracLlng
industry and focus on retaining people, especially creative, entrepreneurial types who dont need to go
Lo blg clLles Lo sLarL companles (Spence, Aprll, 2013).

As menLloned ln Lhe paper and shown Lhrough Lhe lnnovaLlve approaches adopLed elsewhere, owell
Rivers biggest asset for the future growth of its economy and the retention and attraction of young
adulLs ls havlng a fully-fledged unlverslLy ln Lhe communlLy. 1he programs currenLly offered such as
cullnary arLs and carpenLry are excellenL Lrades Lralnlng programs whlch would allow for some youLhs Lo
remain in the community, but there just arent enough restaurants or contracting companies in Powell
8lver Lo employ all of Lhe graduaLes from Lhe programs. lus Lhese programs are noL Leachlng Lhe
sLudenLs how Lo be enLrepreneurs. nor are Lhe programs helplng Lo develop an enLrepreneurlal
aLmosphere or opLlmlsLlc mlndseL wlLhln Lhe communlLy regardlng lLs economlc fuLure. 1he
developmenL of leadershlp opporLunlLles and skllls among resldenLs of rural communlLles has been
llnked Lo rural communlLy vlLallLy (llora and llora 1993 clLed ln Cook eL al, 2009). 1he ClLy has an
opporLunlLy wlLh vlu Lo really lncrease Lhe soclal caplLal of Lhe communlLy and develop an
entrepreneurial social infrastructure (Sharp et al, 2002 cited in Cook et al, 2009). Higher education
lnsLlLuLlons need Lo Lake on a leadershlp role when lL comes Lo ensurlng publlc and prlvaLe collaboraLlon
ln developlng and execuLlng a reglonal economlc plan LhaL addresses weaknesses ln Lhe local buslness
envlronmenL (orLer, M., 2007). vlu owell 8lver ls ln a poslLlon Lo help Lhe ClLy address lLs weaknesses
ln economlc developmenL by developlng enLrepreneurlal programs for young adulLs ln order Lo keep
Lhem ln Lhe communlLy Lo help grow a healLhy buslness secLor.



6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS
Andor, 8. (!anuary 2011) Carrlage houses new opLlon. Comox valley 8ecord. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/113321804.hLml
8C Pouslng. (n.d.) 8eLrleved from hLLp://www.bchouslng.org/llnd/Senlor
Brown, D., (2010) Rethinking the OECDs New Rural uemography. CenLre for 8ural Lconomy ulscusslon.
aper Serles no. 26. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.ncl.ac.uk/cre/publlsh/dlscusslonpapers/pdfs/dp26208rown.pdf
8uskle, SLeve (lall 2012) Change, 1ransition and an Affordable Future Vision. Our Communitys Future.
8eLrleved from hLLp://prfuLures.ca/slLes/defaulL/flles/pdf/cfpr-ocL_12-newsleLLer-web.pdf
Canadlan 8uslness !ournal. (n.d.) owell 8lver. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.cb[.ca/buslness_ln_acLlon/munlclpal/powell_rlver_reglon_offers_a_wonderful_mlx
Lure_of_naLure_culLure.hLml?prlnL
ClLy of owell 8lver (2013) Cfflclal CommunlLy lan 8ylaw 2080. 8eLrleved from
hLLps://powellrlver.clvlcweb.neL/uocumenLs/uocumenLLlsL.aspx?lu=283
ClLy of owell 8lver 8ackground 8eporL. ( lebruary 2013) Cfflclal CommunlLy lan updaLe. 8eLrleved
from hLLp://powellrlverocp.flles.wordpress.com/2013/02/pr-ocp-background-reporL-12-feb-
2013.pdf
CommunlLy luLures owell 8lver. (n.d.) 8eLrleved from hLLp://prfuLures.ca/who-we-are
Community Need Business Case. (2007) The City of Powell Rivers Application to Remove Lands from the
AgrlculLural Land 8eserve ln order Lo losLer Lconomlc ulverslflcaLlon. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/appllcaLlon_sLaLus/owell_8lver/CommunlLy_need_8uslness_Case.p
df
Cook, C., 8uln, M., ?usL, 8., Crull, S., Shelley, M., Laux, S., Memken, !., nlemeye, S., and WhlLe, 8. (2009)
Lvldence of a Pouslng ueclslon Chaln ln 8ural CommunlLy vlLallLy. 8ural Soclology 74 (1), pp.
113-137
ulsLrlcL of Saanlch, 8C. (2008) World PealLh CrganlzaLlons Clobal Age-lrlendly ClLles ro[ecL. 8eLrleved
from
hLLp://www.saanlch.ca/parkrec../communlLy/pdf/SaanlchWPCAgelrlendlyClLles8eporL.pdf
uuxbury, n. & Campbell, P. (2011) ueveloplng and 8evlLallzlng 8ural CommunlLles Lhrough ArLs and
CulLure. Small ClLles lmprlnL, volume 3, no. 1, pp. 111-122
LLuk, L., keen, M., & Wall, C. (2012) 1he lacLors AssoclaLed wlLh 8ural CommunlLy Success: A 8evlew of
8ural CommunlLy vlLallLy 8esearch. Cregon SLaLe unlverslLy. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.Lfff.org/orLals/0/lnsLlLuLe/uocumenLs/CommunlLy20vlLallLy20LlL208evlew2
0-206-13-12.pdf
Federation of Canadian Municipalities. (2013) Canadas Aging Population: The municipal role in Canadas
demographlc shlfL. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.fcm.ca/uocumenLs/reporLs/lCM/canadas_aglng_populaLlon_Lhe_munlclpal_role_l
n_Canadas_demographlc_shlfL_en.pdf
CeLLlng Lo owell 8lver. (n.d.) 8eLrleved from hLLp://www.dlscoverpowellrlver.com/geLLlng-here/
lrshad, P. (2013) ALLracLlng and 8eLalnlng eople Lo 8ural AlberLa. A LlsL of 8esources and LlLeraLure
8evlew. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www1.agrlc.gov.ab.ca/$ueparLmenL/depLdocs.nsf/all/csl14329/$llLL/ALLracLlng-and-
8eLalnlng-people.pdf
k[elsen, C., (1994) A locus on ?ouLh 8ural uevelopmenL luLure osslblllLles and CpLlons. MlnlsLry of
AgrlculLure, Cslo, norway.
klelnsLeuber, C., klelnsLeuber, L., de la 1orre, u. and Melkle, u. (2006) owell 8lver CommunlLy lood
AcLlon lnlLlaLlve 8eporL. owell 8lver LmploymenL rogram SocleLy.
6z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Lambe, W., (2008) Small 1owns, 8lg ldeas. Case SLudles ln Small 1own CommunlLy Lconomlc
uevelopmenL. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.log.unc.edu/programs/cednc/sLbl/pdfs/sLbl_flnal.pdf?q=programs/cednc/sLbl/pdfs/
sLbl_flnal.pdf
eak Cnllne. (CcLober 1, 2013) 8eLLer aL Pome lnlLlaLlve Seeks lnLeresL. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.prpeak.com/arLlcles/2013/10/01/communlLy/doc324b68d0a30cf622638379.LxL
orLer, M. (2007) Colleges and unlverslLles and 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL: A SLraLeglc
erspecLlve. Parvard 8uslness School. lorum from Lhe luLure of Plgher LducaLlon.
owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy. (2011) CommunlLy roflle SlLe SelecLor uaLabase.
8eLrleved from hLLp://www.prreds.com
owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy. (2013) 8uslness 8eLenLlon and ALLracLlon
rogram. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.edabc.com/aLLachmenLs/171/ScoLL208andolph_88&L_owell208lver20LuA8
C2088L20resenLaLlon20!une202013.pdf
Powell Rivers Vital Signs. (2012) Taking the Pulse of Powell River. Retrieved from
hLLp://www.prvs.ca/2011-2012-hlghllghLs.hLml
Senlors Pouslng SLraLegy. (2010) A senlors houslng sLraLegy for lsland and rural communlLles ln 8rlLlsh
Columbla. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.lslandsLrusL.bc.ca/communlLyhouslngpubllc/pdf/senlorshouslngsLraLegymar312010
.pdf
Spence, 8lck. (Aprll, 2013) Pow Lo keep Small 1owns from ulsappearlng. LnLrepreneur. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://buslness.flnanclalposL.com/2013/04/13/woolng-enLrepreneurs-may-save-our-small-
Lowns-from-dlsappearlng/
1ownslLe PerlLage SocleLy of owell 8lver. (n.d.) 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.powellrlverLownslLe.com/
vancouver lsland unlverslLy owell 8lver rograms and Courses. (n.d.) 8eLrleved from
hLLp://pr.vlu.ca/calendar/lndex.asp
vancouver lsland unlverslLy, (Sprlng 2013) 8eporL Lo Lhe CommunlLy. 8eLrleved from
hLLps://www.vlu.ca/communlLyreporL/
verma, A. (2012) Skllls for CompeLlLlveness: CounLry 8eporL Canada. CLCu Local Lconomlc and
LmploymenL uevelopmenL (LLLu) Worklng apers. hLLp://dx.dol.org/10.1787/3k9bb1vz3[hb-en
World PealLh CrganlzaLlon. (2007) Clobal Age-frlendly ClLles: A Culde. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.who.lnL/agelng/publlcaLlons/Clobal_age_frlendly_clLles_Culde_Lngllsh.pdf






6)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

2339%,,7*1 J''3 <%:.97+= !/9'.1/ 43.:"+7'* 7* +/% ?'@%$$
67A%9 6%17'*
8y. Mlcbele Cteeoe


8*+9'3.:+7'*

leedlng Lhe world adequaLely ls a pervaslve problem LhaL demands a relnvenLlon of boLh Lhe
sysLem of food producLlon and Lhe world dleL ln order Lo make Lhem susLalnable and healLhy (Crlbb,
2010). Accordlng Lo Lhe World lood SummlL of 1996, food securlLy exists when all people at all times
have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life (Rome
ueclaraLlon of World lood SecurlLy). lood securlLy was also one of Lhe flve Lhemes of Lhe second annual
Canadlan lood SummlL, relnforclng lLs prevalence as an lssue locally and globally (lood LducaLlon
Should be a rlorlLy). 1he World PealLh CrganlzaLlon recognlzes LhaL Lhe concepL of food securlLy ls
bullL on Lhree plllars, food avallablllLy, food access, and food use. lL ls evldenL ln a communlLy when
everyone is obtaining a safe, culturally acceptable, and nutritionally adequate diet through a food
sysLem LhaL ls susLalnable and whlch maxlmlzes self-reliance and social justice (Bellows & Hamm,
2003). 1he lack of food securlLy leads Lo lncreased pressure on soclal sysLems and Lhe medlcal sysLem,
making it everyones problem (WHO).

1he communlLy of owell 8lver, 8rlLlsh Columbla ls no sLranger Lo food lnsecurlLy (deflned as Lhe
opposlLe of food securlLy). Some residents began using the communitys food bank in the 1980s
followlng Lhe downLurn of Lhe pulp and paper lndusLry and are sLlll uslng lL afLer more Lhan LhlrLy years
(u. arklnson, personal communlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). 1he owell 8lver lood SecurlLy ro[ecL,
lnlLlaLed ln 2007, recognlzes low levels of food securlLy among cerLaln aL rlsk groups and a rlsk Lo food
securlLy ln Lhe area due Lo Lhe dependence on lmporLed food. 1here ls good reason Lo conLlnue work ln
Lhe food securlLy area ln owell 8lver and Lo encourage furLher work (u. arklnson, personal
communlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). 8ecause only abouL 2 - 3 of food ls sourced locally ln owell 8lver,
wlLh Lhe resL belng lmporLed, people ln Lhe communlLy are very lnLeresLed ln havlng local food avallable.
1he lmpllcaLlons of belng cuL off due Lo a naLural dlsasLer or problem wlLh Lhe ferry sysLem are
recognlzed and ralse many concerns locally.

1he local challenges Lo food securlLy lnclude a shorLage of local farmers, very low producLlon of
local food, and geLLlng Lhe necessary help and lnformaLlon Lo marglnallzed groups such as slngle
moLhers and llrsL naLlons people (u. arklnson, personal communlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). 1hls paper
wlll brlefly lnLroduce Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, address how owell 8lver ls uslng educaLlon ln
Lhe form of workshops and courses avallable Lhrough Lhe school dlsLrlcL Lo address Lhe lssue of food
securlLy ln Lhe reglon, and presenL lnnovaLlve ldeas from ouLslde of Lhe reglon LhaL may be helpful Lo
owell 8lver.

E03% 3$1"( :%2#+>
owell 8lver ls an lsolaLed communlLy on Lhe norLhern Sunshlne coasL of 8rlLlsh Columbla wlLh a
populaLlon of around 16,600 (vlLal Slgns). 1ogeLher wlLh Lhe Sllammon llrsL naLlon (1la'amln) and
several unlncorporaLed areas, Lhey make up Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL wlLh a populaLlon of
approxlmaLely 20,000. 1he reglon ls blessed wlLh beauLlful naLural amenlLles. Along wlLh lLs seml-
6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

lsolaLlon, Lhe naLural amenlLles are whaL aLLracL people Lo Lhe area. ln-mlgraLlon has greaLly slowed,
affecLlng Lhe demographlc of owell 8lver (vlLal Slgns). 1he percenLage of Lhe worklng age populaLlon
(13 Lo 64) ls 63.6 and Lhe percenLage of chlldren aged 0 Lo 14 ls 13.6. ln comparlson, Lhe naLlonal
percenLages are 68.3 for Lhe populaLlon aged 13 Lo 64 and 16.7 for Lhe populaLlon aged 0 Lo 14. 13
of famllles are lone parenL famllles (SLaLlsLlcs Canada). 1he medlan age ln Lhe area ls 30.1 and Lhe
percenLage of Lhe populaLlon aged 63 and over ls 22.8, compared wlLh a naLlonal percenLage of 14.8.
An older populaLlon means more pressure on Lhe soclal and medlcal sysLems. lL also LhreaLens Lhe
susLalnablllLy of Lhe reglon.

owell 8lver once had a Lhrlvlng slngle lndusLry economy buL Lhe mlll and foresL secLor have
experlenced a crlLlcal downLurn whlle oLher resource lndusLrles LhaL supporLed Lhe local economy, such
as flshlng, have also decllned. CurrenLly, Lhe maln economlc lnfluences ln owell 8lver are reLall,
buslness servlces, healLh care and soclal servlces, manufacLurlng, and resource based buslnesses such as
flshlng and agrlculLure (vlLal Slgns). overLy ls Lhe sLrongesL llnk Lo food securlLy and Lhe degradaLlon of
the local economy in Powell River as a result of diminished industries plays a pivotal role in the regions
food lnsecurlLy. 1he average annual lncome ln owell 8lver ls approxlmaLely $6,300 below LhaL of Lhe
8rlLlsh Columbla average. Palf of Lhe famllles ln owell 8lver earn less Lhan Lhe medlan amounL of
reporLed famlly lncomes. Accordlng Lo a 2009 survey 23.3 of owell 8lver famllles llved below Lhe
poverLy llne (vlLal Slgns). WlLh respecL Lo dleL, access Lo sufflclenL amounLs and varleLy of local foods
was raLed as good or excellenL by 38 and as falr or below by 42 wlLh 13 raLlng Lhelr access as below
average or poor (vlLal Slgns). 1hls means LhaL food securlLy ls LhreaLened regularly for over 40 of Lhe
populaLlon.

Food security is ongoing and especially challenging for marginalized groups. The Tlaamin Band
of Lhe Sllammon llrsL naLlon communlLy reporLed below average or poor feellngs of connecLlon or
accepLance ln Lhe communlLy llfe of owell 8lver as compared Lo less Lhan 8 overall feellng Lhls way
(vlLal Slgns). leellng marglnallzed ls an added rlsk facLor ln food lnsecurlLy. Along wlLh Lhese feellngs of
belng marglnallzed, obeslLy ls a problem sLemmlng from Lhe lack of LradlLlonal foods avallable (Wells,
2011). These are two issues threatening community sustainability within the Tlaamin Band itself and
affecLlng Lhe owell 8lver reglon as a whole. 1hose llvlng ln poverLy and slngle parenLs are also
marglnallzed populaLlons ln Lhe area.

J''3 <%:.97+= "*3 +/% :/"$$%*1%, ('9 +/% ?'@%$$ 67A%9 9%17'*
1he food securlLy lssue ls Lwofold ln Lhe owell 8lver reglon wlLh low levels of food securlLy
among aL-rlsk or marglnallzed populaLlons and Lhelr llmlLed ablllLy Lo guaranLee an adequaLe supply of
food Lo Lhe populaLlon aL large ln Lhe evenL of an emergency. MosL of Lhe food (97) consumed ln
owell 8lver ls lmporLed so lf Lhere were an emergency and LransporLaLlon was compromlsed, adequaLe
food would noL be avallable Lo Lhe communlLy. Slmllarly, local food producLlon ls currenLly aL a low
level. 1hese Lwo facLors comblne Lo generaLe a serlous problem wlLh respecL Lo food securlLy.
AddlLlonally, aL rlsk populaLlons such as llrsL naLlons or slngle moLhers do noL always have enough Lo
eaL wheLher lL be local or noL. Some people need knowledge abouL pracLlcal and affordable opLlons,
some people lack Llme or energy, skllls or faclllLles Lo prepare meals (klelnsLuber, klelnsLuber, de la
1orre & Melkle, 2006).

Accordlng Lo lood Secure Canada, food knowledge relevanL Lo local ecologles ls belng losL.
SoluLlons Lo Lhls problem sLrengLhen Lhe capaclLy of rural and remoLe places Lo provlde food. Cne of
Lhe proposed soluLlons ls esLabllshlng communlLy based knowledge exchange neLworks Lo encourage
6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

exchange of lnformaLlon (lood SoverelgnLy ln 8ural and 8emoLe CommunlLles). As a rural communlLy,
owell 8lver ls maklng sLrldes ln provldlng educaLlon for food securlLy Lo Lhe communlLy Lhrough varlous
avenues and Lhe School ulsLrlcL ln owell 8lver ls educaLlng sLudenLs ln local food avallablllLy and
producLlon.

!"1*0$#+> <+: 9++" F%*1:#$( #> K+L%,, D#M%:
!"#$% '"()*+",*
1he owell 8lver lood SecurlLy CoallLlon has been aLLempLlng Lo address food securlLy lssues
slnce 1998 by promoLlng awareness of local food, lncreaslng local food producLlon, lncreaslng access Lo
local food, promoLlng gardenlng, educaLlng, neLworklng, and developlng pollcy (prfoodsecurlLy.org).
1hls food securlLy pro[ecL ls parL of Lhe lood SecurlLy CoallLlon, funded by Lhe provlnclal CommunlLy
lood lnlLlaLlve program.

LducaLlng people for food securlLy ls a prlorlLy ln owell 8lver (u. arklnson, ersonal
CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013, 1ranslLlon 1own). kevln Wllson, board member of 1ranslLlon 1own
owell 8lver, noLes LhaL susLalnablllLy has four plllars, noL Lhree, and Lhe fourLh ls educaLlon. eople
dont always know what to do with food. For example, ln some famllles, Lhls ls Lhe second or Lhlrd
generation that doesnt know how to cook. Often, people with the least amount of resources are the
ones that dont know how to make cheaper meals (D. Parkinson, Personal Communication, October 21,
2013). 1he lood SecurlLy ro[ecL conducLs communlLy workshops Leachlng food preservlng, growlng,
and preparaLlon. 8elng LaughL Lo cook ls lmporLanL because Lhe cheapesL food ls Lhe slmplesL food so lf
people know how Lo cook, Lhey are able Lo make meals wlLh less money (u. arklnson, ersonal
CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). Whlle Lhese are poslLlve moves, Lhe lnlLlaLlves are challenged Lo geL
sufflclenL numbers Lo aLLend. CfLen Lhe people aLLendlng Lhe workshops are noL Lhe people who are
LargeLed (marglnallzed people llke slngle moLhers). Lven Lhough posLers are placed where LargeLed
people see Lhem, aLLendance can be dlfflculL because of lack of Llme or money. 8arrlers for aLLendlng
workshops need Lo be removed. lf Lhere ls a way Lo offer Lhe workshops sLrlcLly Lo Lhe groups ln need
Lhrough a compaLlble agency, lL may be more effecLlve ln reachlng Lhe people who need lL mosL.

Transition Town also offers workshops in conjunction with Skookum Food Provisioners
CooperaLlve (Skookum). 1ranslLlon 1own ls parL of Transition Network, a charitable organization whose
role is to inspire, encourage, connect, support, and train communities as they organize around a
LranslLlon model LhaL helps Lhem become sLronger and happler (AbouL 1ranslLlon neLwork). 1he ldea ls
LhaL people are dolng someLhlng consLrucLlve wlLh Lhe communlLy and as a resulL, Lhey are happler and
communities feel stronger, and thus more sustainable (About Transition Network). Skookums mandate
ls Lo empower people Lo grow, process, and preserve food and parL of Lhelr purpose ls Lo provlde
educaLlon ln Lhose areas. 1ranslLlon 1own and Skookum LogeLher offer permaculLure workshops.
ermaculLure ls a deslgn sysLem whlch ls naLure lnsplred, eLhlcally based and used as a gulde Lo
susLalnablllLy. ALLendees of permaculLure courses learn Lo become responslble producers raLher Lhan
dependenL consumers. SusLalnablllLy of home and communlLy ls sLrengLhened whlle skllls and reslllence
are bullL (WhaL ls permaculLure). 1hls course supporLs Lhe ldea LhaL Lhe besL way Lo source food ls Lo
grow lL locally and for oneself (AbouL SusLalnable 1able). noL only does Skookum supporL communlLy
permaculLure courses, lL also brlngs Lhe communlLy LogeLher Lo learn abouL susLalnablllLy lssues and
bulld communlLy by vlewlng fllms and faclllLaLlng dlscusslons. 1hese educaLlonal opporLunlLles help Lo
build a fair and sustainable community (Skookum Food Provisioners).

66
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

AddlLlonal programs are offered ln owell 8lver almed aL allevlaLlng food securlLy lssues. Cne
such educaLlonal opporLunlLy ls avallable aL Lhe CommunlLy 8esource CenLre uemonsLraLlon Carden.
1hls garden lllusLraLes how easy lL ls Lo garden ln small spaces and lncorporaLe fresh produce lnLo a
healLhy eaLlng plan. volunLeers are avallable Lo asslsL wlLh lnformaLlon and quesLlons. vlslLors Lo Lhls
garden may be lnsplred Lo begln growlng some of Lhelr own food elLher aL a communlLy garden or ln
Lhelr own yard. lurLher, Lhe owell 8lver CommunlLy lood AcLlon lnlLlaLlve offers Lwo educaLlonal
programs relaLed Lo food securlLy. 1he flrsL ls 8Cnu (8ables Cpen new uoors), a slx-monLh program
offered Lo pregnanL women and new moLhers LhaL lncludes educaLlon on cooklng and creaLlng slmple
reclpes. 1hls program ls avallable free of charge and helps address Lhe need for educaLlng slngle
mothers who cannot afford other courses. Nobodys Perfect Parenting Program is a support and
educaLlon program for parenLs of young chlldren under Lhe age of flve (klelnsLuber, klelnsLuber, de la
1orre & Melkle, 2006). lL also Leaches parenLs slmple and nuLrlLlous food ldeas. As parL of food securlLy
ls chooslng nuLrlLlous foods, Lhese Lwo programs quallfy as sLrengLhenlng food securlLy knowledge ln
owell 8lver.

-#+""% ./*0(/#0 12
1he local school dlsLrlcL also plays a very acLlve role ln addresslng Lhe food securlLy slLuaLlon ln
Powell River. Aware that education doesnt happen in a vacuum, educators are constantly seeking ways
Lo make connecLlons more expllclL (8. 8arfooL, ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). 1eachers
are mlndful of Lhe lmporLance of leadlng by example and so use Lhelr poslLlons Lo creaLe an example Lo
be carrled on by Lhe youLh wlLh whom Lhey come lnLo conLacL. 1hey sLrlve Lo show how lL can be easy Lo
do Lhe rlghL Lhlng (8. 8arfooL, ersonal CommunlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). Several programs are acLlve
ln Lhe area lncludlng Lhe SusLalnable Schools CommlLLee, larm Lo School, CoasLal MounLaln Academy
LhaL lncludes Lhe SusLalnablllLy 1oolbox, and smaller locallzed pro[ecLs faclllLaLed by lndlvldual Leachers.

1he SusLalnable Schools CommlLLee was founded ln 2008 and ls comprlsed of Leachers,
admlnlsLraLlon, parenLs, and someLlmes sLudenLs and CuL members. 1he commlLLee ls dlrecLed by Lhe
lnLeresLs broughL forward Lo Lhem, Lhus communlLy members are encouraged Lo approach Lhe
commlLLee for help on pro[ecLs. As uavld arklnson of owell 8lver lood SecurlLy CoallLlon ls on Lhls
commlLLee, Lhere ls an easy connecLlon beLween food securlLy and educaLlon. Cne of Lhe lnlLlaLlves of
Lhe commlLLee ls larm Lo School (l2S), whlch connecLs schools and local farms. lor example, !ames
1hompson LlemenLary esLabllshed an l2S program ln 2011 and was Lhe flrsL school ln owell 8lver Lo do
so. ln Lhls case, sLudenLs eaL foods from local farms and many of Lhem vlslL Lhe farms Lo see where Lhe
food comes from. 1hls creaLes a connecLlon for Lhe sLudenLs Lo local food avallablllLy. arL of Lhe
programs mandate is to provide students with opportunities to learn about food and the local food
sysLem whlle supporLlng Lhe local food economy. 1hls ldea supporLs Lhe enLlre communlLy and lLs
susLalnablllLy, maklng lL a very lmporLanL endeavor. 8esearch on l2S-Lype programs ln Canada and Lhe
unlLed SLaLes shows slgnlflcanL beneflLs Lo sLudenLs, who learn abouL and eaL locally-produced fresh
foods, as well as Lhe communlLy by supporLlng farmers, sLrengLhenlng communlLy relaLlonshlps and
lncreaslng capaclLy for food securlLy (8ays, 2013). vancouver CoasLal PealLh CommunlLy uevelopmenL
CoordlnaLor and faclllLaLor of Lhe l2S program, vanessa Sparrow hopes LhaL parLlclpaLlon ln Lhe
program will lead the students to more conscious eating, to becoming more thoughtful stewards of the
land and maybe even to becoming food growers (Plate Full of Food). In addition, James Thompson
LlemenLary has recenLly creaLed a school garden and klLchen where Lhe sLudenLs wlll be able Lo grow,
harvesL, and prepare food. 1hls ls also parL of Lhe larms 2 School lnlLlaLlve (AnoLher Leacher aL !ames
1hompson led sLudenLs ln growlng vegeLables ln guLLer planLers ln order Lo develop compeLence ln
growlng foods locally (8ays, 2013).
6)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


CLher school pro[ecLs ln owell 8lver lnclude one LhaL Look place ln a 8rooks Secondary School
ManagemenL lnnovaLlons class. 1he sLudenLs learned flrsLhand abouL food producLlon by Laklng parL ln
a buslness venLure lnvolvlng cannlng and preservlng foods and Lhen selllng Lhem. Lven Lhough lL ls a
buslness course, Lhe sLudenLs are also learnlng abouL preservlng food, whlch ls an lmporLanL sklll for
food securlLy (CsLenson, 2009). SLudenLs seem Lo en[oy Lhls form of learnlng because Lhey are
becomlng lnvolved ln someLhlng pracLlcal. 8rooks Secondary ls also Lhe slLe of a food garden and Lhe
food is used in the schools cooking classes. Students helped to build the boxes and plant the garden
exposlng Lhem Lo skllls needed for growlng Lhelr own food. A sLudenL-led lnlLlaLlve was also responslble
for a permaculLure pro[ecL on Lhe brewery slLe (8olsLer, 2013).

AnoLher pro[ecL ln Lhe school dlsLrlcL ls Lhe CoasL MounLaln Academy, an enrlched ouLdoor
educaLlon program. Cne aspecL of Lhe program ls learnlng abouL permaculLure hands-on whlle sLudenLs
work slde-by-slde wlLh a local permaculLure experL Lo deslgn a garden. ln one parLlcular year, Lhe
sLudenLs spenL Lwo weeks ln Cuba learnlng abouL ecology and susLalnable agrlculLure (CoasL MounLaln
Academy, 2012). 1he SusLalnablllLy 1oolbox ls anoLher program wlLhln Lhe CoasL MounLaln Academy
deslgned Lo explore envlronmenLal sLewardshlp and communlLy susLalnablllLy. Cne of Lhe acLlvlLles LhaL
sLudenLs parLlclpaLe ln ls learnlng Lo flnd local foods and uslng Lhem Lo make a meal for Lhemselves, an
ablllLy LhaL wlll lead Lo hlgher level of food securlLy and susLalnablllLy (SusLalnablllLy 1oolbox, 2012).

1he workshops and School ulsLrlcL 47 programs are helplng Lo ralse awareness of Lhe need for
locally produced food as well as educaLlng parLlclpanLs ln produclng and preservlng food.

8**'A"+7A% ,'$.+7'*, (9'5 '.+,73% +/% 9%17'*
Whlle owell 8lver ls very engaged ln addresslng lLs food securlLy lssues, more needs Lo be
done. ConnecLlng wlLh ldeas from oLher reglons may be a good sLarLlng polnL for expandlng Lhelr
response. 1he Lwo sLraLegles LhaL follow may noL be fully scalable Lo owell 8lver, buL Lhe ldeas
conLalned Lhereln are Lransferable.

Q+,#3$#* 0;;:+0*=
8y focuslng on food consumpLlon and producLlon, one sLudy ln Malmo, Sweden almed aL
creaLlng a hollsLlc approach Lo educaLlon for susLalnable developmenL (LSu). 1he maln challenge was Lo
show LhaL a hollsLlc approach was more valuable Lhan lndlvldual lnLervenLlons. 1he sLeps LhaL were
taken included preparing school lunches using 100% organic food each day, creating a childrens story
and facL book abouL food and susLalnablllLy, whlch was senL home wlLh all chlldren aged seven Lo Len Lo
be read by parenLs wlLh Lhelr chlldren, and ln-servlce Lralnlng courses on food, cllmaLe, and LSu were
esLabllshed aL Lhe local unlverslLy. 1hese courses were offered Lo Leachers for professlonal
developmenL.

1he program resulLs lndlcaLed LhaL lL ls posslble Lo produce 100 organlc school meals ln a
small, local school resLauranL wlLh almosL Lhe same cosL as a large convenLlonal klLchen where meals are
prepared before dellvery Lo school resLauranLs. ln addlLlon, Lhe plloL pro[ecL resulLed ln poslLlve changes
ln all school restaurants in Malm. The childrens book was a success and increased the understanding
of chlldren and Lhelr parenLs on susLalnable food consumpLlon. ln addlLlon, Lhe lnLeresL, knowledge, and
skllls relaLed Lo food and LSu have lmproved among Lhe Leachers who Look parL ln Lhe ln-servlce courses
and Lhe conference. Cne blg challenge acknowledged ln Lhls case sLudy was how Lo prove LhaL Lhe
added value of this multi-pronged approach justifies the higher costs. An example of this is that
68
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

provldlng organlc lunches cosLs more buL Lhere ls value added Lhrough lmprovemenLs ln healLh, Lhe
envlronmenL, and local economlc developmenL (eLry, eL al, 2011).

Whlle owell 8lver has demonsLraLed a sLrong connecLlon beLween some sLudenLs and local
food producLlon, perhaps branchlng ouL Lo a hollsLlc approach such as Lhls mlghL furLher lmprove
educaLlon for food securlLy. vlu could be recrulLed Lo creaLe rofesslonal uevelopmenL workshops for
Leachers based on educaLlon for susLalnable developmenL. Cne challenge ls connecLlng learnlng ln
schools wlLh pracLlcal, ongolng acLlons for susLalnable consumpLlon and producLlon of food ln socleLy.

AnoLher sLep LhaL could be lncorporaLed lnLo Lhls hollsLlc sLraLegy ls Lo creaLe a susLalnable
learnlng communlLy. LducaLlon ls fundamenLal Lo susLalnablllLy (kelly, 2009) and so revlewlng sclence
educaLlon, for lnsLance, may be ln order. ScoLL (2010) suggesLs LhaL lL ls necessary Lo develop new ways
of Lhlnklng abouL Lhe focus and naLure of sclence educaLlon as Lhls Lype of learnlng helps sLudenLs
undersLand how Lhey can conLrlbuLe Lo maklng Lhe world more susLalnable. Pe acknowledges how
schools have become lnvolved ln publlc debaLes around soclal change such as eaLlng less meaL. ScoLL
suggesLs LhaL sclence Leachers have Lhe opporLunlLy Lo engage sLudenLs ln Lhe mosL lmporLanL lssue of
our Llme. lf Leachers ln schools lncorporaLed Lhe ldeas of susLalnable developmenL and food securlLy
wlLhln Lhelr programmlng, younger clLlzens could become aware of Lhe lmporLanL lssues and learn Lo
Lhlnk of posslble soluLlons from a young age.

B**%33#>2 C0:2#>0,#a%" 2:+1;3
Whlle school programs can address sLudenLs and Lhelr famllles, a dlfferenL approach ls
necessary Lo address marglnallzed groups. As noLed above, food securlLy lnlLlaLlves ln owell 8lver
sLruggle Lo access cerLaln marglnallzed groups. lL ls argued LhaL poverLy ls Lhe maln cause and resulL of
marglnallzaLlon and when people have access Lo resources so far below Lhose commanded by an
average member of Lhe same socleLy LhaL Lhey are excluded from LhaL socleLy's ordlnary funcLlons
(WPC). CeLLlng lnformaLlon Lo such marglnallzed groups ls challenglng because Lhey ofLen cannoL afford
Lhe cosL, wheLher lL be ln Lerms of Llme or money. Such ls Lhe case ln owell 8lver. Marglnallzed groups
lnclude slngle moLhers and llrsL naLlons people. Cne case sLudy LhaL addresses Lhls lssue was
conducLed ln WesLern AusLralla ln 1998 based on a pro[ecL underLaken ln 1992. Almed aL low-lncome
earners, lL had a goal of lmprovlng dleLary behavlours Lhrough educaLlon. 8uLh loley ln Albany, WesLern
AusLralla, orlglnally developed lCCu cenLs ln 1992, as parL of a plloL pro[ecL addresslng nuLrlLlon lssues
ln low-lncome groups ln a reglonal CenLre ln WesLern AusLralla. (loley, ollard, 1998) 1he plloL pro[ecL
was developed by Lhe ueparLmenL of PealLh wlLh supporL from PealLhway and was lmplemenLed
sLaLewlde by Lhe ueparLmenL of PealLh ln 1993. lL almed Lo empower lndlvlduals wlLh undersLandlng,
moLlvaLlon, and skllls and Lo engage Lhem ln Lhe communlLy, whlch would lncrease Lhelr quallLy of llfe.
1he program lnvolved Lwo sLraLegles, one was Lo faclllLaLe a change ln behavlour and one was Lo creaLe
an lnfrasLrucLure Lo dellver Lhe program. volunLeers were Lralned wlLhln Lhe communlLy wlLh Lhe ldea
LhaL a person can be boLh an agenL of change and a respondenL Lo change (loley, ollard, 1998). Cnce
Lhe volunLeers were Lralned, some of Lhem became advlsers.

1hose Lhey Lralned were accessed Lhrough Lhelr own soclal neLworks. 1he educaLlon lLself
lnvolved comparlng foods on a prlce per kllogram basls Lo deLermlne value for money. lndlvlduals
declded whlch foods provlde more value and Lhey learned LhaL healLhler foods dont necessarily cost
more. Sesslons for budgeLlng, cooklng, and shopplng knowledge were also presenLed.

6g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1he resulLs of Lhls pro[ecL were very poslLlve. MosL parLlclpanLs heard abouL lL Lhrough word of
mouLh and Lhe ma[orlLy of Lhem (68) sald Lhey lnLended Lo change Lhelr dleL Lo lnclude more frulL and
vegeLables. AlLhough noL all of Lhe advlsers Lralned oLhers, Lhey dld share Lhe lnformaLlon Lhey learned
whlch led Lo beLLer food selecLlon and food preparaLlon skllls for Lhemselves and Lhose Lhey spoke Lo.
LducaLlon sLraLegles can be more effecLlve when a peer educaLlon model ls used Lo Leach lndlvlduals or
groups (loley, ollard, 1998). 1hls pro[ecL was lmplemenLed sLaLewlde ln WesLern AusLralla as well as ln
Lwo oLher AusLrallan sLaLes. A webslLe ls now avallable LhaL provldes Lhe same lnformaLlon LhaL ls LaughL
ln Lhe workshops plus lnformaLlon abouL upcomlng workshops. ln addlLlon, sLraLegles such as lood
CenL$ exLend Lhe capaclLy of healLh servlces and oLher agencles Lo work wlLh dlsadvanLaged and hard-
Lo-reach communlLles ln ways LhaL are relevanL, engaglng and accesslble (8rown, Laurence, 1horpe,
2009).

A program llke loodCenL$ could be lncorporaLed ln owell 8lver Lo help address marglnallzed
groups ln Lwo ways. 1he acLual knowledge of comparlng Lhe values of food, and educaLlon for shopplng
knowledge could be included in current programs such as BOND, YACK, Nobodys Perfect, and other
communlLy klLchen Lype programs. 1he lnfrasLrucLure for dellverlng Lhe programs could be used ln llrsL
naLlons communlLles or oLher marglnallzed groups along wlLh Lhe educaLlon for changlng behavlour.
1he dellvery could also lnclude ldeas for sourclng food locally. 1hls would be beneflclal for Lhe volunLeer,
Lhe communlLy, and Lhe reglon as healLhy, well-fed people conLrlbuLe poslLlvely Lo a susLalnable
communlLy.

)'*:$.,7'*
lood securlLy ls a global problem LhaL ls belng addressed aL Lhe local level and educaLlon ls an
lnLegral parL of LhaL address. 1he owell 8lver communlLy ls aware of Lhelr food securlLy lssues and has
creaLed a varleLy of responses Lo Lhem. 1hrough communlLy workshops and publlc school dlsLrlcL
lnlLlaLlves, sub[ecLs such as appreclaLlon of locally grown food, food growlng, preparlng, and preservlng
are belng LaughL. Addresslng vulnerable populaLlons wlLhln Lhe reglon ls essenLlal and should be made a
prlorlLy. Comblnlng ldeas lnLo a hollsLlc approach ln Lhe schools can work Lo ralse awareness of food
securlLy lssues wlLh Lhe sLudenLs, Lhelr famllles, and Leachlng professlonals. 8y addresslng marglnallzed
populaLlons ln Lhe communlLy wlLh peer educaLlon and lnnovaLlve ways of looklng aL food values, Lhose
populaLlons can be sLrengLhened, whlch serves Lo sLrengLhen Lhe enLlre reglon. CommunlLy based
sLraLegles are currenLly ln effecL ln owell 8lver, buL Lhelr effecLlveness relles on communlLy
engagemenL. 1here seems Lo be an earnesL, hardworklng group of people Lrylng Lo solve Lhe food
securlLy lssues for Lhe reglon. More communlLy lnvolvemenL ls requlred Lo prevenL burnlng ouL Lhe
acLlve people and Lo expand upon Lhe base of volunLeers. 1hrough educaLlon, communlLy members may
understand the economic cost of food insecurity and how it affects them personally even if they arent
hungry. eople need Lo know LhaL Lhere ls a problem and LhaL Lhey can make a dlfference wlLh whaLever
amounL of Llme Lhey can offer. owell 8lver has many sLrong educaLlonal programs focused on food
securlLy ln place and Lhus, food securlLy ln Lhe reglon ls a posslblllLy. Clven Lhe facL LhaL mosL of Lhe food
ls lmporLed lnLo Lhls lsolaLed communlLy however, more needs Lo be done Lo lncrease local food
producLlon and ensure food securlLy.



)o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS

About Sustainable Table. (2013). Sustainable Table. GRACE Communication loundaLlon, new ?ork.
About Transition Network. (2013). Transition Network. Retrieved October 27, 2013 from
hLLp://www.LranslLlonneLwork.org.
Bays, J. (2013). Farm to School Gets Growing in Powell River. Farm to Cafeteria Canada.
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Community Food Security Policies and Practices in the USA. CrlLlcal ubllc PealLh 13 2:107-
123.
Bolster, C. (2013). Students work to enhance brewery garden -ermaculLure ploL anoLher sLep ln
neighbourhood revitalization. Powell River Peak. March 6, 2013. 8eLrleved CcLober 29,
2013 from hLLp://www.prpeak.com
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SLralL lslander communlLles: ollcy and pracLlce lnLervenLlons Lo lmprove local access
and supply of nutritious food. Retrieved October 30, 2013 from
hLLp://www.healLhlnfoneL.ecu.edu.au/healLh-rlsks/nuLrlLlon/oLher-revlews.
Coast Mountain Academy. (2012). Outdoor and Ecological Learning. Powell River School ulsLrlcL
#47. 8eLrleved CcLober 23, 2013 from hLLp://www.ouLdoors.sd47.bc.ca.
Cribb, J. (2011). Food security: what are the priorities? The Science, Sociology and Lconomlcs of
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lnLernaLlonal SocleLy for lanL aLhology 2011
Crlbb, !. P. !. (2010). 1he comlng famlne: 1he global food crlsls and whaL we can do Lo avold lL (p. 248).
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Kelly, T. (2009). Sustainability as an Organizing Principle for Higher Education. The SusLalnable
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AcLlon lnlLlaLlve 8eporL, AugusL 2006. repared for owell 8lver LmploymenL rogram
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)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

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)z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


6%:9%"+7'* I%A%$'E5%*+ "*3 K."$7+= '( $7(% 8* ?'@%$$ 67A%9

8y. lboo cbeo ooJ 2eboo o


8*+9'3.:+7'*
Recreation activities can significantly improve peoples life quality and benefit both physical and
menLal human well-being (Lloyd, 2001; Braja et al, 2011). As one kind of leisure activities, recreation
experlences can noL only effecLlvely balance our dally llfe and work, and also lndlcaLe personal ldenLlLy
for the choice of one activity is simply based on ones interest. Recreation chances provide a stage that
enable people Lo bulld soclal relaLlonshlps and develop new knowledge and skllls wlLhln peer groups.
1hus, Lhe lmprovemenL of quallLy of llfe can be achleved by developlng local recreaLlon condlLlons.
8y uslng recreaLlon as a Lool, people, groups and governmenLs may come LogeLher Lo achleve Lhe goal of
bulldlng a healLhler and sLronger communlLy (Sparks, 2011). uevelopmenL of local recreaLlon ls
lnfluenced by varled facLors. SupporL Lo enable recreaLlon developmenL needs Lo come from boLh
communlLles and governmenLs. CovernmenL auLhorlLles are ln a crlLlcal poslLlon when lL comes Lo
plannlng for local developmenL (Madrlgal, 1993). ln order Lo encourage people Lo parLlclpaLe more ln
physlcal acLlvlLles and make access easler, governmenL pollcles and lnfrasLrucLures are exLremely vlLal.
ollcles make a clear goal for people who supporL dlfferenL values Lo work LogeLher wlLhln one
organlzaLlon. Meanwhlle, auLhorlLy ls also consldered as Lhe only offlclal LhaL ls able Lo and oughL Lo
regulaLe markeL and growLh.

AfLer a Lwo-day exploraLlon experlence, meeLlng wlLh councll offlcers and leaders of
organlzaLlons who are propelllng susLalnablllLy wlLhln Lhe reglon, lL ls obvlous LhaL recreaLlon and lelsure
acLlvlLles ln 8 are very aLLracLlve and excepLlonal, and lndeed have Lhe poLenLlal Lo brlng vlLallLy Lo local
developmenL.

1hus, Lhls paper ls golng Lo explore Lhe lssue of Lhe recreaLlon developmenL ln owell 8lver (8)
in order to improve locals life quality from the perception of government strategy. The article is divided
lnLo four secLlons. 1he flrsL secLlon seLs a general conLexL of 8 and lLs currenL recreaLlon slLuaLlon.
1hen, several posslble challenges are ldenLlfles accordlng Lo Lhe slLuaLlon. nexL secLlon descrlbes local
acLlons Lo address Lhe lssue and aL lasL, Lhe paper wlll share some sLrong examples LhaL have been used
Lo solve Lhe slmllar problem over Lhe world.

I0*P2:+1>" #><+:C0$#+> +> K+L%,, D#M%:
8ecause of lLs unlque locaLlon along Lhe sunshlne coasL, 8 en[oys a conslderable amounL of
prlsLlne naLural resources and recreaLlonal opporLunlLles wlLh mllder cllmaLe, provldlng a number of
Lralls for hlklng and varlous waLer acLlvlLles cholces such as kayaklng and dlvlng. lenLy of faclllLles and
organlzaLlons were esLabllshed by local auLhorlLles for boLh local resldenLs and vlslLors. llve reglonal
parks are bullL and secured by Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL, 1exada 8ecreaLlon CommlLLee ls a
volunLeer organlzaLlon Lo manage recreaLlon faclllLles on 1exada lsland, Lhe clLy has a comprehenslve
land use sLraLegy for parks whlch lnclude green spaces, Lralls, playgrounds and a waLerfronL park and so
on (P8 Lanarc ConsulLanLs LLd , 2010). 1here ls also a recreaLlon complex close Lo Lhe cenLer of Lown
))
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

whlch houses a pool, flLness room, lce surfaces, and a performlng arLs LheaLre. Moreover, 8 can Lake
advanLage of Lhe sunshlne coasL Lrall whlch runs Lhrough Lhe reglon Lo expand acLlvlLy cholces for
resldenLs.

Powever, 8 now faces a loL challenges when lL comes Lo developmenL. 1he ma[or force leads Lo
Lhese challenges are due Lo demographlc composlLlon. Accordlng Lo sLaLlsLlcal daLa of year 2011
(SLaLlsLlc Canada, 2012), 22.8 of people llvlng ln 8 aged 63 and over, whlch means almosL one-flfLh of
Lhe local populaLlons are ln reLlremenL. Also, Lhe average age ln 8 was 30.1 years old, ln comparlson Lo
41.9 years old of 8rlLlsh Columbla. lurLhermore, Lhere was merely 32 of marrled couple who has
chlldren wlLhln a household, whlch mlghL resulL ln worsenlng Lhe problem of less youLh composlLlon
whlch group wlll be poLenLlal workforce ln Lhe fuLure. As a reLlremenL communlLy, 8 governmenL
confronLs blg challenges such as lncreased cosLs for healLh care and decreased cosLs for educaLlon and
LransporLaLlon faclllLles (Slegel, 1993).

So far, Lhere are several governmenL documenLs LhaL have already lnvolved recreaLlon aspecLs
ln communlLy developmenL. 1he laLesL SusLalnable Cfflclal CommunlLy lan (SCC) was recenLly
released almlng aL carrylng ouL a hollsLlc susLalnable developmenL plan for 8, and recreaLlon
developmenL sLraLegles were menLloned ln Lhe chapLer of land use and communlLy culLure. 1he
8eglonal ulsLrlcL arks and Creen space lan shed more speclflc on Lhe Loplc ln resources lnLegraLlon
and acLlon sLraLegles lnvesLlgaLed by a professlonal consulLanL company. Also, Lhe offlclals have
proposed buslness sLraLegles ln Lourlsm scope ln 8 SporL and 8ecreaLlon 1ourlsm SLraLegy, sLaLlng
several challenges and asseLs ln Lhe reglonal conLexL Lo aLLracL vlslLors from ouLslde Lhe clLy.

<.,+"7*"#7$7+= :/"$$%*1%,
Whlle pollcy-makers are wllllng Lo propel recreaLlon developmenL, rural / lsolaLed reglons llke
8 wlll face several barrlers ln puLLlng sLraLegles lnLo pracLlce. llrsLly, developmenL always demand
enough fund as one prlorlLy. Secondly, lack of experLlse ln plannlng and managemenL can lead Lo wasLe
of Llme and money, or even arouse conLroversles beLween dlfferenL sLakeholders. 1hlrdly, access Lo
faclllLles and cosL wlll hlnder recreaLlon parLlclpaLlon for people llvlng ln rural areas.

O>31<<#*#%>$ 91>"3
SufflclenL fundlng ls an essenLlal prlorlLy for communlLy developmenL. CperaLlon and
malnLenance of parks and oLher recreaLlon faclllLles all requlre baslc flnanclal supporL. PlsLorlcally,
publlc recreaLlon servlces had been funded dlrecLly Lhrough general funds and approprlaLlons wlLh only
a small amounL funded vla user fees and oLher non-Lax revenue sources (Mowen eL al, 2006).
neverLheless, Lhe amounL of funds LhaL can be posslbly ralsed largely depends on Lhe slze and
developmenL condlLlons of one reglon. 1hus, fund resources for recreaLlon are usually hlghly resLrlcLed,
especlally ln lsolaLed areas.

AnoLher facLor LhaL resulLs ln lnadequaLe fundlng ls lack of publlc supporL for fundlng sLraLegles,
such as relucLanL Lo prlvaLlzaLlon servlces (Mowen eL al, 2006). ubllc accepLance of fundlng sLraLegles
may Lurns lnLo reducLlons ln vlslLaLlon and Lax supporL (More, 2000). 1herefore, lL ls also lmporLanL Lo
undersLand preference varled by clLlzen, agencles and auLhorlLles. 8uL Lhe governance of 8 ls complex
because Regional districts, the Tlaamin First Nation, as well as relevant community organizations are all
capable of seLLlng developmenL sLraLegles for Lhe reglon. ln addlLlon, Lhe average lncome of resldenLs ln
8 was below 8C average so LhaL Lhey mlghL conslder recreaLlon developmenL as a secondary prlorlLy
for lack of money and Llme.
)
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Q1C0> D%3+1:*% E=0,,%>2%
Puman resource lssue ls more slgnlflcanL when lL comes Lo plannlng and managemenL of publlc
faclllLles. WlLh rlch naLural amenlLles and recreaLlonal resources, Lhe lssues faclng local auLhorlLy wlll be
ln comblng a number of Lools and meLhods ln plannlng and managlng for susLalnable recreaLlon and
integrating stakeholders relationships to meet increased demand of parks and coastal recreation
(OMahony et al, 2009), which requires researchers, businessmen and policy makers work out together.
lor example, flnanclal experL can work wlLh plannlng managers Lo opLlmlze Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of funds for
lnfrasLrucLures bulld accordlng Lo acLual needs.

As menLloned ln Lhe conLexL of 8, Lhe reglon ls now faclng Lhe lssue of lacklng labor forces.
ually malnLenance and operaLlon requlre enough sLaff worklng for Lhose recreaLlonal faclllLles. SLaLlsLlcs
(CrowLh and developmenL analysls, 2008) showed LhaL oLher servlces [ob ln 8 decreased remarkably by
23 from 2001 Lo 2006. Comparlng Lo oLher employmenL slLuaLlons, such servlce only accounLed for 4
of LoLal employmenL ln year 2006. Plrlng and reLalnlng quallfled sLaff ls essenLlal for offerlng hlgh-quallLy
servlces of publlc servlces. LxperLlse speclallzed ln parLlcular recreaLlon acLlvlLles are also one prlorlLy for
securlLy and Lralnlng opporLunlLles.

B**%33#'#,#$(
ln Lhe local survey of recreaLlon parLlclpaLlon ln 8 ln 2010, 438 of LoLal 493 lnLervlewees
(92.3) had walklng, runnlng and cycllng as maln physlcal acLlvlLy durlng Lhe year. ConLrarlly, only 17.4
and 8.3 of Lhem parLlclpaLed mounLaln blklng and horseback rldlng respecLlvely (P8 Lanarc
ConsulLanLs LLd, 2010).

1ransporLaLlon ls one of lmportant factors that affect peoples participation in recreation
acLlvlLles. lrom Lhe owell 8lver recreaLlon map (ulscover owell 8lver, 2013), lL can be seen LhaL local
avallable recreaLlonal places are qulLe dlsperslve around Lhe clLy. ConsequenLly, local resldenLs heavlly
depend on prlvaLe vehlcles for Lhe reason LhaL Lhe publlc LransporLaLlons are llmlLed ln Llme and places
of arrlval (owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012). CLher Lhan by vehlcles, cycllng can be an
alLernaLlve cholce for LransporLaLlon ln a small communlLy as well as a hlgh-lnvolved recreaLlon acLlvlLy.
Whlle unLll SepLember 2011, Lhere have been very few blcycle lanes ln Lhe clLy area and only a mlnor
percenLage of Lhe whole populaLlon commuLes by blke (owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012).

Furthermore, excessive recreation expenses can also confine residents choices and
engagemenL. All locals no maLLer how old need Lo pay $3 as an enLrance fee every Llme ln owell 8lver
8ecreaLlon Complex, equlpmenL renLal noL lncluded. 8esldenLs who were lnLeresLed ln ouLdoor sporLs
were faclng Lhe lssue of access Lo personal equlpmenL. 1he cosL of mandaLory gear for ouLdoor acLlvlLles
llke cllmblng booLs, mounLaln blkes, kayaklng or canoelng oars as well as wlnd coaLs are more expenslve
ln 8 Lhan Lhe average prlces of 8C (alm, eL.al, 2012). LssenLlal Lralnlngs for sporLs llke mounLaln blklng
or dlvlng Lralnlng programs are usually expenslve because of lack of recreaLlonal coaches (owell 8lver
Llvlng, 2013).

D':"$ 9%,E'*,% +' ,.,+"7*"#7$7+= :/"$$%*1%,
D%3;+>3% $+ O>31<<#*#%>$ 91>"#>2
1he 8 reglon has found companles and programs Lo help solve Lhe problem of lnsufflclenL fund.
1here are Lwo ways Lo solve Lhe lssue: one ls Lo opLlmlze Lhe usage of exlsLlng fund resources, and Lhe
)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

oLher one ls Lo aLLracL more flnanclal supporL. 1he followlng measures deslgned by an enLerprlse and
communlLy planners have already been puL ln acLlons.

owell 8lver CommunlLy loresL LLd. (8Cl). 8Cl was founded by ClLy of owell 8lver ln 2006
whlch ls a llmlLed proflL-almed company. All Lhe proflLs galned are reserved for susLalnlng CommunlLy
loresL 8eserve lund (CorporaLe SLraLeglc lan, 2012). 8Cl devoLes lLself Lo 1) proLecL susLalnable foresL
ecosysLems ln recreaLlon areas, 2) Lransform susLalnable foresL-managemenL lnLo pracLlces, 3) lmprove
engagemenL and lnLeracLlon among sLakeholders llke conLracLors and mlll owners ln order Lo provlde
lnLegraLed recreaLlon zones, 4) proLecL key foresL recreaLlon resources, 3) accompllsh dlsLlncL buslness
and flnanclal LargeLs. Members of 8Cl have meeLlngs wlLh ClLy sLaff conLlnuously for pro[ecLs revlew.
Accordlng Lo Lhe flgures ln 2011, Lhere was an amounL of $639,334 dlvldend LhaL was generaLed Lo
creaLe a new runnlng Lrack by Lhe operaLlons of 8Cl (Pemphlll, 2012).

8rlLlsh Columbla CommunlLy 8ecreaLlon rogram (C8). ln Lhe program, Lhere was as much as
$30-mllllon subsldlzed fund Lo address Lhe parLlcular challenges faced by communlLles wlLh Lhe supporL
of 8C rovlnce. 1he maln LargeL was Lo meeL local recreaLlonal lnfrasLrucLure demands. AfLer
lnvesLlgaLlon, local governmenL caplLal pro[ecLs Lo lmprove consLrucLlon of faclllLles can recelve fund
from Lhe rogram. Cenerally, Lhe ma[orlLy of pro[ecLs lnvolve consLrucLlon of blke paLhs, playgrounds,
walkway Lralls and oLher lndoor or ouLdoor recreaLlon cenLers (MlnlsLry of CommunlLy, SporL and
CulLural uevelopmenL 2011). lor lnsLance, lL was [usL announced LhaL Lhe 88u recelved $67,114 for
Paywlre 8ay 1rall upgrade pro[ecL so LhaL Lhe Lrall can provlde more accesslblllLy. 1he lnvesLmenL
covered fees for Lrall bed wldenlng, new reLalnlng walls and boardwalks lnsLalllng. AfLer Lhe upgrade,
Lhe new Lrall can have capaclLy of holdlng approxlmaLely 20,000 resldenLs or vlslLors ln a year.
AddlLlonally, more lnfrasLrucLures for dlsabled people llke a new wllderness camp wlll be bullL under Lhe
fund as well.

D%3;+>3% $+ Q1C0> D%3+1:*% E=0,,%>2%3
oslLlons seL up for parks. ClLy of owell 8lver has already reallzed Lhe naLural advanLage and
esLabllshed Lhe ueparLmenL of arks 8ecreaLlon and CulLure (8C) accordlngly. 8C sLrlves Lo lmprove
all citizens quality of life through facilitation of recreation services as well as planning for parks and
green space provldlng and malnLenance (ClLy of owell 8lver, hLLp://www.powellrlver.ca/conLenL/parks-
recreaLlon-and-culLure). ulrecLors, managers as well as coordlnaLor were dlvlded lnLo respecLlve offlclal
duLles whlch ensure LhaL Lhe ma[orlLy of recreaLlon acLlvlLles have adequaLe gulde and malnLenance ln
Lhe long run.

E0:%%: -#>P A KD!K
Career Llnk ls an asslsLanL agency whlch alms Lo help employers Lo achleve proper career goals.
lL has separaLed classlflcaLlons of recreaLlonal posLs for people who are lnLeresLed ln speclflc recreaLlon
aspecLs Lo flnd ouL [ob avallablllLy. As a sub-organlzaLlon under Lhe owell 8lver LmploymenL rogram
(PREP) Society, Career Links service range from career counseling to wage subsidy to help maintain
sLable human resources. AL Lhe same Llme, 8L aLLached lmporLance Lo employmenL creaLlon for
young people. ln deLall, 8L sLrlves Lo lnLegraLe human recourses lnformaLlon from reglonal servlce
programs and organlzaLlons and reveal Lhe avallable work opporLunlLles Lo poLenLlal [ob seekers.

D%3;+>3% $+ B**%33#'#,#$(
Accordlng Lo Lhe sLaLlsLlcs from governmenL documenLs and folk organlzaLlon reporLs, 8 has
already LhoughL hlghly of recreaLlon acLlvlLles and successfully creaLed mulLlple ouLdoor lelsure slLes.
)6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL (88u) arks and Creen space lan was formulaLed ln 2010 ldenLlfylng
four sLraLegles Lo promoLe and reserve local recreaLlonal faclllLles. 8ased on lnformaLlon collecLed, Lhe
plan proposed 16 recommendaLlons ln dlfferenL aspecLs wlLh ob[ecLlves, raLlonales as well as
suggesLlons. 1he plan also added more speclflc pro[ecLs for Lralls, [ogglng paLhs and vlewlng decks. lor
lnsLances, ln Lralls land use, Lhe plan recommended Lhe local auLhorlLy Lo negoLlaLe more Lo explore Lrall
access on prlvaLe land ln order Lo provlde greenway sysLems ln susLalnable managemenL.

8lcycle 8evoluLlon 8lueprlnL. owell 8lver Cycllng AssoclaLlon (8CA) was esLabllshed and lLs
mlsslon ls Lo faclllLaLe Lhe blcycle usage ln mulLlple purposes lnclude sporL, recreaLlon and dally
LransporLaLlon. 1he 8CA has already drafLed Lhe flrsL cycllng plan for Lhe owell 8lver reglon ln 2009
whlch has been successfully recelved by ClLy Councll and Lhe 8eglonal ulsLrlcL. ln Lhe followlng Lwo years
the PRCA hosted Bike to Work weeks continuously under the local authorities help (Powell River
CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2012).

owell 8lver lamlly lace ls a drop ln cenLer for famllles wlLh young chlldren. Low or no-cosL
acLlvlLles and speclal evenL programs are provlded Lo creaLe a frlendly and safe envlronmenL for famllles
wlLh chlldren ln 8. Chlldren play LogeLher Lo make new frlends and galn Lhe communlLy ln recreaLlon
acLlvlLles. ?oung moLhers also have access Lo program deslgned Lo share useful parenLlng skllls. WlLh all
Lhe access almosL free, lL ls easler for such famllles Lo llve a beLLer llfe ln Lhe communlLy.

8**'A"+7A% "EE9'":/%, (9'5 %$,%@/%9%
CovernmenL plays a vlLal role ln developmenL for lLs funcLlon ln malnLalnlng process, bulldlng
vlslon and share adapLlve managemenL sLraLegles (Weed & 8ull, 1997). ln order Lo achleve effecLlveness,
seLLlng a goal merely ls far from enough, acLlons musL be mulLl-scale, coordlnaLed and well-resourced
with all levels of cooperation (Madrigal, 1995). Based on PRs unique recreation development situation,
several sLrong and efflclenL acLlons wlll be lnLroduced below.

T#,,%>>#1C X:%%>? E+CC1>#$( K0:$#*#;0$#+> #> J%M%,+;C%>$
Mlllennlum Creens are areas of green space deslgned for Lhe beneflL of local communlLles.
lunded by Lhe Mlllennlum Commlsslon ln Lngland, Lhere have been 243 parks creaLed ln clLles, Lowns
and vlllages Lhrough Lhe counLry so far. 1he pro[ecL had successfully sLarLed Lhe ldea of communlLles
belng dlrecLly lnvolved ln Lhe creaLlon and malnLenance of new parks.

Some execuLlve governmenL conLrol over plannlng are essenLlal Lo ensure Lhelr efflclency buL
Lhls can also be enhanced by lnvolvlng communlLles ln pollcy formulaLlon as well as lmplemenLaLlon
(Curry, 2000). 1hrough shlfLlng governmenL role ln such scheme, communlLy wlsdom and asplraLlons are
broughL ln. Local values and lnLeresLs are more properly represenLed, whlch ls all faclllLles for publlc use
are broughL abouL. ulfflculLles ln such shlfLs wlll be Lhe relaLlon beLween Lhe auLhorlLy (Lhe operaLor)
and communlLy ln whlch Lhe execuLlve slde acLs solely as an enabler.

As for owell 8lver, a small-populaLed communlLy (less Lhan 20,000 ln year 2011), encouraglng
communlLy parLlclpaLlon ln recreaLlon developmenL wlll have poLenLlal beneflLs. 1he communlLy
coheslon can be enhanced by creaLlng a plaLform for communlcaLlon beLween locals and Lhe auLhorlLy.
Also, Lhe welcomlng and open aLmosphere ls more llkely Lo aLLracL lmmlgranLs and acceleraLe Lhe
process of developlng a sense of belonglng. Moreover, sLraLegles such as lnvlLlng young people Lo Lake
parL ln Lhe scheme can be a sLrong meLhod Lo ralse youLh engagemenL wlLhln Lhe communlLy.

))
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

B )%L D%2#+>0, 9%3$#M0,? E%,%':0$#>2 E+CC1>#$( /0,1%3
lesLlval celebraLlons wlLhln a communlLy are for people, groups and place ldenLlLy (ue 8res &
Davis, 2001). In De Bres study of the Rollin down the River Festival in kansas (2001), research showed
LhaL evenLs successfully lead Lo a poslLlve ldenLlflcaLlon for Lhe local wlLh uLlllzaLlon of recognlzed
recreaLlon resources. 1he whole evenL carrled ouL flve maln caLegorles of fesLlval aLLracLlons namely
kansas 8lver programs, rural homecomlngs, programs by or abouL naLlve Amerlcans, naLural
envlronmenL acLlvlLles and Lhe celebraLlon of local agrlculLure. lL ls noLeworLhy LhaL Lhose openlng and
closlng ceremonles whlch LargeLed aL school showed Lhe hlghesL aLLendance among oLher four klnd of
evenLs ldenLlfled ln Lhe reglon. uurlng Lhe evenLs, new commodlflcaLlon and servlces are generaLed by
locals Lo show supporL even wlLhouL addlLlonal propaganda.

owell 8lver boasLs a sLlmulaLlng blend of sporL, recreaLlon and ouLdoor advenLure. lesLlvals
hosLed by 8 have already had Lhe advanLage of rlch naLural resources comparlng Lo slmllar
communlLles. Moreover, Lhrough plannlng of one fesLlval, lnfluenLlal people from buslness background
are gaLhered for Lhe fesLlval and Lhus, a neLwork of buslness and conLacLs wlll be esLabllshed whlch
bonds Lhe communlLy LogeLher and has a poLenLlally lmporLanL funcLlon for fuLure communlLy
developmenL (lrlsby & CeLz, 1989).

W0,P0'#,#$( E+CC1>#$(? I%#>2 B**%33#',% 0>" F13$0#>0',%
1o esLabllsh an accesslble desLlnaLlon requlres a sophlsLlcaLed undersLandlng of Lhe experlences
expecLed by recreaLlonlsLs and a serles of buslness neLworks wlLhln one reglon (uarcy eL al, 2010). Leslle
eL al (2007) sLudled walkablllLy lndex ln Adelalde ln SouLh AusLralla as a model for acLlve form of
LransporLaLlon. 8y uslng ClS Lechnology, dwelllng denslLy, connecLlvlLy, land use and reLall area were
measured Lo map ouL a walkablllLy communlLy. Such plannlng sLraLegy can as well conLrlbuLe Lo
envlronmenLal lssues by formlng walklng behavlor.
Small reglons llke 8 can learn from Lhls case LhaL shows how plannlng lnlLlaLlves LhaL provlde
walklng and blklng posslblllLy manage Lo develop a walkable communlLy aL lndlvldual resldenL level,
Lhereby, slgnlflcanLly lncrease ln physlcal acLlvlLy and lmprovemenLs ln publlc healLh can be wlLnessed
Lhrough Lhe pro[ecL.

)'*:$.,7'*
As a cruclal lndlcaLor of llfe quallLy, recreaLlon acLlvlLles are always promoLed by boLh local
auLhorlLles and communlLles upon fundamenLal condlLlon such as food, securlLy and llvlng condlLlon
(Cray eL al, 2003). A sLronger and healLhler communlLy ls achlevable by Lhe developmenL of recreaLlon
condlLlons (Sparks, 2011).

1he owell 8lver 8eglon wlll lnevlLably face challenges due Lo currenL slLuaLlon when forwardlng
recreaLlon developmenL. 1hree barrlers, namely lnsufflclenL fund, demand for plannlng and
managemenL experLlse and local accesslblllLy, are ldenLlfled as Lhree ma[or lssues hlnderlng recreaLlon
developmenL ln rural communlLy. lnsLead of convlnclng locals LhaL recreaLlon ls good for Lhem, Lhe
auLhorlLy should aLLempL Lo meeL Lhe varlous needs of consLlLuenLs ln Lhe communlLy (Madrlgal, 1993).
1he auLhorlLy ln 8 has already formulaLed several sLraLegles Lo Lackle Lhe dllemmas. varlous programs
and organlzaLlons were generaLed almlng Lo solve Lhe problems.
Pere we also offer Lhree sLrong Lools LhaL can be useful for small rural communlLles llke 8. 1he
general goal of Lhose Lhree acLlons ls Lo bulld a communlLy llvable and recreaLlon experlences for all by
increasing engagement at community level, developing residents pride of community culture and
ldenLlLy, and esLabllshlng soclal and buslness neLworks.
)8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


8LlL8LnCLS
Braja-ganec, A., Merka, M., & verko, I. (2011). Quality of life and leisure acLlvlLles: Pow do lelsure
acLlvlLles conLrlbuLe Lo sub[ecLlve well-belng?. Soclal lndlcaLors 8esearch, 102(1), 81-91.
ClLy of owell 8lver. (2013). arks 8ecreaLlon and CulLure. hLLp://www.powellrlver.ca/conLenL/parks-
recreaLlon-and-culLure
Curry, n. (2000). CommunlLy parLlclpaLlon ln ouLdoor recreaLlon and Lhe developmenL of Mlllennlum
Creens ln Lngland. Lelsure sLudles, 19(1), 17-33.
uarcy, S., Cameron, 8., & egg, S. (2010). Accesslble Lourlsm and susLalnablllLy: a dlscusslon and case
sLudy. !ournal of SusLalnable 1ourlsm, 18(4), 313-337.
ue 8res, k., & uavls, !. (2001). CelebraLlng group and place ldenLlLy: A case sLudy of a new reglonal
fesLlval. 1ourlsm Ceographles, 3(3), 326-337.
lrlsby, W., & CeLz, u. (1989). lesLlval managemenL: A case sLudy perspecLlve. !ournal of 1ravel 8esearch,
28(1), 7-11.
Cray, . A., uuwors, L., vllleneuve, M., 8oyd, S., & Legg, u. (2003). 1he socloeconomlc slgnlflcance of
naLure-based recreaLlon ln Canada. LnvlronmenLal MonlLorlng and AssessmenL, 86(1-2), 129-
147.
P8 Lanarc ConsulLanLs LLd. (2010). owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL arks and Creen space lan. owell
8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcLs, 1-119.
Pemphlll, C. (2012). 2011 Annual 8eporL Lo Lhe CommunlLy. owell 8lver CommunlLy loresL LLd.
Leslle, L., Coffee, n., lrank, L., Cwen, n., 8auman, A., & Pugo, C. (2007). WalkablllLy of local
communlLles: uslng geographlc lnformaLlon sysLems Lo ob[ecLlvely assess relevanL
envlronmenLal aLLrlbuLes. PealLh & place, 13(1), 111-122.
Lloyd, k. M., & Auld, C. !. (2002). 1he role of lelsure ln deLermlnlng quallLy of llfe: lssues of conLenL and
measuremenL. Soclal lndlcaLors 8esearch, 37(1), 43-71.
Madrlgal, 8. (1993). 8esldenLs' ercepLlons and Lhe 8ole of CovernmenL. Annals of 1ourlsm 8esearch,
22(1), 86-102.
MlnlsLry of CommunlLy, SporL and CulLural uevelopmenL. (2011). CommunlLy 8ecreaLlon rogram Culde,
CommunlLy 8ecreaLlon rogram, 1-13.
More, 1., & SLevens, 1. (2000). uo user fees exclude low-lncome people from resource-based
recreaLlon?. !ournal of Lelsure 8esearch, 32(3), 341-337.
OMahony, C., Gault, J., Cummins, V., Kpke, K., & OSuilleabhain, D. (2009). Assessment of recreation
acLlvlLy and lLs appllcaLlon Lo lnLegraLed managemenL and spaLlal plannlng for Cork Parbour,
lreland. Marlne ollcy, 33(6), 930-937.
alm, !. eL.al.(2012). owell 8lver SporL & 8ecreaLlon 1ourlsm SLraLegy. owell 8lver SporLs and
8ecreaLlon Councll, 1-33.Mowen, A. !., kyle, C. 1., 8orrle, W. 1., & Craefe, A. 8. (2006). ubllc
response Lo park and recreaLlon fundlng and cosL savlng sLraLegles: 1he role of organlzaLlonal
LrusL and commlLmenL. !ournal of ark and 8ecreaLlon AdmlnlsLraLlon, 24(3), 72-93.
owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL.(2008). owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL CrowLh and uevelopmenL Analysls -
llnal 8eporL. 88u Cfflce, 1-27.
rovlnce funds owell 8lver 8u recreaLlon pro[ecLs. 8C newsroom. hLLp://www12.sLaLcan.gc.ca/census-
recensemenL/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/lacLs-cma-eng.cfm?LAnC=Lng&Ck=CMA&CC=943
Slegel, . 8., & LeuLhold, l. C. (1993). Lconomlc and flscal lmpacLs of a reLlremenL/ recreaLlon
communlLy: A sLudy of 1elllco vlllage, 1ennessee. !ournal of AgrlculLural and Applled Lconomlcs,
23, 134-134.
Sparks, Carollne. 2011. 8ulldlng CommunlLy: 8ecreaLlon uevelopmenL Challenges for lsolaLed
CommunlLles. LxecuLlve summary
)g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

SLaLlsLlcs Canada. 2012. locus on Ceography Serles, 2011 Census. SLaLlsLlcs Canada CaLalogue no. 98-
310-xWL2011004. CLLawa, CnLarlo. AnalyLlcal producLs, 2011 Census. LasL updaLed CcLober 24,
2012.1he SusLalnablllLy CharLer SLeerlng CommlLLee, (2010). A SusLalnablllLy CharLer for Lhe
owell 8lver 8eglon.
Weed, M. L., & 8ull, C. !. (1997). lnfluences on sporL-Lourlsm relaLlons ln 8rlLaln: 1he effecLs of
governmenL pollcy. 1ourlsm recreaLlon research, 22(2), 3-12.


8o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

J''3 <%:.97+= 7* ?'@%$$ 67A%9

8y. Amy (oooyooo ll) &velyo (ooJl loo)


8*+9'3.:+7'*
Theres an old saying says We are what we eat, which can be interpreted to mean that what
food people eat and how people eat decide peoples nutritional status, health, physical and mental
condlLlon. So food plays a cruclal role ln malnLalnlng humans healthy life. Food security is considered as
a complex feaLure of food LhaL deLermlnes lLs value and accesslblllLy Lo people. Also, food securlLy can
affecL communlLy Lo some exLenL llke people collaboraLe wlLh each oLher ln order Lo compleLe a
common goal of food securlLy. So ln order Lo bulld a susLalnable and healLhy communlLy food securlLy ls
a vlLal area Lo address.

owell 8lver ls locaLed on Lhe upper Sunshlne CoasL, roughly 143km norLhwesL of vancouver ln
8rlLlsh Columbla, Canada. 8ecause of lLs geographlcal locaLlon, owell 8lver has unlque naLural
envlronmenL. lL ls an lsolaLed coasLal area wlLh beauLlful naLural scenery. Cnce owell 8lver ls Lhe
blrLhplace Lo Lhe world's largesL paper mlll buL as Llme goes Lhe demand of Lhe paper ls noL as large as
before so Lhe paper mlll has qulLLed Lhe sLage of hlsLory, and now Lhere are counLless opporLunlLles for
ouLdoor advenLures such as hlklng, rock cllmblng, flshlng, boaLlng, eLc. (ulscover owell 8lver, n.d.).
owell 8lver ls surrounded by endless mounLalns, lakes and ocean and has a moderaLe cllmaLe and
arable land. ln Lhe pasL, owell 8lver exporLed surplus food produced ln Lhe area Lo Lhe Lower Malnland.
AL presenL almosL all food for local consumpLlon depends on ferry or barge brlnglng ln (klelnsLeuber,
klelnsLeuber, 1orre, Melkle, 2006). 1haL makes food securlLy more senslLlve and uncerLaln ln Lhls reglon.
So lf owell 8lver can become more food self-rellanL, Lhe presenL slLuaLlon of food securlLy could
lmprove a loL.

1hls paper wlll malnly focus on four aspecLs of food securlLy ln owell 8lver. llrsL, lL wlll explaln
Lhe concepL of food securlLy. Second, lL wlll descrlbe Lhe challenges of food securlLy ln Lhls reglon. 1hlrd
lL wlll presenL some measures LhaL groups ln Lhe local area have already Laken Lo address Lhe problems.
And fourLh, lL wlll lnLroduce Lwo examples elsewhere Lo share Lhelr experlence and soluLlons on how Lo
deal wlLh Lhe slmllar lssues.

G=% *+>*%;$ +< <++" 3%*1:#$(
nowadays, food securlLy and susLalnablllLy ls becomlng a popular lssue and growlng challenge
across the world (Kleinsteuber, 2006). Food security is related to peoples health, operational capability,
education, achieve equality and assert humans rights.

Accordlng Lo lood and AgrlculLure CrganlzaLlon of the United Nation, food security refers to
when people have physlcal and economlc access Lo sufflclenL, safe, and nuLrlLlous food Lo meeL Lhelr
dietary needs and enable an active and healthy life ( p.2). Food security has three requirements:
1. Avallable food from domesLlc, lmporLs, or as food ald producLlon
2. Accesslble food from local markeL, household producLlon, or publlc supporL neLwork
3. Plgh quallLy of food
1here are many causes resulLlng ln food lnsecurlLy beLween naLlons and reglons. Cne of Lhe maln
reasons ls LhaL lL ls dlfflculL Lo comblne naLlonal pollcles and lmplemenLaLlon mechanlsm aL Lhe local
8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

level. 1he Canadlan lnLernaLlonal uevelopmenL Agency (2009) sLaLes LhaL Lhere are Lhree paLhs Lo
develop susLalnable food securlLy. llrsL, bulld Lhe capaclLy of small-scale farmers, agrlculLure-relaLed
organlzaLlon, and governmenL supporLed agrlculLure. Second, provlde predlcLable food and needs-based
fundlng Lo meeLs Lhe emergency and nuLrlLlon needs of Lhe mosL vulnerable populaLlons. 1hlrd, make
slgnlflcanL lmprovemenLs by dolng research broadly and deeply on agrlculLure.

<.,+"7*"#7$7+= :/"$$%*1%, '( (''3 ,%:.97+= 7* ?'@%$$ 67A%9
1here are many reasons LhaL owell 8lver has become food lnsecure. lor example, Lhe crude oll
prlces conLlnue Lo rlse causlng lssues ln Lhe cosLs of food LransporLaLlon Lo owell 8lver, lL ls expenslve
for exporLlng and lmporLlng fee of LransporLaLlon (Adamson, 2007). 1he reglon hlghly needs self-rellanL
on food producLs. Also, Lhe owell 8lver reglon needs Lo preserve all Lhe farmland whlch Lhey have, and
conLlnue Lo creaLe more farmland. 1he blg lssue ln owell 8lver ls LhaL mosL of Lhe local young people
and farmers have left or retired because its not a viable way of life. If younger people can see food
producLlon as a deslrable and well-pald professlon, Lhey may be lnLeresLed ln farmlng and locals wlll
have greaLer access Lo hlgh-quallLy local food producLlons (arklnson, 2010). 1hls paper focuses on four
challenges LhaL Lhe locals face:

Low lncome
Lack of organlc farms
Lack of food educaLlon
Lxpenslve and lrregular food LransporLaLlon

-+L #>*+C%
Accordlng Lo owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, Lhe overall poverLy raLe ls LhaL 23.3 where
owell 8lver famllles were llvlng below Lhe average lncome ln 2007 (Adamson, 2007). 1he number of
famllles llvlng ln poverLy ls sLeadlly lncreaslng. Low lncome famllles buy less frulL, vegeLable and mllk
producLs Lhan hlgher lncome famllles ln Canada (klelnsLeuber, 2006). owell 8lver's lood 8ank AcLlon
CenLre SocleLy ls run by volunLeers. AlLhough Lhe food bank provldes sulLable food by donaLlons, Lhe
producLs are noL fresh frulL, vegeLables, flsh, dalry or meaL. More Lhan 900 people are recelved free
food each monLh (klelnsLeuber, 2006). Also, local communlLy-based resource cenLer carry on owell
8lver lamlly lace program, whlch deslgned for low lncome famllles who have chlldren. ln Lhe programs,
Lhere are many acLlvlLles such as sharlng a healLhy snack whlch lncludes veggles, proLeln and frulL. "Low
lncome famllles are forced Lo make cholces Lo choose packaged food" (klelnsLeuber, 2006). 1hese
famllles do noL choose more cosLly hlgher quallLy foods because Lhe poverLy levels are so severe. 1hese
measures can only ensure LhaL people don'L suffer hunger, buL Lhey cannoL provlde a balanced dleL. 1he
lood 8ank ls [usL a shorL-Lerm measure, buL lL sLlll needs a beLLer meLhod Lo overcome Lhe deflclency.

R:20>#* <++"
lood securlLy ln owell 8lver ls dlrecLly relaLed Lo a healLhy dleL. CeneLlcally modlfled food ls a
poLenLlal healLh rlsk for people (klelnsLeuber, 2006). 1here are only Lwo local farms LhaL use Lhe label of
cerLlfled organlc farm. PaLch-a-8lrd larm ls owned by Pelena and eLer 8lrd, and Wlndfall larm ls
owned by Llsa and Mlke uanlels (arklnson, 2010). 1he reason ls LhaL farmers have Lo undergo a
complex and sLrlcL cerLlflcaLlon process whlch ofLen Lakes Lhree or more years. 1he organlc food
lndusLry ls heavlly regulaLed. 1he famers cannoL use synLheLlc chemlcals, such as ferLlllzer, pesLlcldes
and anLlbloLlcs and musL keep sLrlcL records. lL ls hard for Lhe local farmer Lo geL organlc cerLlflcaLlon
whlch resulLs ln local lacklng organlc producLs, buL local markeLs need more organlc food Lo meeL local
8z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

customers needs. For example, Sunshine Organic market provides organic groceries for locals, buL Lhese
organic groceries are not enough to meet locals demands because the production of organic groceries
ls noL regular ln a year. MosL cusLomers prefer local and organlc, buL Lhe producers cannoL provlde
enough organlc food for locals (klelnsLeuber, 2006).

-0*P +< <++" %"1*0$#+>
ln recenL years, Lhe owell 8lver communlLy has encouraged people Lo grow food by
Lhemselves, or geL lnvolved wlLh local food pro[ecLs such as Cood lood 8ox ro[ecL. 1here are flve
communlLy gardens ln Lhe communlLy, whlch needs more communlLy gardens for local self-rellance. 1he
community could use some approaches to improve peoples awareness of self-rellance. lurLhermore,
Lhere ls a demand for more spaces Lo grow more food for more people ln Lhe reglon (uevlln, 2010).
Some resldenLs lack of cooklng skllls for Lhemselves or Lhe ablllLy Lo budgeL for proper nuLrlLlon.
LducaLlon, access Lo beLLer and more affordable food, and communlLy klLchens are needed
(klelnsLeuber, 2006). CommunlLy gardens glve people Lhe chance Lo grow food on Lhelr own, buL Lhe
local resldenLs are lack of educaLlon of agrlculLure baslc knowledge ls an exlsLlng problem. 1he
dlfflculLles lle ln reachlng ouL Lo Lhose people who are lsolaLed, low lncome, and experlenclng oLher
barrlers.

G:0>3;+:$0$#+>
lood LransporLaLlon ls a blg lssue Lo owell 8lver resldenLs because Lhere ls no road access Lo
and Lhere ls a rellance on ferrles (klelnsLeuber, 2006). AlLhough owell 8lver has a bus sysLem beLween
Lhe clLy and communlLles, Lhere ls no regular LransporLaLlon beLween communlLles. 1here ls a blg gap
beLween clLy and rural areas. 1he LransporLaLlon problem ls Lhe maln reason for owell 8lver belng food
lnsecure. ln facL, food Lravels abouL 1,300 Lo 2,300 mlles from farm Lo plaLe for local resldenLs Lo
consume. WlLh rlslng fuel prlces, Lhe cosL of LransporLlng local food has lncreased and has become a
barrler for locals Lo geL nuLrlLlous, healLhful foods llke frulLs and vegeLables. Also, uslng ferrles Lo
LransporL food lncreases a large amounL of greenhouse gas emlsslons.

6%,E'*,% +' +/% :/"$$%*1%, 7* ?'@%$$ 67A%9
1hough Lhere are many challenges exlsLlng ln owell 8lver wlLh respecL Lo food securlLy, people
ln Lhls reglon have already puL some efforL Lo solve Lhese lssues. Also, Lhelr aLLlLudes Loward challenges
are very poslLlve. eople en[oy parLlclpaLlng ln Lhe lnlLlaLlves, Lhey feel proud of belng parL of Lhe
movemenL because Lhey belleve LhaL Lhey are dolng Lhe rlghL Lhlng Lo help bulld a healLhy communlLy of
food securlLy (Adamson, 2007).

ln order Lo respond Lo Lhe problems were prevlously menLloned, local governmenL and
resldenLs have come up some sLraLegles Lo lmprove Lhe presenL slLuaLlon of food securlLy ln owell
8lver.
G=% %<<+:$3 +< K+L%,, D#M%: 9++" F%*1:#$( E+0,#$#+>
1he efforLs of owell 8lver lood SecurlLy CoallLlon was orlglnally esLabllshed ln 1998, whlch ls a
neLworklng organlzaLlon deslgned Lo communlcaLe Lhe lssue of food securlLy and communlLy capaclLy-
bulldlng among agencles and lndlvlduals. Accordlng Lo PealLh ParvesL Pouse (2013), here ls a llsL
showlng lLs goals:
romoLe awareness of value of local food,
Lncourage and supporL lncreased local food producLlon,
Lncourage and supporL lncreased access Lo local food,
8)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

romoLe communlLy/ backyard gardens,
LducaLe and reach ouL lnLo Lhe communlLy,
neLwork & help bulld a healLhy communlLy around food,
uevelop reglonal pollcles LhaL supporL Lhe above goals.

Also, as Llme goes, 1he owell 8lver lood SecurlLy ro[ecL was funded by vancouver CoasLal PealLh
under Lhe provlnce-wlde CommunlLy lood AcLlon lnlLlaLlve ln laLe 2006. 1hls pro[ecL ls used for
supporLlng food securlLy lnlLlaLlves of Lhe CoallLlon and carrylng ouL some acLlvlLles and oLher pro[ecLs
LhaL wlll lmprove Lhe food securlLy ln owell 8lver.

G=% %<<+:$3 +< E+CC1>#$( X0:"%>3
CommunlLy gardens are deslgned for Lhe purpose of growlng food by Lhe local resldenLs
Lhemselves. 1hey are bullL for leLLlng each person or famllles have Lhe same and equal chance Lo geL
access Lo Lhe gardens Lo grow food whaLever Lhey wanL and shoulder Lhe responslblllLy for Lhelr crops.
SomeLlmes people work LogeLher, exchange ldeas and experlence wlLh each oLher, share produce
equally (Pollmann, 2010). So far, Lhere are flve communlLy gardens ln owell 8lver reglon.

1here are many advanLages LhaL communlLy gardens can brlng Lo Lhe local. llrsL, Lhese
community gardens are built very near distance from participants homes. So the problems that
LransporLaLlon causes wlll be dlmlnlshed ln a way. eople can access Lo Lhe communlLy gardens easlly aL
any Llme when Lhey are convenlenL. lor mosL people Lhey can [usL walk Lo Lhe communlLy gardens from
Lhelr home. 1hls also helps reduce a large amounL of polluLlon LhaL cars generaLe.

Second, Lhe safeLy of Lhe food ln Lhe communlLy gardens can be ensured. 8ecause from Lhe
momenL Lhe seeds are puL lnLo Lhe soll unLll Lhey grow lnLo crops parLlclpanLs monlLor Lhe whole
process. They know exactly where their food comes from and how it was produced. They dont need to
worry abouL chemlcal pesLlclde or geneLlcally modlfled food.

Third, community gardens also can improve peoples health by varying diet and spreading
knowledge of food. 8ecause dlfferenL people have dlfferenL preferences so Lhere are many dlverse Lypes
of crops are grown ln Lhe gardens. SomeLlmes gardeners are wllllng Lo exchange or share Lhelr produce
wlLh each oLher. So food maLerlal people have would be more varlous. Also, Lhrough Lhls process people
wlll galn knowledge abouL food, gardenlng, cooklng skllls, nuLrlLlon arrangemenL Lhrough learnlng from
each oLher.

1he efforts of owe|| k|ver Iarmers Inst|tute
The Powell River Farmers Institute is one of the many local organizations that aim to increase
Lhe amounL and varleLy of food Lhey produced ln Lhe reglon. lL was founded by LhlrLy-Lwo farmers ln Lhe
Powell River area in 1915,to improve conditions of rural life so that settlement may be permanent and
prosperous. is its ultimately goal (Devlin, 2010). Today this goal still remains the same.

1he varlous pro[ecLs have already been adopLed and along wlLh many wlll conLlnue, make Lhe
farmers institute more beneficial to the whole community. Membership in this institute is growing
rapldly, parLlclpanLs are wllllng Lo devoLe Lhelr Llme and energy lnLo Lhese pro[ecLs Lo bulld a self-
sufflclenL agrlculLure communlLy.

8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1here are some pro[ecLs and evenLs have already been carrled ouL ln Lhe name of owell 8lver
Farmers Institute.

Seedy SaLurday ls a blg day for communlLy groups, gardeners and farmers Lo exchange seeds
and share lnformaLlon. Cn Lhls speclal day, parLlclpanLs would ouL Lhelr mosL preclous seeds from
varleLles of frulLs, vegeLables, herbs, flowers, eLc. 1hey exchange Lhelr hlgh-quallLy sources of seeds wlLh
each oLher. Some parLlclpanLs also donaLe some seeds Lo oLhers. Cardenlng and farmlng books or
magazines are also exchanged at that event. Seedy Saturdays function is to maintain regional bio-
dlverslLy and agrlculLural herlLage.

Lvery year aL Seedy SaLurday many workshops are offered Lo local people wlLhouL any charge.
1he Lhemes are usually very broad, such as on gardenlng, food safeLy, food preparaLlon and
preservaLlon, nuLrlLlon and dlsease prevenLlon and food processlng. eople can beneflL a loL from Lhese
workshops ln one aspecL of knowledge abouL food. Also Lhese workshops can ralse peoples awareness
of lmporLance of food securlLy.

ln early 2011, Lhe urban LlvesLock CommlLLee was esLabllshed Lo help regulaLe backyard poulLry
of owell 8lver. 1hls commlLLee provldes Lhe lnformaLlon Lo Lhe local people on how Lo house and care
for Lhelr poulLry. lor lnsLance, Lhey help farmers deslgn a new chlcken coop whlch provldes a clean
envlronmenL for chlcken Lo avold deaLh. larmers and Lhelr nelghbors can sLay safe, healLhy and en[oy
Lhe pleasure of ralslng poulLry. 1herefore, lL conLrlbuLes Lo lmprove awareness of food securlLy.

8**'A"+7A% "EE9'":/%, (9'5 '.+,73% ?'@%$$ 67A%9
AlLhough plenLy of efforLs have been made by local people Lo solve Lhe food securlLy problems
ln owell 8lver and also some success has been achleved Lo some exLenL, theres still a long way to go.
lood securlLy ls a common Loplc LhaL spreads across Lhe world, Lhere are many good examples LhaL
owell 8lver can learn from. 1he followlng Lwo dlsLlncLlve cases are selecLed Lo show how oLher areas
deal wlLh Lhe lssue of food securlLy. owell 8lver can learn oLhers' experlence and comblne wlLh lLs own
conLexL Lo upgrade food securlLy Lo a new level.

S#"3 !0$ FC0:$ E,1' #> )%L<+1>",0>" 0>" -0':0"+:
8ecause newfoundland and Labrador ls an lsland Loo, so 90 of Lhelr produce ls lmporLed by
waLer and alr. As Lhe oll prlce lncreases a loL ln Lhe recenL years, Lhe cosL of goods ln Lhls provlnce goes
up rapldly. 8uL lucklly Lhere ls a loL of good work happenlng across Lhe provlnce Lo address food
lnsecurlLy. 1he conLexL of newfoundland and Labrador ls very slmllar Lo Lhe envlronmenL ln owell
8lver, so whaL Lhls reglon has already done Lo deal wlLh Lhe food securlLy problems can also apply Lo
owell 8lver ln a way.

1he lood SecurlLy neLwork of newfoundland & Labrador (lSn) ls a provlnclal, membershlp-
based, non-proflL organlzaLlon whlch was founded ln 1998 ln response Lo growlng concerns abouL
hunger and poverty in the province. FSNs mission is to promote comprehensive, community-based
soluLlons Lo ensure physlcal and economlc access Lo adequaLe and healLhy food for all (lood SecurlLy
neLwork nL, 2012). klds LaL SmarL Club ls one of many programs LhaL are organlzed by lSn. lL ls a school
nuLrlLlon program whlch deslgned for Lhose chlldren who are mosL vulnerable and cannoL have
adequaLe and nuLrlLlve food. klds LaL SmarL Clubs offer chlldren healLhy breakfasL and mornlng snacks.
The food that is provided to children strictly follow the provincial school food guidelines and Canadas
food gulde so parenLs can 100 LrusL Lhls program. Also Lhls program would lnvlLe local farmers Lo vlslL
8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

school Lo do small sesslons wlLh Lhe sLudenLs, Lhey provlde nuLrlLlon Llps of healLhy eaLlng hablLs and
maklng healLhy cholces ouLslde of Lhe school seLLlng. klds LaL SmarL Clubs are run by volunLeers and
collaboraLed wlLh school sLuff.

Accordlng Lo klds LaL SmarL loundaLlon newfoundland and Labrador rogram LvaluaLlon-
LxecuLlve Summary (2013), Lhe klds LaL SmarL program has made a ma[or poslLlve conLrlbuLlon Lo Lhe
school atmosphere and the schools linkages wlLh Lhelr communlLy. And Lhe ouLcome for Lhe chlldren
who parLlclpanL Lo Lhls program ls very opLlmlsLlc, sLudenLs perform beLLer ln school, concenLraLe on
Lasks, geL Lo school on Llme, and mlss fewer school days and dlsplay a more poslLlve mood.
Chlldren are Lhe fuLure Lo every communlLy, ensure Lhey have healLhy sLaLus should be Lhe hlgh prlorlLy.
So far owell 8lver has noL develop any food securlLy program LhaL LargeLs on chlldren and youLh, so
maybe lL can learn some experlences from newfoundland and Labrador.

90:C#>2 #> N1%'%*
Compared Lo oLher urban reglons, Lhe provlnce of Cuebec ls successful ln organlc farmlng
innovations (Beauchesne, 1999). The urban fringe mosaic is thus socially constructed by local, and
reglonal, acLors operaLlng wlLhln Lhe soclo-culture, biophysical contexts at all scales (Marsden, 1995).
Cuebecers beneflL from Lhe lnnovaLlons ln urban frlnge. Locals have beLLer accessed Lo large, urban
markeLs. 1herefore, lL ls easler for Cuebecers access Lo healLhy produce.

1here ls a hlgher concenLraLlon of organlc farms aL Lhe reglonal level ln Cuebec. 1here are seven
organlc farms wlLhln Lhe meLropollLan reglons (8eauchesne, 1999). llve meLropollLan reglons accounL
for 33 (103 farms) of all organlc farmlng (8eauchesne, 1999). lenLy of organlc farms super aboundlng
urban areas ln Cuebec ensure LhaL Lhe locals have access Lo hlgh quallLy food. Local, organlc farmers
work LogeLher ln Lhe communlLy, lnfluenclng oLher farmers Lo pracLlce susLalnable agrlculLural
developmenL. AddlLlonally, Lhere are many farms close Lo Lhe speclallzed servlces and suppllers, such as
food dlsLrlbuLors, organlc ferLlllzers and pesLlcldes, whlch make Lhe farmers easler Lo develop Lhelr own
farm. 1wo reglons of Cuebec have large populaLlons (around 30 of Lhe populaLlon) LhaL are maple
syrup operaLlonal (8eauchesne, 1999). Cne reglon of Cuebec has hlgh numbers of lnLenslve vegeLable
coproducLlon farms. larmers cooperaLe wlLh each oLher, whlch can lmprove Lhe agrlculLural
developmenL.

ln owell 8lver, Lhe locals can learn agrlculLural lnnovaLlon and how Lo focus on organlc, urban
farmlng from Lhls example ln Cuebecers, owell 8lver locals could encourage resldenLs Lo seL up farms
around Lhe clLles, and Lhen speclallzed servlces and suppllers can help farmers beLLer develop Lhelr
farms. Local farmers can exchange Lhelr experlences wlLh oLhers Lo lmprove farmlng skllls. Also, Lhe
farmer can cooperaLe wlLh oLhers Lo bulld up a communlLy of organlc farmers. ln Lhe fuLure, owell
8lver wlll supporL locally-owned food sysLems. Local youLhs wlll have a more vlable [ob markeL once Lhe
currenL generaLlon passes lL on Lo Lhe nexL. ln Lhls approach, owell 8lver may achleve susLalnable food
securlLy long Lerm goal.

)'*:$.,7'*
lood securlLy ls a serlous problem LhroughouL Lhe world. owell 8lver ls no excepLlon because
Lhere are a varleLy of problems LhaL exlsL, such as a large number of low lncome famllles, a lack of
organlc farms, and a lack of food educaLlon and food LransporLaLlon. Some efforLs have been made
Lrylng Lo solve Lhese problems one by one. owell 8lver lood SecurlLy CoallLlon ls a neLworklng
organlzaLlon whose purpose ls Lo communlcaLe Lhe lssue of food securlLy and communlLy capaclLy-
86
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

bulldlng among agencles and lndlvlduals. CommunlLy gardens provlde opporLunlLles for Lhe local
residents to grow food by themselves. Powell River Farmers Institute aims to increase the amount and
varleLy of food Lhey produce ln Lhe reglon.

Powever, Lhere are sLlll some problems LhaL hlnder Lhe susLalnable developmenL of healLhy
food and food securlLy ln Lhe reglon. A large number of owell 8lver famllles are llvlng below average
lncome, and Lhey do noL have access Lo hlgh quallLy food, even Lhough 1he lood 8ank ro[ecL provldes
some food. 1here are only Lwo organlc farms ln owell 8lver. 1he reglon needs Lo lncrease Lhe amounL
of organic farms in order to meet local residents demands. Additionally, food transportation is a big
problem in Powell River. And furthermore, the locals lack of food education. Powell Rivers food securlLy
sLlll has a long way Lo achleve self-sufflclency and susLalnablllLy.

But looking at the cases from other regions food security in similar situations can help Powell
River to some extent. First, Newfoundland and Labradors produce is highly dependenL on Lhe ferry as
well. 1he lood SecurlLy neLwork of newfoundland & Labrador ls a local organlzaLlon LhaL promoLes
comprehenslve, communlLy-based soluLlons Lo ensure physlcal and economlc access Lo adequaLe and
healLhy food for locals (lood SecurlLy neLwork nL, 2012). 1he organlzaLlon also deslgned klds LaL SmarL
Clubs programs Lo make sure LhaL all Lhe local klds have access Lo healLhy food. 1he oLher case ls from
Cuebec. Cuebec succeeds ln agrlculLural lnnovaLlon ln organlc farmlng. lf local people can draw from
Lhese cases, owell 8lver can develop food securlLy programs LhaL LargeL on chlldren and seL up organlc
farms, and food securlLy ln owell 8lver wlll flnally achleve a susLalnable long Lerm goal.


8)
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8LlL8LnCLS
Adamson, L. (2007). Local food for change---an assessmenL of owell 8lver's 30-mlle eaL-local challenge.
roCuesL, uMl ulsserLaLlons ubllshlng.
8eauchesne, A. & 8ryanL, C. (1999). AgrlculLure and lnnovaLlon ln Lhe urban frlnge: 1he case of organlc
farmlng ln Cuebec, Canada. 1l[dschrlfL voor Lconomlsche Ln Soclale Ceografle, 90(3), 320-328.
dol:10.1111/1467-9663.00073
Canadlan lnLernaLlonal uevelopmenL Agency, ebrary, l., & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm). (2009).
lncreaslng food securlLy: CluA's food securlLy sLraLegy. CLLawa, CnL.: Canadlan lnLernaLlonal
uevelopmenL Agency.
uevlln, W. (2010, uec. 21). lood SecurlLy. Pome grown. Sean. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.prllvlng.ca/wp/wp-lncludes/pdfs/lssue1012.com/
ulscover owell 8lver. 8eLrleved 11, 2013, from hLLp://www.dlscoverpowellrlver.com/abouL-powell-
rlver/abouL-powell-rlver.php?ld=43
lood SecurlLy neLwork nL. 8eLrleved 11, 2013, from
hLLp://www.foodsecurlLynews.com/abouL-food-securlLy.hLm
PealLh ParvesL Pouse [onllne]. (2013). Avallable from:
hLLp://www.healLhyharvesLhouse.com/flnd/1923/powell-rlver-food-securlLy-pro[ecL/
Pollmann, S. (2010, uec. 21). lood securlLy. Pome grown. Sean. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.prllvlng.ca/wp/wp-lncludes/pdfs/lssue1012.com/
klds LaL SmarL loundaLlon newfoundland and Labrador rogram LvaluaLlon LxecuLlve Summary. Coss
Cllroy lnc. vlewed 2 november 2013.
klelnsLeuber, C. (2006, !une). owell rlver employmenL program socleLy. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.[usLfood.ca/foodforall/wp-conLenL/uploads/documenLs/ClAl_lull_owell_8lver.pdf
Mcuonald, 8. L. (2013). lood securlLy. Cxford: Wlley.
Marsden, 1., Mu8uCCP, . LCWL, 8, MCn1Cn & A. lL?nn (1993), ConsLrucLlng Lhe CounLryslde.
8oulder, Colorado, WesLvlew ress.
arklnson, u. (2010, uec. 21). lood securlLy. Pome grown. Sean. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.prllvlng.ca/wp/wp-lncludes/pdfs/lssue1012.com/
owell 8lver larmers lnsLlLuLe. 8eLrleved 11, 2013, form hLLp://prfarmers.ca/pr-seedysaL


88
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


2*'+/%9 !"L% '* J''3 <%:.97+= 7* ?'@%$$ 67A%9B C)

8y. Moolsb komot & nompteet Abojo


8*+9'3.:+7'*
1he 2011 8eporL of Lhe SecreLary Ceneral Lo Lhe unlLed naLlons (un) Assembly sLaLes LhaL many
of the worlds most impoverished people live in the remote areas and that they are particularly
vulnerable to food security (UN, 2011). Food security is defined as having the physical, soclal and
economlc access Lo sufflclenL, safe and nuLrlLlous food aL all Llmes Lo meeL Lhe dleLary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO, 2003). There are three broad dimensions of food
securlLy. llrsL, food avallablllLy refers Lo Lhe supply slde of food. lf enough food ls noL avallable for all,
cerLalnly Lhere wlll be food lnsecurlLy. lL depends on local producLlon, access Lo markeLs, lmporLs, food
reserves, and dlfferenL processes from Lransfer food producLs Lo local consumers. Second, food
accesslblllLy refers Lo Lhe demand slde and lncludes dlfferenL aspecLs such as flnanclal affordablllLy of
nuLrlLlous dleL, dlfferenL lncome levels, food preferences and populaLlon growLh. LasLly, Lhe uLlllzaLlon of
food lncludes lssues relaLed Lo nuLrlLlon and healLhy dleL as well as processlng, value addlLlon and soclal
aspecLs (World food summlL, 1996).

According to UNs food and Agriculture report (2013), the worlds population is expected to
grow Lo nlne bllllon people by 2030 and wlll requlre lncreaslng Lhe food producLlon by 70. 1hus,
provldlng nuLrlLlous food Lo such a huge populaLlon wlll be a ma[or challenge. AnoLher reporL by un
agency says, 1.3 bllllon Lons of food ls wasLed each year, whlle 1.02 bllllon people are food lnsecure and
undernourlshed worldwlde and sLruggllng wlLh hunger every day. lood wasLe LhaL cannoL be recycled
goes Lo landflll, whlch produces meLhane LhaL creaLes more emlsslon Lhan CC2 (Sadlq, 2013).
owell 8lver ls one of Lhe lsolaLed communlLles, whose populaLlon ls LhreaLened by food securlLy and
hunger. lor famllles llvlng ln Lhe rural areas of Lhe clLy and aborlglnal communlLles ln parLlcular, geLLlng
access Lo sufflclenL and nuLrlLlous food ls a dally sLruggle (personal CommunlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013).
1he purpose of Lhls paper ls Lo explore Lhe reason why owell 8lver ls vulnerable Lo food lnsecurlLy and
hunger, descrlbes whaL owell 8lver lood SecurlLy commlLLee ls dolng Lo help lmprove food securlLy,
and flnally, lL wlll share a few examples of how oLher communlLles, ln dlfferenL parLs of Lhe world, have
addressed slmllar lssues Lo lmprove Lhe food securlLy.

K+L%,, D#M%: U $=% ;%0:, +> $=% 31>3=#>% *+03$
1he owell 8lver area ls home Lo [usL around 19,906 resldenLs blessed wlLh a beauLlful ocean-
fronL communlLy and a rural reglon LhaL markeLs lLself as Lhe pearl on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL (Adamson,
2007). Ceographlcally, lL ls locaLed on Lhe norLhern sunshlne coasL of souLh-wesLern 8rlLlsh Columbla,
whlch ls 143 km norLhwesL of vancouver (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006). 1he besL feaLure and aLLrlbuLe
abouL owell 8lver ls LhaL, alLhough lL ls locaLed on Lhe malnland, local resldenLs and LourlsLs conslder
Lhe area as an lsland because, physlcally, lL ls surrounded by !ervls lnleL on Lhe souLh, Lhe CoasLal 8ange
MounLalns Lo Lhe easL, uesolaLlon Sound Lo Lhe norLh, and a sLunnlng vlsLa over Lhe SLralL of Ceorgla Lo
Lhe wesL, where one can en[oy Lhe sunseLs on Lhe vancouver lsland. 1hese wonderful geographlc
8g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

feaLures make owell 8lver a ferry-dependenL communlLy LhaL provlde Lhe resldenLs a sense of
isolation, which they consider as insulation (Adamson, 2007).

1he clLy offers a perfecL comblnaLlon of urban and rural llvlng ln a naLural seLLlng wlLh moderaLe
cllmaLe, landlocked by mounLalns, lakes, naLural foresL and Lhe ocean. lL ls a LradlLlonal LerrlLory of
Sllammon llrsL naLlons, occupylng reserve land along Lhe coasLllne approxlmaLely 3 km (1he ClLy of
owell 8lver, 2013). 1he pulp mlll ls one of Lhe ma[or sources of lncome for mosL of resldenLs. larmlng ls
anoLher lmporLanL parL of Lhe ldenLlLles for many local resldenLs of Lhe reglon (personal
CommunlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013). 1hls ls Lhe oldesL Lown ln Canada and has been promoLed as a
reLlremenL communlLy wlLh Lhe average age of Lhe resldenLs around 30 and Lhls Lrend ls mosL llkely
golng Lo conLlnue, wlLh hlgher percenLage of older people movlng lnLo Lhe Lown (norLhrup & LelLner,
2006). 1he Lown ls sLruggllng for lLs exlsLence and culLural hlsLory. 1he clLy needs Lo aLLracL younger
people, who can help Lo susLaln Lhe economy and add vlbrancy Lo lLs culLure (personal CommunlcaLlon,
21sL CcLober, 2013).

W=+ #3 <++" #>3%*1:%b
Accordlng Lo Lhe Canadlan communlLy PealLh Survey cycle 2.2, nuLrlLlon (2004), mosL
households ln Canada had conslsLenL access and avallablllLy Lo food, buL more Lhan 1.1 mllllon (9.2)
people were exposed Lo moderaLe or severe food lnsecurlLy. ln 8rlLlsh Columbla speclflcally, 10.4 of
household experlenced food lnsecurlLy (PealLh Canada, 2007). 1here are several Lypes of household LhaL
are exposed Lo food lnsecurlLy because Lhey lack Lhe avallablllLy and access Lo healLhy foods (8C
rovlnclal PealLh Cfflcer, 2006):

Low-lncome households: conslsLs 30 of lower and lower-mlddle lncome groups ln 8rlLlsh
Columbla experlenced food lnsecurlLy.
Senlors (Cver Lhe age of 63) on flxed lncomes: Senlors who llve alone and lack adequaLe source
of lncome are mosL llkely experlence food lnsecurlLy.
eople llvlng ln rural and lsolaLed communlLles: people llvlng ln remoLe areas are aL greaLer rlsk
Lo food lnsecurlLy Lhan Lhose who are llvlng ln Lhe clLles. 1ransporL barrlers, hlgher prlce, poor
quallLy of food, shorLer growlng season ln Lhe norLh for local farmers are some of Lhe challenges
and dlsadvanLages of rural llvlng, whlch makes Lhe resldenLs experlence food lnsecurlLy.
8eclplenLs of lncome asslsLance
Aborlglnal opulaLlon: around 40 Lo 83 lsolaLed aborlglnal communlLles ln Canada have been
found food lnsecure (uleLlclans of Canada, 2007).
Slngle parenLs: accordlng Lo Lhe Canadlan CommunlLy PealLh Survey (2004) 22.3 lone parenLs,
especlally young slngle moLhers have Lhe hlghesL raLe of food lnsecurlLy ln Canada (24.9)
(PealLh Canada, 2007).

W=( #3 K+L%,, D#M%: M1,>%:0',% $+ <++" #>3%*1:#$(b
As per Lhe deflnlLlon of food securlLy, Lhe maln prlorlLy ls havlng access aL all Llmes Lo Lhe food
needed for a healLhy llfe. 1hls lncludes a wlde varleLy of quallLy and nuLrlLlous food wlLh assured supply
and affordable prlce. 1he challenges Lo such an assured supply of fresh food lnclude geographlc
lsolaLlon, Lhe cosL of LransporL over long dlsLance, poor sLorage and handllng condlLlons (Alllance, 2006).
1he maln challenge ls parLlcularly severe for aborlglnal communlLles llvlng ln remoLe communlLles LhaL
ofLen have poor LransporLaLlon, lnfrasLrucLure and local economlc opporLunlLles (CCAC, 2009). owell
8lver ls a Lown LhaL ls boLh lsolaLed and small, whlch ls resource dependenL Lo oLher areas. lood securlLy
go
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

ln such areas ls ofLen poor because Lhe supply of fresh food ls lrregular, llmlLed opLlons, low quallLy, and
poor access (Adamson, 2007).

!"3 /4#"56
Accordlng Lo Cook (2008), low lncome ls Lhe besL lndlcaLor of food lnsecurlLy. Lack of lncome
affecLs access as well as affordablllLy Lo healLhy food. Lspeclally, people on low lncomes or lncome
assistance often dont have enough money to buy a healthy and nutritious diet after paying other
monLhly expenses (Lederer, 2008). Moreover, lncome asslsLance levels ofLen are noL sufflclenL Lo allow a
person Lo eaL healLhy (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006). Plgher houslng cosL reduces purchaslng capablllLy,
lnsufflclenL soclal asslsLance raLes and less wage levels ln 8rlLlsh Columbla resulL ln hlgher food
lnsecurlLy ln Lhe provlnce (8C rovlnclal PealLh Cfflcer, 2006). 1he ever lncreaslng cosL for oLher
necessary things such as utilities, transportation, and education also affects peoples ability to afford
nuLrlLlous dleL (Lederer, 2008). Lower lncome famllles consume fewer frulLs, fresh vegeLables and dalry
producLs Lhan hlgher lncome households ln Canada (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006).

PlsLorlcally, owell 8lver was a slngle-lndusLry paper-mlll Lown ln Canada, as a resulL of
lndusLrlal downslzlng and populaLlon shlfLs ln Lhe pasL decade, Lhe area has been sLruggllng Lo susLaln lLs
economy (owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy, 2006). CverLlme Lhe economlc sLaLus
of owell 8lver changed and Lhere have been cuLbacks ln everyLhlng from corporaLlon Lo governmenL
that led to 8and-Ald solutions like soup kitchens and food banks. It is also evident that over half of food
bank users are on lncome asslsLance. Many workers have also losL Lhelr [obs aL Lhe mlll and have moved
Lo oLher clLles (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006). 8ural youLh are Lhe fuLure of Lhe agrlculLure secLor. 1hey are
usually besLowed wlLh a sense of dynamlsm, creaLlvlLy and lnnovaLlon. ?oung women and men farmers
are Lhe enLrepreneurs of Lomorrow and can poLenLlally help Lo overcome Lhe food securlLy challenge
(lAC, 2012). AgrlculLure has been an ldenLlLy Lo many people ln Lhe owell 8lver for decades. 8uL
currenLly, young farmers are leavlng Lhe Lown for beLLer lnfrasLrucLure, employmenL opporLunlLles and
llfesLyle, whlch ls affecLlng Lhe secLor. 1hey have llmlLed access Lo producLlve asseLs and markeLs as well
as hlgh LransporLaLlon cosLs (personal CommunlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013).

!$#) "7 $##6** 0" +6$%0+8 7""9
Low lncome owell 8lver resldenLs also face challenges accesslng healLhy foods. ?ears ago,
before Lhe days of ferrles and moLorboaLs, resldenLs of owell 8lver were able Lo susLaln Lhemselves ln
Lhe reglon, ralse famllles, and bulld communlLles (Adamson, 2007). PlsLorlcally, Lhe Sllammon llrsL
naLlons llved a susLalnable exlsLence on Lhls naLurally food 8lch lsland. owell 8lver used Lo produce
enough food for lLs local populaLlon and exporL excess food Lo Lhe lower malnland. 8uL, aL presenL
almosL all food for local consumpLlon ls broughL ln elLher by ferry or barge (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006). lf
ferries or barges that deliver the food dont run for a single day, the town would run out of food ln as
llLLle as Lwo days. Moreover, wlLh rlslng fuel cosLs, Lhe cosL of LransporLlng food Lo Lhe lsland has been
lncreaslng conLlnuously. 8efore Lhe food beglns lL [ourney Lo owell 8lver, lL had become an
lnLernaLlonal Lraveller, vlslLlng many places ln Lhe world. 1hls reduces Lhe freshness of Lhe food. lL also
generaLes lncreaslng amounL of greenhouse gases every day. AddlLlonally, lmporLed food ls more
expenslve Lhan food locally produced because of Lhe LransporL cosLs (Adamson, 2007).
1he local resldenLs and aborlglnal communlLles, who are resldlng ln Lhe rural areas, are aL
advanLage wlLh low renLals, havlng enough spaces for gardenlng and ralslng poulLry. lL also provldes
easy access to nature (Northrup & Leitner, 2006). However, they dont have enough access Lo grocery
sLores or fresh produce ln Lhelr nelghbourhood because mosL of Lhe grocery sLores are locaLed ln Lhe
g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

CenLre of Lhe clLy (uleLlclans of Canada, 2007). Cn one hand llvlng ln Lhe rural area has so many
advanLages, buL on Lhe oLher hand lL lncreases LransporLaLlon cosLs and problems, whlch ls large
problem lnslde and ouLslde Lhe clLy, and even worse ln rural areas. 1hls remoLeness and lsolaLlon leaves
everyone ln Lhls area aL Lhe mercy of any dlsrupLlon of food LransporLaLlon lnLo Lhls reglon (norLhrup &
LelLner, 2006).

:;0(/0/"4$% #+$%%64<6*
AnoLher lmporLanL aspecL of food securlLy ls Lhe nuLrlLlonal aspecL, whlch ls ofLen overlooked ln
slmply ensurlng people are eaLlng regular meals. Powever, a slgnlflcanL parL of food securlLy ls access Lo
nutritionally adequate and safe food (Rosier, 2011). While some people in Powell River lack financial
ablllLy and LransporL avallablllLy Lo meeL Lhelr dleLary needs, Lhere are many people, who are
undernourlshed (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006). PealLhy food ls ofLen more expenslve Lhan unhealLhy food,
and sLudles have shown LhaL people ln welfare or low-lncome caLegorles are less llkely Lo buy and eaL
healLhy food (keLLlngs, Slnclalr, & voevodln, 2009). Lspeclally, low-lncome nelghborhoods have more
fasL food ouLleLs, and [unk food and oLher snacks are ofLen cheaper Lo buy Lhan fresh frulLs and
vegeLables (rovlnclal PealLh Servlces AuLhorlLy, 2006). Pomeless people, who are llvlng ln slngle rooms,
have llmlLed access Lo any cooklng or food sLorage faclllLles (8C rovlnclal PealLh Cfflcer, 2006). 1hus,
LradlLlonal food has ofLen been replaced wlLh food noL culLurally approprlaLe and Lhere are many healLh
problems LhaL go along wlLh lL.

1here ls also a need Lo educaLe people abouL how Lo prepare nuLrlLlonal and healLhy food. Many
people ln Lhe area have llmlLed knowledge abouL cooklng slmple meals, and some of Lhem are no longer
physlcally able Lo prepare meals. 1hese barrlers are forclng people Lo cuL back on oLher baslcs such as
houslng ln order Lo afford Lo eaL well (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006). lL ls lmporLanL Lo share more
knowledge abouL pracLlcal usage of food, food wasLage, affordable opLlons, ralslng awareness ln Lhe
communlLy regardlng food securlLy lssues, lncreaslng access Lo nuLrlLlonally dense and local food,
increasing the communitys knowledge about food, enhancing skills and assets in the community around
cooklng, gardenlng, shopplng, producLlon and quallLy and advocaLlng for pollcles (personal
CommunlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013).

D':"$ 9%,E'*,%, +' (''3 ,%:.97+=
Powell River is home to a number of food groups who are actively working to meet different
needs ln Lhe communlLy. owell 8lver lood SecurlLy pro[ecL ls one of Lhem, sLarLed ln 1998, Lhe group
conLlnuously worklng Lo enhance food securlLy locally by llnklng food and relaLed lnLeresLs Lhrough
communlcaLlon and parLnershlps, promoLlng food awareness Lhrough lnformaLlon gaLherlng and
educaLlon, lnlLlaLlng, supporLlng, and parLlclpaLlng ln food acLlon, encouraglng communlLy developmenL
by sharlng lnformaLlon, skllls, and resources, and advocaLlng and recommendlng pollcy on food and
relaLed lssues (personal communlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013). 1here are also large numbers of volunLary
groups LhaL work Lo help Lhe communlLy, dlrecLly and lndlrecLly lmprovlng Lhe food securlLy. Some of
Lhe programs currenLly runnlng ln Lhe clLy are: communlLy gardens, owell 8lver farmers markeL, Seedy
SaLurday, 1ranslLlon 1own owell 8lver, and Skookum lood Provisioners cooperaLlve.

G=% `7 C#,% *=0,,%>2%
1hls lnlLlaLlve was sLarLed by Lhe owell 8lver lood SecurlLy commlLLee ln response Lo lmporLed
food. 1hls program challenges Lhe local resldenLs Lo eaL food grown wlLhln 30 mlles of Lhe clLy for 3
weeks ln summer. 1he maln focus of Lhls program ls on food and lnLeresL ln where food comes from.
gz
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1hls program helped Lhe member Lo change Lhelr eaLlng hablLs for Lhe beLLer, and Lhlnklng dlfferenLly
about food (Adamson, 2007). It creates awareness around peoples choices regarding where they get
Lhelr food, how lL was grown and by whom. 1he maln purpose of Lhe program ls Lo encourage Lhe
challenge-Lakers Lo eaL as much local as Lhey could, whlch ls ralsed, grown, foraged, processed, plcked
or purchased from local vendors wlLhln 30 mlles of owell 8lver (arklnson, 2013).

)%#2='+1:=++" *+CC1>#$( 20:"%>3
1ransporLaLlon ls consldered as one of Lhe mosL common problem relaLed Lo food securlLy. lL ls
reallzed LhaL lack of LransporL connecLlvlLy ln and ouLslde Lhe area has some ma[or consequences llke
sourclng cerLaln food, fresh frulLs and vegeLables, a barrler Lo obLalnlng nuLrlLlous dleL, lncludlng a large
varleLy of quallLy meaL and poulLry producLs. 1he hlgh prlorlLy ls Lo provlde more locally grown frulLs and
fresh vegeLables and also lncreaslng Lhe amounL of small scale food grown for local consumpLlon
(personal communlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013). CommunlLy gardens ls one of Lhe opLlons LhaL can help
to overcome the transport dependency, by facilitating the regions self-rellance and lncreaslng capaclLy
for food producLlon, developlng nelghbourhood gardens, sharlng knowledge and skllls, ldenLlfylng and
addresslng Lhe needs of Lhe vulnerable populaLlons. 1hus, food securlLy can be enhanced by lmprovlng
Lhe accesslblllLy Lo seasonable frulLs and vegeLables, fresh and sLored locally grown food.

nelghbourhood communlLy gardens are good alLernaLlves for communlLy gardens, as Lhey are
ofLen smaller ln slze and placed for easy access for communlLy members wlLhln walklng dlsLance from
parLlclpanLs home. 1hese gardens are bullL and malnLalned by communlLy resldenLs and offer many
soclal and economlc beneflLs. 1he advanLage of nelghbourhood communlLy gardens ls LhaL a ma[or
problem of LransporL dependency would be lessened and members can produce affordable food for
Lhelr famllles, lncludlng fresh vegeLables and frulLs LhaL someLlmes are noL avallable ln Lhe supermarkeLs
or are noL affordable (personal communlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013).

CommunlLy gardens have Lhe capablllLy Lo encourage people Lo parLlclpaLe and feel secure
about their food and they can also contribute to improve peoples health by varying diet and increasing
food safeLy. AnoLher beneflL of communlLy gardens ls LhaL a large proportion of population who dont
have Lhelr own land and can sLlll parLlclpaLe ln nelghbourlng communlLy gardens and supporLs Lhelr
famllles. Some people use Lhelr backyards Lo grow vegeLables and frulLs. 1here are many successful
communlLy gardens locaLed everywhere ln owell 8lver. 1hese lnclude one of Lhe famous communlLy
gardens aL Lhe SevenLh day AdvenLlsL Church whlch provlde ploLs for people who would llke Lo garden,
donaLe, and also provlde a vegeLarlan homemade soup lunch and some vegeLables donaLed by
supermarkeLs from Lhelr communlLy church garden (SevenLh-uay AdvenLlsL Church, 2013). CommunlLy
gardens can educaLe and moLlvaLe people Lo garden and Lo grow food. Some people come ofLen only for
soclallzlng, and Lhey Leach and learn from each oLher ln an organlc klnd of way (personal
communlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013).

IR)J
8ables Cpen new uoors ls a Canada renaLal nuLrlLlon rogram, sLarLed ln 1993 and lL ls
federally funded. 1hls program ls speclflcally deslgned for pregnanL women or women wlLh bables under
6 monLhs, who are unable Lo afford a nuLrlLlous dleL. lL provldes vouchers Lo geL frulLs, vegeLables and
mllk producLs as well as healLhy snacks are also offered. 1here are weekly groups and one Lo one
sesslons, ouLreach and nuLrlLlonal assessmenL for pregnanL women are also avallable free of cosL. 1here
are a few reglsLered nurses and a reglsLered dleLary nurse on sLaff as well as supporL sLaff ls also
avallable (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006).
g)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


A similar program called the Good food Box program" sLarLed ln 2002 as parL of Lhe 8L
societys Bond Project, which basically supports pre and peri-naLal women and newborns (arklnson,
2013). 1hls pro[ecL seems Lo be helpful Lo young slngle moLhers who are unable Lo afford nuLrlLlous dleL.
1hls programs runs now compleLely on volunLeers. lood ls purchased from a local supermarkeL ln bulk
aL lower cosL (personal communlcaLlon, CcLober 21, 2013). 1hls program has recelved good response
and dlsLrlbuLes around 100 130 boxes each monLh. lL conLalns 10 -11 Lypes of frulLs and vegeLables,
and Lhe $12 box ls consldered Lo be 20-40 hlgher value Lhan buylng lLems aL markeL value. 1herefore,
some famllles buy more Lhan one box, slnce lL ls a good deal. 1here are Lhree maln dlsLrlbuLlon cenLers
famlly place, Lhe unlLed Church and Sllammon communlLy healLh servlces. 1he boxes are packaged aL
Lhe owell rlver ChrlsLlan school wlLh dedlcaLed volunLeers (norLhrup & LelLner, 2006).

8**'A"+7A% 73%", (9'5 %$,%@/%9%
1he owell 8lver lood SecurlLy ro[ecL has lmplemenLed so many successful pro[ecLs ln Lhe
reglon (ersonal communlcaLlon, 21sL CcLober, 2013). 8elow are few exLernal examples LhaL may
interest Powell Rivers governing bodies, organizations and food security communities, for they present
lnnovaLlve ways for respondlng Lo food avallablllLy, accesslblllLy and uLlllzaLlon.

ln many counLrles, agrlculLure cooperaLlves have proved Lo be an effecLlve mechanlsm for
engaglng young people ln agrlculLure whlle lncreaslng youLh employmenL opporLunlLles Lhrough on-
farm and off-/non-farm activities. The Food Agriculture Organization started Junior Farmer Field and
Life School program in 2004 in Hebron and many parts of Africa and Asia. The main aim of this project is
Lo empower and educaLe young people and provlde Lhem wlLh Lhe llvellhood opLlons, vocaLlonal
Lralnlng and agrlculLure knowledge and skllls needed for long-Lerm food securlLy and reduclng poverLy
and hunger. 1hese schools have a unlque currlculum provldlng agrlculLural and enLrepreneurshlp skllls ln
an experlenLlal and sLudenL-cenLered approach unlquely sulLed Lo rural communlLles.

1he sLudenLs recelve Lralnlng ln beekeeplng, bee-hlvlng, and honey processlng Lwlce a week ln
Lhe afLernoons afLer school hours. 1he Lralnlng program lasLs a school year and follows Lhe crop cycle,
sLudenLs are LaughL abouL Lhe llnks beLween agrlculLure, nuLrlLlon and healLhy llvlng (lAC, !unlor larmer
lleld and Llfe Schools (!llLS), 2010). 1he course Leaches Lhe sLudenLs noL only how Lo grow healLhy
crops, buL also enable Lhe sLudenLs Lo make lnformed declslon for leadlng healLhy llves. 1here ls also an
employmenL-oriented component that provides help to the JFFLS graduates to form Youth Farmers
AssoclaLlon, Lhrough whlch Lhey can more easlly access resources, place Lhelr produce ln Lhe markeLs
and obLaln Lhelr share of proflLs. 1hls unlque program ls supporLlng Lhe learnlng skllls of young sLudenLs
ln agrlculLure, boosLlng Lhelr self-esLeem and encouraglng Lhem Lo geL lnLo agrlculLure LhaL holds Lhe
Lrue key Lo Lhe naLlonal wealLh (lAC, 2012).
1he owell 8lver School ulsLrlcL can also lmplemenL a slmllar program ln Lhelr currlculum and
can become a CenLre of excellence ln provldlng agrlculLure educaLlon Lo Lhe young adulLs. 1he school
can encourage sLudenLs and Lhelr parenLs Lo enroll for such a course, slnce Lhls would enable Lhe young
sLudenLs Lo parLlclpaLe ln agrlculLure and learn how Lo grow Lhelr own food. 1he owell 8lver dlsLrlcL
school ls already provldlng susLalnable educaLlon, and can furLher creaLe programs wlLh an alm Lo
lncrease Lhe parLlclpaLlon of young adulLs lnLo agrlculLure.

?ouLh lnlLlaLlve for SusLalnable AgrlculLure (?lSA) ls an Agro-knowledge based CrganlzaLlon of
young graduaLes of AgrlculLural dlsclpllne and oLher ?ouLhs lnLeresLed ln AgrlculLure. Above all Lhe
problems ln nlgerla such as drugs and vlolence, youLh engagemenL, empowermenL and developmenL ln
g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

is a critical problem. This new initiative Youth Collaborative Community Agriculture Programme was
sLarLed ln nlgerla ln collaboraLlon wlLh u.S. Ambassadors Self Help Project for community
empowermenL scheme ln umoda- C[u CommunlLy of 8enue SLaLe.

This program was specifically designed to address the problem of youths lack of interest in
AgrlculLure and urban mlgraLlon by provldlng Lhem necessary skllls requlred for susLalnable agrlculLure
pracLlces so LhaL young people and exlsLlng farmers can parLlclpaLe ln agrlculLure and enhance Lhe food
securlLy and agrlculLural producLlvlLy. lnlLlally, Lhey sLarLed Lhls program wlLh LhlrLy unemployed youLh
and flfLeen rural women, seL up flsh demonsLraLlon farm and provlded Lralnlng ln flsh producLlon, flsh
smoklng and packaglng. 1he parLlclpanLs are Lralned and encouraged Lo sLarL Lhelr own flsh farm. 1he
organlzaLlon ls worklng Lowards changlng Lhe aLLlLudes of youLhs ln agrlculLure especlally, moLlvaLlng
Lhem noL Lo leave farmlng ln Lhe hands of Lhe aged, educaLlng and lnsplrlng Lhem Lo venLure lnLo
agrlculLure and supporL Lhe rural developmenL (?CCCA, 2013).

1hls program may be useful for Lhe resldenLs of owell 8lver slnce farmer reLenLlon and urban
mlgraLlon has been a blg concern ln Lhe pasL decade. MlgraLlon ls noL always a preferred opLlon for
young people and some of Lhem would llke Lo sLay ln Lhe rural areas lf Lhere were more opporLunlLles
avallable Lo Lhem. 1he owell 8lver employmenL CenLre i.e. Career-link can work with Powell River
lood SecurlLy CommlLLee and organlze a program ln response Lo unemploymenL and youLh
empowermenL. Such programs can provlde employmenL and buslness opporLunlLles Lo Lhe unemployed
youLh and lmprove Lhe food securlLy.

1he SanLropol 8oulanL program sLarLed ln 1993 ln MonLreal ln response Lo food securlLy of Lhe
elderly populaLlon, lower lncome group and youLh unemploymenL. 1he plannlng commlLLee of Lhls
program reallzed LhaL many young adulLs and famllles were movlng ouL of Lhe clLy ln search of work,
Lherefore Lhey addressed Lhls lssue by sLarLlng meals-on-wheels program, operaLed and managed by
young adulLs. 1he alm of Lhls program ls Lo bulld a healLhy, dynamlc and food secure communlLy. 1hls
program uses a hollsLlc approach Lo soclal susLalnablllLy by uslng food securlLy relaLed pro[ecLs as a Lool
for connecLlng people of Lwo dlfferenL age, and culLural groups ln collaboraLlve efforLs for fosLerlng
healLhy communlLles. 1he meals-on-wheels program lncludes preparlng and dellverlng fresh and
nuLrlLlous food Lo Lhe people wlLh a loss of auLonomy. 1he ma[orlLy of Lhe parLlclpanLs of Lhese
programs are senlors, who are physlcally noL able Lo go ouL Lo purchase grocery and requlre supporL Lo
prepare healLhy and nuLrlLlous meals. 1hls program enables and supporLs Lhe deslre of members Lo sLay
ln Lhelr own homes and communlLles by malnLalnlng Lhelr food securlLy.

AnoLher ma[or funcLlon of Lhls program ls Lo malnLaln Lhe flnanclal securlLy of Lhe communlLy
members, slnce mosL of Lhe senlors ln MonLreal are on penslon or lncome asslsLance and have a LlghL
budgeL. lL offers meals Lo Lhem on subsldlzed prlces aL abouL 30 of Lhe LoLal cosL. 1he ma[or
conLrlbuLors of Lhls servlce are volunLeers who prepare and dellver Lhe meals 3 days a week wlLhouL any
hollday. 1hese volunLeers dellver Lhe meals on blke wlLh Lallor made bags Lo keep Lhe meal safe and
warm LhaL makes Lhls program dlfferenL from Lhe usual ones and also helps Lo malnLaln Lhe
envlronmenLal susLalnablllLy by reduclng Lhe carbon emlsslon. 1hls servlce helps Lo connecL Lwo
generaLlons and break Lhe soclal lsolaLlon aL Lhe same Llme lmprove Lhe food securlLy (SanLropol
8oulanL, 1993). owell 8lver, belng a reLlremenL communlLy, has so many people, who are on lncome
asslsLance and are physlcally noL able Lo prepare meal. 1hls program could help Lhem Lo sLay ln Lhelr
communlLles and lncrease Lhelr food securlLy.

g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

)'*:$.,7'*
lood securlLy has become one of Lhe cenLral lssues globally afLer Lhe recenL food, fuel and
flnanclal crlsls. Pavlng neglecLed for a decade, Lhe crlsls has regalned lnLeresL and aLLenLlon of naLlonal
governmenLs, and all Lhe relaLed lnLernaLlonal organlzaLlons on lnvesLmenL ln agrlculLure, food, and
nuLrlLlonal securlLy (Sharma & CulaLl, 2012). lood securlLy ls a challenge for Lhe resldenLs of owell
8lver slnce lL ls a resource dependenL lsolaLed communlLy, whose populaLlon ls aglng, some of Lhem are
dependenL on lncome asslsLance and young farmers are leavlng Lhe Lown. ln Lhe pasL, owell 8lver used
Lo produce a wlde varleLy of frulLs, vegeLables and food relaLed producLs for local consumpLlon as well
as exporL Lhe excess food Lo oLher areas. 1he area sLlll has Lhe ablllLy Lo malnLaln lLs food securlLy, lf Lhe
lssues are glven lmporLance and necessary acLlons are lmplemenLed by Lhe communlLy.

1here are many dlfferenL lnlLlaLlves lmplemenLed ln Lhe communlLy Lo lmprove Lhe food
securlLy. llrsLly, nelghbourhood communlLy gardens, whlch are helplng Lo produce local food and
poulLry producLs, on Lhe oLher hand Lhey are reduclng Lhe LransporL dependency. Secondly, programs
llke 30-mlle challenge, good food box, 8Cnu, Skookum and many oLher volunLary programs are
provldlng access Lo nuLrlLlous food Lo Lhe people who are noL able Lo afford a healLhy dleL. LasLly,
communlLy klLchens are educaLlng Lhe vulnerable populaLlon abouL chooslng, preparlng and preservlng
Lhe nuLrlLlous dleL.

lrom Lhe Lhree day learnlng experlence ln owell 8lver, lL was evldenL LhaL food securlLy would
be enhanced by nelghbourhood communlLy gardens, greaLer local food producLlon, and access Lo
communlLy klLchens. 1he suggesLlons from elsewhere may creaLe greaL lmpacL ln Lhe reglon, lf
lmplemenLed by Lhe communlLles. !unlor larmer lleld and Llfe School and ?ouLh CollaboraLlve
CommunlLy AgrlculLure rogramme may provlde greaL beneflL Lo Lhe dylng agrlculLure secLor of Lhe
reglon and help Lhe local resldenLs Lo regaln Lhelr ldenLlLy and boosL Lhelr economy. Whlle SanLropol
8oulanL program from MonLreal could help Lhe senlors and aborlglnal communlLles Lo afford a healLhy
dleL and malnLaln Lhelr food securlLy.



g6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS
Adamson, L. (2007 !anuary). Local lood lor Change - An AssessmenL of owell 8lver's 30-Mlle LaL-Local
Challenge. 8rlLlsh Columbla, Canada: 8oyal 8oads unlverslLy.
Alllance, n. 8. (2006 !uly). Supplylng fresh food Lo remoLe lndlgenous. lrom lood securlLy for lndlgenous
people ln remoLe areas: hLLp://www.ruralhealLh.org.au/nrhapubllc/lndex.cfm
8C rovlnclal PealLh Cfflcer (2006). lood, healLh and well-belng ln 8rlLlsh Columbla: rovlnclal PealLh
Officers annual report 2005. Victoria, BC: Ministry of Health.
Church, S.-u. A. (2013 22-ocLober). SevenLh-uay AdvenLlsL Church. lrom owell 8lver, 8.C. SevenLh-uay
AdvenLlsL Church: hLLp://www.prsda.ca/communlLy_gardens.php
CCAC. (2009 7-uecember). naLlonal SLraLegy for lood SecurlLy ln 8emoLe lndlgenous CommunlLles.
lrom Councll of AusLrallan CovernmenLs: hLLp://www.coag.gov.au/node/92
Cook, 8. (2008). lood securlLy lssues ln a publlc healLh conLexL: LlLeraLure revlew and envlronmenLal
scan. AnLlgonlsh, nS: naLlonal CollaboraLlng CenLre for ueLermlnanLs of PealLh. 8eLrleved May 8, 2008,
from hLLp://www.nccdh.ca/downloads/2008_loodSecurlLy_LlL8ev.pdf
CooperaLlve, S. l. (2013 22-CcLober). Skookum Food Provisioners Cooperative. From
hLLp://skookumfood.ca/
uleLlLlans of Canada (2007). CommunlLy food securlLy: oslLlon of uleLlLlans of Canada. 8eLrleved
May 8, 2008, from hLLp://www.dleLlLlans.ca/news/hlghllghLs_poslLlons.asp
lAC [lood and AgrlculLure CrganlzaLlon. 2003. 1rade 8eforms and lood
SecurlLy ConcepLuallzlng Lhe Llnkages. 8ome, lLaly: lAC.
lAC. (2010). !unlor larmer lleld and Llfe Schools (!llLS). 8eLrleved from lood, AgrlculLure & uecenL
Work: hLLp://www.fao-llo.org/?ld=20904
lAC. (2012, lebruary 18). laclllLaLlng access of rural ?ouLh Lo agrlculLural acLlvlLles. 8eLrleved from 1he
Farmers Forum Youth session: http://www.ifad.org/farmer/2012/youth/reporL.pdf
Padley, C. (2011 24-May). 1he 1hree lllars of lood SecurlLy: CeLLlng Lo Lhe CuLs of uLlllzaLlon. lrom
lood AnLhropology: hLLp://foodanLhro.com/2011/03/24/Lhe-Lhree-plllars-of-food-lnsecurlLy-
geLLlng-Lo-Lhe-guLs-of-uLlllzaLlon/
PealLh Canada (2007). Canadlan CommunlLy PealLh Survey Cycle 2.2, nuLrlLlon (2004): lncome-
relaLed household food securlLy ln Canada. 8eLrleved May 3, 2008, from hLLp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-
an/survelll/nuLrlLlon/commun/lncome_food_sec-sec_allm_e.hLml#key31
keLLlngs, C., & Slnclalr, A. !. (2009). A healLhy dleL conslsLenL wlLh AusLrallan
healLh recommendaLlons ls Loo expenslve for welfare-dependenL
famllles. AusLrallan and new Zealand !ournal of ubllc PealLh, 33(6),
366372.
norLhrup, k., & LelLner, M. (2006). owell 8lver CommunlLy lood AcLlon lnlLlaLlve 8eporL. owell 8lver:
owell 8lver LmploymenL rogram SocleLy.
arklnson, u. (2013). 8eLrleved 2013 23-CcLober from owell 8lver lood SecurlLy pro[ecL:
hLLp://prfoodsecurlLy.org/
rovlnclal PealLh Servlces AuLhorlLy. (2006). erspecLlves on communlLy based food
securlLy pro[ecLs: A dlscusslon paper. 8eLrleved november, 10, 2013 , from
hLLp ://www. phsa. ca/n8/rdonlyres/7 6u687Cl-6396-46lL-AA9 AA336u61l803
8/16876/PS A002reporLWL8. pdf
owell 8lver Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy. (2006). CommunlLy roflle. 8eLrleved
november, 10, 2013 from
hLLp://www.prreds.eom/820CommunlLy20roflle20200620Lo208es.p
df
8lver, owell. (2013). 1he clLy of owell 8lver. lrom owell 8lver.ca: hLLp://www.powellrlver.ca/
g)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8osler, k. (2011 AugusL). lood lnsecurlLy ln AusLralla: WhaL ls lL, who experlences lL and how can chlld
and famlly servlces supporL famllles experlenclng lL? lrom AusLrallan lnsLlLuLe of famlly SLudles:
hLLp://www.alfs.gov.au/cafca/pubs/sheeLs/ps/ps9.hLml
8oulanL, S. (1993). Meals on Wheels. 8eLrleved 2013 1-november from SanLropol 8oulanL:
hLLp://sanLropolroulanL.org/whaL-we-do/meals-on-wheels/lnLro-Lo-mow/
Sadlq, S. (2013 9-CcLober). llghLlng food wasLe. 8eLrleved 2013 23-CcLober from CuesL Lhe sclence of
susLalnablllLy : hLLp://sclence.kqed.org/quesL/vldeo/flghLlng-food-wasLe/
Sharma, ., & CulaLl, A. (2012). Approaches Lo food securlLy ln 8razll, Chlna, lndla, Malaysla, Mexlco, and
nlgerla: Lessons for developlng counLrles. new uelhl: lC8lL8.
un [unlLed naLlons]. 2011. SusLalnable MounLaln uevelopmenL. 8eporL of Lhe
SecreLary-Ceneral. 66Lh Sesslon, unlLed naLlons Ceneral Assembly, AugusL.
new ?ork, n?: unlLed naLlons.
un[unlLed naLlons. 2013. 1he SLaLe of lood and AgrlculLure. 8eporL of unlLed naLlons, 8eLrleved
fromhLLp://www.fao.org/docrep/018/l3301e/l3301e.pdf
vldgen, P., & Callegos, u. (2011). WhaL ls food llLeracy and does lL lnfluence whaL we eaL. Cueensland
unlverslLy of 1echnology. 8rlsbane, Cueensland, AusLralla: PealLh romoLlon Cueensland,
Cueensland PealLh under Lender 00.01/023. .
World PealLh CrganlzaLlon. (1996). 8eLrleved 2013 28-CcLober from lood SecurlLy:
hLLp://www.who.lnL/Lrade/glossary/sLory028/en/
?CCCA. (2013 7-november). ?ouLh lnlLlaLlve for susLalnable agrlculLure parLners wlLh u.S. governmenL
on communlLy empowermenL scheme Lhrough agrlculLure. lrom youLh lnlLlaLlve for susLalnable
agrlculLure : hLLp://yarlnlgerla.wordpress.com/











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"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

4*1"17*1 +/% 4$3%9$= 7* M'$.*+%%97,5

8y. eooq Mloq kel


8*+9'3.:+7'*
AlLhough ln Canada lL ls noL compulsory Lo reLlre, lndlvlduals wlll normally recelve Lhe Cld Age
SecurlLy (CAS) penslon and reLlre aL Lhe age of 63 (8lalkle, 2006, hLLp://www.servlcecanada.gc.ca/eng
/servlces/penslons/oas/penslon/lndex.shLml). 8uL Canadlans aged 60 Lo 64 can also condlLlonally begln
Lhelr reLlred llfe (hLLp://www.servlcecanada.gc.ca/eng/servlces/pensl ons/oas/allowance.shLml).

WlLhln 8rlLlsh Columbla, owell 8lver and SechelL are Lwo places favored by reLlrees due Lo Lhelr
advanLage of locaLlon and cllmaLe. owell 8lver, so called Lhe earl on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL, ls on Lhe
souLhwesLern shore of 8rlLlsh Columbla. Surrounded by mounLalns, lakes, foresL and ocean, magnlflcenL
vlews of Malasplna SLralL, vancouver lsland and several lslands can be provlded ln owell 8lver (ClLy of
owell 8lver CC 8ylaw 2080, 2013, 2013). lus, lL has a cool meso Lhermal cllmaLe wlLh genLle wlnLers
and cool summers (Meldlnger & o[ar, 1991). Powever, locaLed 143 km norLhwesL of vancouver, owell
8lver ls noL connecLed by moLorway and requlres Lwo rldes on Lhe ferry Lo reach owell 8lver from
vancouver. AlLhough lL ls noL convenlenL Lo Lravel beLween vancouver and owell 8lver, Lhe
comparaLlvely lower houslng cosLs are a reason aLLracLlng senlor clLlzens Lo move Lo owell 8lver.
Compared wlLh $923,700 ln CreaL vancouver ln AugusL 2013, $263,916 was Lhe average prlce for a
slngle famlly deLached house ln owell 8lver ln CcLober 2012 (!ang 2013, ClLy of owell 8lver, 2013).

SechelL ls locaLed on Lhe lower Sunshlne CoasL of 8rlLlsh Columbla. Compared Lo owell 8lver, lL
ls more convenlenLly locaLed Lo vancouver. AfLer a 40-mlnuLe ferry rlde, people can reach Lhe clLy by
drlvlng 27 km. lurLhermore, as SechelL has one of Lhe hlghesL raLlos ln 8rlLlsh Columbla belng a full-
fledged communlLy for reLlrees ls anoLher advanLage(hLLp://sechelLsenlors.com/lde as.hLml).

1hese Lwo desLlnaLlons of Lhls fleld Lrlp are poLenLlally aLLracLlve by reLlrees and pre-reLlrees,
Lhe local senlor are apL Lo reLlre locally and some elders from ouLslde Lhe clLles lnLend Lo come for Lhelr
reLlremenL llves as well. 1herefore, Lhe populaLlon of senlor clLlzens ln Lhese Lwo clLles has been
lncreaslng. AfLer Lhe challenges and Lhe responses are examlned, lnnovaLlve approaches from Amerlca
and !apan wlll be provlded and valuable suggesLlons can be glven Lo saLlsfy Lhe exlsLlng and lncreaslng
demands of senlors by Lhe means of boosLlng Lhe recrulLmenL and Lhe reLenLlon of senlor volunLeers.

)/"$$%*1%, 7* +/% ,%*7'9 :'55.*7+7%, 7* ?'@%$$ 67A%9 "*3 <%:/%$+
T0#>$0#>#>2 $=% 313$0#>0'#,#$( +< $=% 3%>#+: *+CC1>#$#%3

1hanks Lo Lhe merlLs of owell 8lver and SechelL, a greaL number of senlor clLlzens are llvlng
Lhere, whlch sLablllzes Lhe raLlos of senlor populaLlon on a hlgh level. Powever, Lhls renders a challenge
of malnLalnlng Lhe susLalnablllLy of Lhe senlor communlLles. 8uslnesses, communlLles and governmenLs
need Lo Lackle Lhe lssues of populaLlon aglng, such as Lax, penslon and nurslng care, and make declslons
carefully ln nexL several decades (newbold, MeredlLh, & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm), 2012).

gg
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

ln owell 8lver, Lhe share of Lhe clLlzens over 63 years old was 23.7 ln 2011, whlch
Lremendously ouLwelghs Lhe average flgure ln 8rlLlsh Columbla, 13.3 (ClLy of owell 8lver 8ackground
8eporL, 2013). 1he medlan age ln 2006, 46.8 years, was also blgger Lhan LhaL for 8rlLlsh Columbla (40.8
years) (ClLy of owell 8lver 8ackground 8eporL, 2013, !ackel, 2010)

A slmllar slLuaLlon can be dlscerned ln SechelL as well. 1he elderly over Lhe age of 63 ln 2006
represenLed 23.3 of Lhe LoLal populaLlon ln SechelL, whereas Lhe provlnclal average was 14.6 (!ackel,
2010). Compared Lo 40.8 years for Lhe provlnce, Lhe medlan age for SechelL ln 2006 reached 30.7 years
old (!ackel, 2010, ClLy of owell 8lver 8ackground Report, 2013). Interestingly, according to Jackels data
ln 2010, Lhere are more clLlzens over age 83 Lhan preschoolers ln SechleL, 280 Lo 270.

G+ 30$#3<( $=% #>*:%03#>2 "%C0>"3

Cenerally, Lhe lncreaslng number of senlor clLlzens ln owell 8lver and SechelL come from Lhree
sources, local lncrease, lnLra-provlnclal mlgranLs and lnLer-provlnclal mlgranLs.

AL presenL, a wlde range of Lhe elderly prefer Lo begln Lhelr reLlred llfe wlLh a change of llfesLyle,
sLarLlng wlLh Lhe shlfLs of llvlng places (newbold, MeredlLh, & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm), 2012).
1hey choose Lo move because of Lhe servlces and amenlLles ln Lhe LargeL place, preferable cllmaLe, and
belng close Lo famlly (newbold, MeredlLh, & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm), 2012). Cenerally, senlor
mlgranLs prefer Lo move wlLhln a provlnce (92) (newbold, MeredlLh, & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary
(llrm), 2012). 1hls ls also Lhe case ln 8rlLlsh Columbla.

Researcher: Recent years have witnessed an increase of the populaLlon of senlor clLlzens
from 60 Lo 64. ls lL because local baby boomers are geLLlng older here or old mlgranLs from
other places, for example Vancouver, have been moving into here?

One of the editors of We Envision: Both. Some of them moved from Vancouver and other
Cities.


8uL also, as showed ln mlgranL flows of reLlred senlors across, 2001-2006, 8rlLlsh Columbla was
an aLLracLlve reLlremenL desLlnaLlon for old people, wlLh Lhe hlghesL mlgranL raLe of 1 and a large
number of newly-movlng-ln reLlrees, 17,070 (newbold, MeredlLh, & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm),
2012). Anyway, whaLever Lhe elderly move from oLher provlnces or from oLher clLles ln 8rlLlsh Columbla,
Lhey conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe lncrease of senlor populaLlon ln owell 8lver and SechelL.

More preclsely, an lncreaslng movemenL of senlor populaLlon can be dlscerned by analyzlng
prevlous daLa. As revealed ln ClLy of owell 8lver 8ackground 8eporL, 2013, Lhe populaLlon from 30 Lo
70 years and over have all gone Lhrough a slgnlflcanL upward movemenL. More preclsely, Lhe blggesL
ascenL, 33.8, could be found ln Lhe age group of 60 Lo 64, followed by Lhe proporLlon of 33 Lo 39 years,
49.4. As Lhe Lhlrd hlghesL percenLage, Lhe flgure of 63 Lo 69 years, 47.1, was only 2.3 less Lhan LhaL
of 33 Lo 39 years (ClLy of owell 8lver 8ackground 8eporL, 2013). 1wo Lrends of developmenL can be
anLlclpaLed by Lhese daLa. llrsL of all, Lhe reLlred resldenLs wlll conLlnuously lncrease along wlLh Lhe
aglng of Lhe people from 60 Lo 64 years old. Secondly, Lhough Lhe populaLlon of over 70 years has
occupled Lhe largesL percenLage of Lhe populaLlon ln owell 8lver as a whole, lL wlll soar ln Lhe fuLure
decades. lmporLanLly, Lhey are a group of people who really need exLra help and care.
oo
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


ln Lerms of SechelL, Lhe laLesL Cfflclal CommunlLy lan whlch was publlshed ln 2011 does
menLlon demographlc changes over Lhe lasL several years (Cfflclal CommunlLy lan ulsLrlcL of SechelL
8ylaw 492, 2010, 2011). ln order Lo geL Lhe brlef lmage of Lhe shlfLs of populaLlon dlsLrlbuLlon, auLhor
lnLended Lo compare Lhe demographlc lnformaLlon ln Lhe lasL and Lhe laLesL Cfflclal CommunlLy lans,
however, lasL Cfflclal CommunlLy lan of SechelL was publlshed 28 years ago, ln 1993. 1hus Lhe lmage of
Lhe changes of populaLlon dlsLrlbuLlon cannoL be reached.

An lncreaslng number of local people are expecLed Lo reLlre ln Sunshlne CoasL and an lncreaslng
number of people from oLher places may relocaLe lnLo Sunshlne CoasL for Lhelr reLlred llves. 1he
lncreaslng number of senlors wlll lead Lo slgnlflcanL changes ln Lhe populaLlon wlLhln [urlsdlcLlons, whlch
could affecL communlLy dynamlcs, servlces, economlc developmenL and plannlng (newbold, MeredlLh,
& Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm), 2012). Lspeclally, Lhe small communlLles, llke owell 8lver and
SechelL, whlch hlghly depend on Lhe economlcal and demographlcal conLrlbuLlon from newly comlng
senlors, wlll be affecLed and should Lhlnk furLher. Lspeclally when Lhe elderly move Lo new
communlLles, lL ls necessary Lo supporL Lhelr easy access Lo healLh care, soclal and communlLy servlces,
whlch are normally ln shorLage ln Lhese communlLles (newbold, MeredlLh, & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary
(llrm), 2012). 1hls also mlrrors Lhe challenge LhaL Lhe lncreaslngly dlverse demands need Lo be saLlsfled.

6%,E'*,%, "+ +/% $':"$ $%A%$
lL ls commonly LhaL Lhe local governmenLs are sLrlvlng Lo weaken Lhelr roles ln senlor servlces
and senlor care, and meanwhlle, volunLary organlzaLlons are play lncreaslngly lmporLanL role ln Lhese
aspecLs. 1hls ls because Lhe sLaLe and volunLary organlzaLlons have Lo work and focus on dlverse
ob[ecLlves ln modern socleLy. And lmporLanLly, Lhey can funcLlon beLLer Lo serve clLlzens. lnlLlally,
Lhough Lhe sLaLe and volunLary secLor seem Lo have much exchange and common ob[ecLs, Lhey are sLlll
lndependenL Lo each oLher due Lo Lhe dlfference of lnLeresLs (nakano, & MylLlbrary, 2004).
lnLeresLlngly, Lhe slmllar explanaLlon Loward Lhe currenL relaLlonshlp beLween Lhe governmenL and Lhe
volunLary organlzaLlons, lncludlng senlor volunLary organlzaLlons, was glven by Clmel Llang, a soclal
worker ln !lnsha SLreeL lamlly Servlce CenLre, who ls sLudylng Soclal Work ln SouLh Chlna AgrlculLural
unlverslLy. 1hls explanaLlon noL only lllusLraLes Lhe collaboraLlve and lndependenL relaLlonshlp beLween
Lhe governmenL and Lhe volunLary organlzaLlon, buL also demonsLraLes Lhe necesslLy of Lhe exlsLence of
volunLary organlzaLlons ouLslde Lhe pollLlcs sLrucLure.

Qimei Liang: The reason why the government does not establish and run non-ptoflt
otqoolzotloos lles oo tbe lock of ptofessloool koowleJqe. lot exomple, befote tbe
estobllsbmeot of oo otqoolzotloo, some teseotcbes oeeJ to be Jooe ooJ some koowleJqe
oeeJ to be opplleJ so tbot wbete lt sboolJ be bollt ooJ wbot setvlces sboolJ be ptovlJeJ
coo be JetetmloeJ. nowevet, tbls ls wbot qovetomeot offlclols lock. 5o tbe qovetomeot
intends to support these services by the means of funding.

1herefore, when Lo saLlsfy Lhe exlsLlng and Lhe lncreaslng demands of Lhe elderly, Lhe
governmenL and volunLary organlzaLlons belleve lL effecLlve Lo develop volunLeerlsm. And more
speclflcally, Lo develop senlor volunLeerlsm can noL only saLlsfy Lhe exlsLlng and lncreaslng demands buL
also seLLle Lhe problem of Lhe lack of volunLeers due Lo a shorLage of younger volunLeers. 8oLh Lhe
governmenL and volunLary organlzaLlons have Lhelr own respondlng ln a varleLy of ways Lo supporL Lhe
developmenL.

o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

G=% :%3;+>3%3 <:+C $=% 2+M%:>C%>$

Researcher: How many senior voluntary organizations are there in Powell River? And how
do Lhe governmenL supporL Lhem, for example, Senlor Citizens Association Branch 49?

A councilor of Powell River: I dont know. Around 20. We are supporting them by grant and
strategies. Like the Branch 49, the land it uses was provided by us.

Councilors answer typically reflects the role and the funcLlon of Lhe governmenL for Lhe senlor
voluntary sector nowadays. Rather than directly run and organize elders volunteerism, the government
ls playlng roles as a supporLer on Lhe level of flnance and a dlrecLor on Lhe level of pollcy.


-;,,"(0 *64/"( ="%;4066(/*5 3/0+ <($40*
Cn one hand, lL ls necessary for Lhe governmenL Lo Lake more flnanclal responslblllLy ln
supporting social organizations. In industrialized society, as peoples main source of income is working,
old people who are rapldly loslng Lhelr labor force have Lo depend on Lhe supporL from boLh Lhe
governmenL and Lhe organlzaLlons ouL of Lhe governmenL afLer reLlremenL (1ong, 2006). Among Lhose
soclal organlzaLlons, volunLary organlzaLlons, lncludlng senlor volunLary organlzaLlons, are non-proflL
and someLlmes rely on Lhe fundlng from Lhe governmenL. 1hus lL ls reasonable LhaL Lhe governmenL
lnLend Lo back volunLary organlzaLlons ln owell 8lver and SechelL, lncludlng Lhose wlLh a mandaLe Lo
serve senlors wlLh granLs.

Researcher: Are you belng funded by Lhe governmenL, for example, Lhe governmenL of owell
River?

Senior Citizen Association Branch 49: We are funded by B.C. Government, Federal
CovernmenL,
but not the local government.

ln pracLlce, lL ls proved by phone lnLervlew LhaL Senlor ClLlzens AssoclaLlon 8ranch 49 ls belng
funded by lederal CovernmenL. Meanwhlle, CommunlLy lnvesLmenL ollcy ln SechelL glves Lhe local
governmenL guldance ln supporLlng volunLary organlzaLlons (ulsLrlcL of SechelL, 2013). ln Lhls flnanclal
policy, the third objective is to Encourage and support civic engagement and volunteerism (District of
SechelL, 2013).

-;,,"(0 *64/"( ="%;4066(/*5 3/0+ *0($06</6*
Cn Lhe oLher hand, Lhe sLraLegles from Lhe governmenL are essenLlal Lo Lhe developmenL and
Lhe operaLlon of volunLary organlzaLlons. 1he forLh funcLlon of offlclal lnsLlLuLlons ln senlor welfare
system, to improve elders access to get involved in social activities, shows that the strategies and
pollcles forwarded by Lhe governmenL should sLlmulaLe Lhe elderly Lo engage ln soclal acLlvlLles (1ong,
2006). 1hls was made accordlng Lo Lhe ArLlcle 12 of 8eporL of Lhe Second World Assembly on Agelng, as
followed:

The expectations of older persons and the economic needs of socieLy demand LhaL older
persons be able Lo parLlclpaLe ln Lhe economlc, pollLlcal, soclal and culLural llfe of Lhelr socleLles.
oz
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Clder persons should have Lhe opporLunlLy Lo work for as long as Lhey wlsh and are able Lo, ln
saLlsfylng and producLlve work, conLlnulng Lo have access Lo educaLlon and Lralnlng programs.
1he empowermenL of older persons and Lhe promoLlon of Lhelr full parLlclpaLlon are essenLlal
elemenLs for acLlve agelng. lor older persons, approprlaLe susLalnable soclal supporL should be
provided. (uolteJ Notloos, 2002)

In practice, Sunshine Coast Regional District put forward a strategy in We Envision, advocate
for communlLy-care nurslng and home-supporL servlces Lo enable senlors Lo llve lndependenLly ln Lhelr
own homes (Allen et al., 2012). 1hls sLraLegy lmplles LhaL soclal organlzaLlons, lncludlng proflL and non-
proflL ones, are encouraged Lo play lmporLanL roles of Laklng care of senlors. 1haL ls, commerclal and
volunLary are sLlmulaLed ln senlor care.

All in all, the governments valuable sLraLegles Lo senlor volunLary organlzaLlons are colossally
lmporLanL for encouraglng senlor clLlzens Lo fulflll Lhelr llves by soclal parLlclpaLlons ln whlch Lo
volunLeer ls one of Lhe common ways. Powever, researcher can hardly flnd any oLher lnformaLlon of
sLraLegles and pollcles, especlally Lhe sLraLegles whlch gulde senlor organlzaLlon how Lo lmprove
recrulLmenL, reLenLlon, quallLy of servlces and so on.

G=% :+,% +< $=% M+,1>$0:( 3%*$+: #> 3%:M#>2 3%>#+:3
ln modern socleLy, non-governmenL organlzaLlons, wlLh Lhe help and supporL of Lhe
governmenLs, are assumlng lncreased responslblllLy ln provldlng soclal servlces whlle Lhe governmenLs
are Lrylng Lo weaken Lhelr roles Lhough Lhey are sLlll Lhe maln provlders of baslc soclal servlces and are
lmprovlng Lhelr servlces ln fundamenLal flelds (Salamon, 1994, WuLhnow, 1991). 1hus servlces beyond
baslc servlces need Lo be provlded by soclal organlzaLlons, llke senlor volunLary organlzaLlons. 1hen Lhe
servlces provlded Lo senlor clLlzens from volunLary organlzaLlons are lmporLanL Lo Lhe elderly, for elders
noL only need physlcal and medlcal help buL also guldance and asslsLances on Lhe level of psychology. So
volunLary secLor ls playlng an essenLlal role ln senlor physlcal and psychologlcal healLh.

G=% :%3;+>3%3 <:+C $=% M+,1>$0:( +:20>#a0$#+>3 #> K+L%,, D#M%: 0>" F%*=%,$
uurlng and afLer Lhls fleld Lrlp, researcher lnLended Lo conLacL flve volunLary organlzaLlons and Lwo
academlc lnsLlLuLes, and flnally Lhree volunLary organlzaLlons and one person from an academlc ln
owell 8lver and SechelL can be reached.

>("=/96 *64/"(* 3/0+ ",,"(0;4/0/6* "7 ="%;4066(/4<

Researcher: Are there senior volunteers in your organization? and are there other senior
volunteer organizations over here?

Sunshine CoasL volunLeer CenLre: 1here are many senlor volunLeers on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL
as our demographic is definitely aged. I dont have the ages of these volunteers but they
provlde many servlces for people and cerLalnly enrlch our llves. 1here are Lwo senlors
organlzaLlons speclflcally - Lhe SechelL Senlors AcLlvlLy CenLre and Parmony Pall ln
Gibsons. Also Lhe SL. Marys Hospital Auxiliary is composed mostly of senior women.

lrom Lhls conversaLlon, lL ls clearly LhaL Lhere are a varleLy of organlzaLlons ln SechelL recrulLlng
senlor volunLeers and provldlng volunLeers wlLh opporLunlLles Lo help oLhers so LhaL Lhelr reLlred llves
o)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

can be enrlched. lrom any angle, Lhls can acLually be vlewed as a servlce LhaL Lhese organlzaLlons
arrange and organlze for reLlrees Lo enrlch Lhelr spare Llme, whlch can also enhance Lhelr psychologlcal
healLh.

Volunteer Powell River: I do know that we are the only volunteer location in town, and a large
number of our volunteers are senior age.

volunLeer owell 8lver provldes communlLy members wlLh varlous volunLary acLlvlLles, buL
researcher can barely flnd ouL Lhe volunLary acLlvlLles assoclaLed wlLh senlor care, or even senlor home
vlslLlng (hLLp://www.volunLeerpowellrlver.com/ops.hLm). 1urnlng Lo anoLher volunLary organlzaLlon ln
owell 8lver, Senlor ClLlzens AssoclaLlon 8ranch 49, knowledge exchange ls emphaslzed and senlors can
hold and aLLend Lhe classes relaLed Lo bowllng, cholr, compuLer, eLc. (hLLp://www.powellrlver
senlors.ca/acLlvlLles.hLm)

AlLhough many volunLary opporLunlLles have been provlded by Lhe volunLary organlzaLlons ln
owell 8lver and SechelL, Lhey have noL sysLemaLlcally caLegorlzed Lhese opporLunlLles and
dlsLlngulshed Lhe opporLunlLles whlch sulL for senlor. And ln Lhe lnLroducLlon a cerLaln volunLary
opporLunlLy, recommended quallLles of appllcanLs are noL menLloned.
>("=/96 *6(=69 6%96(* 3/0+ 0+6 *6(=/#6* 0+68 4669
WlLhouL complex sLrucLure llke Lhe governmenL, dlfferenL volunLary organlzaLlons can focus on
different fields they specialize in and provide services in accordant with seniors needs. However, the
senlor servlces provlded ln owell 8lver and SechelL are lnsufflclenL.

Researcher: Can you Lalk abouL Lhe program called SoluLlons for Senlors ln your assoclaLlon?
And are there any other programs are you conducting to help the seniors at home?

Senior Citizens Association Branch 49: Where did you find this program? We are no longer in
Lhls program. 8uL we have dlfferenL courses for senlors and regular dlnners. And Lhere are only
a few volunLeers wllllng Lo help ouLslde Lhe CenLre.

ln owell 8lver, Senlor ClLlzens AssoclaLlon 8ranch 49 orlglnally held a program, SoluLlons for
Senlors. ln Lhls program, Lhe assoclaLlon lnLends Lo keep senlors ln comforLlng homes by organlzlng
senlor volunLeers Lo vlslL Lhe senlors ln need once or Lwlce a week. noL only dld Lhey do llghL housework
for Lhe served elderly buL Lhey also provlde LransporLation services between hospital and seniors
homes. Powever, Lhls servlces ls no longer unavallable, and worse sLlll, research cannoL flnd oLher
programs ln owell 8lver whlch provlde senlors wlLh conslderaLe servlces, such as occaslonal medlcal
consulLlng, peL care and so on.

In Sechelt, St. Marys Hospital Auxiliary which is mainly composed of senior women provides
care servlces, lncludlng senlor care servlce, ln hosplLal (hLLp://www.sLmarysauxlllary.com/whaL
uo.hLml). Powever, Lhe webslLe of SL. Marys Hospital Auxiliary does not precisely mention about the
provlded senlor servlces. Moreover, researcher cannoL reach oLher senlor volunLary organlzaLlons ln
SechelL, llke SechelL Senlors AcLlvlLy CenLre, for Lhey have noL offlclal webslLes and Lhey do noL work
sLably so LhaL lL ls hard for researcher Lo conLacL Lhem.

o
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8**'A"+7A% "EE9'":/%, (9'5 %$,%@/%9%
F%>#+:3 =%,;#>2 3%>#+:3
As more and more senlors may reLlre ln owell 8lver and SechelL, challenges and opporLunlLles
exlsL. 1hls ls because Lhere would exlsL lncreaslng demands of senlor servlces, whlch can be saLlsfled by
Lhe lncreaslng supply of senlor servlces from senlor volunLeers. ln Lhe case of helplng elders wlLh elders,
Amerlca has done a loL.

Amerlca already recognlzed senlors as a communlLy resource Lo help Lhe elderly ln need. ln an
lssue brlef, 8aby 8oomers and volunLeerlng: llndlngs lrom CorporaLlon 8esearch, 77 mllllon clLlzens
who were born from 1946 Lo 1964 were deflned as 8aby 8oomers (CorporaLlon for naLlonal and
CommunlLy Servlce, 2007). Slmllarly, Lhe baby booms happened beLween 1947 and 1966 ln Canada
(looL, 2006). AparL from Lhe large number of 8aby 8oomers, Lhey are valued as an essenLlal source of
volunLeers because compared lasL generaLlons, 8aby 8oomers have a hlgher educaLlon raLe and skllls
(CorporaLlon for naLlonal and CommunlLy Servlce, 2007). 1hanks Lo Lhls feaLure, senlor organlzaLlons
can enhance Lhe recrulLmenL of senlor volunLeers and Lhe dlsLrlbuLlon of senlor volunLeers resources so
LhaL older people can recelve beLLer servlces.

D%*:1#$#>2 I0'( I++C%:3 0**+:"#>2 $+ 3;%*#<#* *=0:0*$%:#3$#*3

Sunshlne CoasL volunLeer CenLre: We prefer to refer to these old people as mature or
mlddle aged adulLs ln Lhelr flfLles and slxLles. ?es Lhey wanL Lo volunLeer ln a dlfferenL
way, Lhey wanL Lo work for llmlLed Llme perlods, do conLracL work, share volunLeer
poslLlons and have Lhe work be more geared Lowards Lhelr prevlous professlonal experLlse.
We call them knowledge philanthropists. They are less willing to fill the traditional
weekly roles of careglvlng, sorLlng, selllng, eLc.

A pronounced Baby Boomers feature is that Lhey prefer Lo volunLeer wlLh whaL Lhey are good
aL or speclallze ln. 1he quoLe from Sunshlne CoasL volunLeer CenLre mlrrors Lhls and prove LhaL Lhe 8aby
8oomers ln SechelL have Lhls volunLeerlng Lendency. 1hus an aglng pollcy suggesLlon from Lhe WhlLe
Pouse suggested that Baby Boomers professional skills and experience be made good use of and
respecLed (Llsner, 2003). Also, Llsner ln 2003 belleved LhaL onllne medla was a useful Lool Lo connecL
senlor volunLeers and volunLeerlng opporLunlLles ln Amerlca. So dlfferenL volunLary organlzaLlons ln
owell 8lver and SechelL can lncrease Lhe recrulLmenL of senlor volunLeers by persuadlng elders Lo
volunLeer ln Lhe poslLlons geared Lowards Lhelr prevlous professlonal experLlse Lhrough medla.

D%*:1#$#>2 C0,% 3%>#+:3
1hanks Lo Lhelr sLrengLh and Lechnlcal skllls, Male senlor volunLeers are hlghly lmporLanLly ln
communlLy senlor servlces. ln facL, we can engage more male senlor volunLeers, lf we could acLlvaLe
Lhelr lnlLlaLlve.

AnoLher reason of sLrengLhenlng Lhe recrulLmenL of male senlor volunLeers ls Lhelr advanLages
of strength and technical skills. Interviewee in Nakanos case study (2004), Tanaka thought that they
really needed mens strength and appreciated that men could use their technlcal skllls based on Lhe
work LhaL Lhey had done ln Lhe pasL ln order Lo work as volunLeers. 1hls ls because Lhey can make
Lhlngs, flx elecLrlcal equlpmenL, lnsLall faclllLles for dlsables and so on. 1o sum up, Lhe recrulLmenL of
male senlor volunLeers can beneflL senlor care ln communlLles.

o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Accordlng Lo a !apanese survey conducLed by klkakucho ln 1993, Lhe male volunLeerlng raLe
peaked ln Lhelr 60s. namely, male ln Lhelr 60s are mosL moLlvaLed Lo volunLeer. ln owell 8lver and
SechelL, Lhere are many male clLlzens beLween 60 Lo 69, buL many pre-reLlrees are expecLed Lo sLep lnLo
reLlred age ln Lhe nexL several years. So Lhe volunLary organlzaLlons ln owell 8lver and SechelL cannoL
mlss Lhls opporLunlLy Lo recrulL more senlor volunLeers. 1hey should bulld and modlfy Lhelr webslLes and
convey a message Lo Lhe male 8aby 8oomers LhaL Lhey can conLrlbuLe by dolng whaL Lhey are skllled ln,
noL [usL by dolng nurslng work.

I1#,"#>2 0 3%>3% +< *+CC1>#$( 0>" M+,1>$%%:#>2 :%$%>$#+>
As for Lhe 8aby 8oomers ln Lhelr 60s, afLer Lhey move Lo new places for reLlred llves, Lhey ofLen
lack a sense of communlLy ln new places. AlLhough Lhey, especlally male senlors, ofLen have sLrong
lnlLlaLlve Lo volunLeer, Lhere are dlsLlncLlve oplnlons Lowards wheLher Lhe lack of a sense of communlLy
would make them less likely to volunteer. Towards the question, Compared with the local senior
citizens, are they more or less willing to volunteer? , Volunteer Powell River and Sunshine Coast
volunLeer CenLre gave dlfferenL answers.

Volunteer Powell River coordinator: I think they may be more interested in volunteering as a
means to get to know their new community and residents.

Sunshine Coast Volunteer Centre: they want to work for limited time periods.

AlLhough Lwo answers seem Lo be opposlLe Lo each oLher, Lhey can acLually be comblned and be
undersLood by Lhls way LhaL senlor mlgranLs would llke Lo Lry Lo volunLeer ln order Lo know Lhelr new
communlLles beLLer buL, meanwhlle, Lhey do noL volunLeer so long as do oLhers. 1hls undermlnes Lhe
volunteerism in these communities, for a seniors rate of volunteering retention has a positive
correlaLlon wlLh Lhe amounL of Lhe Llme senlors volunLeer (losLer-8ey, Crlmm, & uleLz, 2007). lf a
seniors is just willlng Lo spend a llLLle Llme on volunLeerlng, he would be more llkely Lo abandon
volunLeerlng laLer on. 1he lnsLablllLy ls noL good for Lhe long-Lerm developmenL of volunLeerlsm and
nonproflLs, for lL can seem Lo be a loss of senlor volunLeers resource.
WhaL a wasLe, lf we cannoL make good use of Baby boomers initiative for volunteering and let
Lhem serve Lhelr peers ln need. ln Lhelr case sLudy (2007), losLer-8ey eL al. [usL menLloned Lhe pracLlcal
meLhods of lncreaslng reLenLlon raLe buL Lhey dld noL conslder abouL Lhe lnfluence from a sense of
communlLy whlch was emphaslzed by a soclal worker, Clmel Llang. She sLaLed LhaL Lhe sLronger Lhelr
sense of communlLy was, Lhe LlghLer Lhey are aLLached Lo volunLeerlng.

Almed Lo bulld new senlors a sense of communlLy and hlgher Lhelr aLLachmenL Lo volunLeerlsm,
voluntary organizations common method is to hold tea forums for retirees. Since retirees are in the last
stage of Eriksons Developmental Stage Model, Ego Integrity versus Despair, a part of elders wlll llve
poslLlvely and be proud of Lhelr glory pasL buL meanwhlle a wlde range of Lhem are llkely Lo suffer from
ldenLlLy Crlsls, for Lhey have more Llme Lo Lhlnk abouL whaL Lhey have losL and galned ln Lhe pasL and
reallze LhaL Lhey can barely make dlfference ln Lhelr flnal sLage of llves (Lrlkson, 1963). 1hen lf Lhey can
flnd a place where Lhey could share experlence wlLh oLhers and recelve guldance Lo reevaluaLe
Lhemselves, Lhey wlll probably have a sLrong sense of belonglng Lo Lhese places. ln Lea forums, newly-
mlgranL senlors have opporLunlLles Lo exchange Lhelr own sLorles and Lhelr pasL wlLh same age people
and soclal workers so LhaL Lhelr ldenLlLy crlsls can more or less be relleved. When Lhe newly reLlred
comers are helped Lo geL Lhrough Lhe eighth stage of Eriksons ego theory, they are expected to
o6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

culLlvaLe Lhelr sense of aLLachmenL Lo communlLles fasLer. And Lhese newly-mlgranL elders can devoLe
and serve Lhrough volunLeerlsm.

)'*:$.,7'*
WlLh regard Lo recenL sLaLlsLlcs, owell 8lver and SechelL have a large populaLlon of senlors
whose demand of senior services is already very high. Moreover, with the analysis of recent years local
daLa, Lhe nexL few years are expecLed Lo see a conLlnuous lncrease of senlors populaLlon and of relaLlve
demands for servlces. ln addlLlon, a wlde range of senlors lnLend Lo move Lo new places Lo begln Lhelr
reLlred llves. Accordlng Lo a research ln Canada, Lhe ma[orlLy of Lhem would llke Lo move wlLhln a
provlnce buL Lhere are sLlll many reLlrees and pre-reLlrees comlng Lo 8rlLlsh Columbla for Lhelr
reLlremenL (newbold, MeredlLh, & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm), 2012). ln 8rlLlsh Columbla, owell
8lver and SechelL, Lwo clLles on Lhe Sunshlne CoasL, are well-llked by Lhe elderly due Lo Lhelr fabulous
envlronmenL, mlld cllmaLe, convenlenL locaLlons and low houslng prlce.

ln order Lo saLlsfy Lhe exlsLlng and lncreaslng demands from senlors, Lhe governmenLs are
supporLlng senlor volunLary organlzaLlons Lo provlde servlces because owell 8lver and SechelL are ln
shorLage of younger populaLlon and Lhese organlzaLlons are capable Lo glve senlors whaL Lhey need, and
also because Lhe dlverslLy of lnLeresLs, demands and supplles cannoL be balanced only by Lhe
governmenL. 1hls reallLy means LhaL many volunLary organlzaLlons need Lo Lake more responslblllLles.
And Lhey are already provldlng more volunLeerlng opporLunlLles Lo produce servlces and more
conslderaLe servlces Lo Lhe needy elders. Powever, Lhe number of provldlng organlzaLlons and
volunLeers, and Lhe caLegorles of servlces are far from enough.

llnally, lnnovaLlve approaches are forwarded for Lhe volunLary organlzaLlons ln owell 8lver and
SechelL. llrsL of all, Lhey should recognlze Lhe aglng 8aby 8oomers as a huge resource of communlLy
servlces producers as ln Lhe u.S. and Lry Lo recrulL Lhem accordlng Lhe feaLures of Lhls generaLlon
(CorporaLlon for naLlonal and CommunlLy Servlce, 2007). Pere, Lhe researcher suggesLs LhaL Lhe
volunLary organlzaLlons ln owell 8lver and SechelL aLLracL 8aby boomer by showlng LhaL Lhey can play
Lhelr sLrengLhs, such as speclalLles and skllls, durlng volunLeerlng. And referrlng Lo an Amerlcan senlor
volunLeers recrulLmenL guldellne, Lhey can make good use of onllne medla and even LradlLlonal mass
medla (Llsner, 2003). ln aglng 8aby 8oomers, a case sLudy from !apan also suggesLs LhaL Lhese
organlzaLlons should purposefully make an efforL Lo recrulL male senlors whose volunLeerlng raLe peaks
ln Lhelr 60s, for Lhey have Lhe advanLages of sLrengLh and Lechnlcal skllls (klkakucho, 1993, nakano,
2004). AL lasL, ln order Lo recrulL more newly mlgranL senlors and hlgher Lhelr reLenLlon raLe, lL ls
necessary Lo bulld Lhelr sense of communlLy ln owell 8lver and SechelL by speclal meLhods, for example
Lo help Lhem geL Lhrough ldenLlLy crlsls ln Lhelr elghLh sLage of developmenL by holdlng Lea forums ln
volunLary organlzaLlons.



o)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS
Allen, A., WhyLe, u., 8asham, u., Machado, L., SLroman, !., Clark, !., Mahlman, k., 1homson, M., Lpp, M.,
Wllson, M., uolg, ., Andercheck, S., & uobbyn, v., (2012) We Lnvlslon.
Sunshlne CoasL 8eglonal ulsLrlcL. 8eLrleved from: hLLp://www.scrd.ca/reglonal-susLalnablllLy-plan
8lalkle, P., (2006). Age ulscrlmlnaLlon lnLernaLlonally Canada. 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.agedlscrlmlnaLlon.lnfo/lnLernaLlonal/ages/Canada.aspx
CorporaLlon for naLlonal and CommunlLy Servlce, (2007), 8aby 8oomers and volunLeerlng:
llndlngs lrom CorporaLlon 8esearch. 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.naLlonalservlce.gov/slLes/defaulL/flles/documenLs/boomer_research.pdf
ClLy of owell 8lver 8ackground 8eporL. (2013). Cfflclal CommunlLy lan updaLe. ClLy of owell 8lver
8eLrleved from: hLLp://powellrlverocp.flles.wordpress.com/2013/02/pr-ocp-background-reporL-
12-feb-2013.pdf
City of Powell River OCP Bylaw 2080, 2013. (2013). Powell Rivers Official Community Plan. Retrieved
from: hLLp://powellrlverocp.flles.wordpress.com/2013/02/communlLy-conLexL1.pdf
ulsLrlcL of SechelL. (2013). CommunlLy lnvesLmenL ollcy. 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.dlsLrlcL.sechelL.bc.ca/orLals/0/publlc20documenL20llbrary/Ceneral20lnforma
Llon/CommunlLy20lnvesLmenL20ollcy.pdf
Llsner, u., (2003). Lngaglng 8aby 8oomers ln MeeLlng Lhe Challenges of Lhe 21sL CenLury. 8eLrleved
from WhlLe Pouse Conference on Aglng ollcy 8ecommendaLlons:
hLLp://www.naLlonalservlce.gov/pdf/WPCCA_03_0317.pdf
Lrlkson , L.P . ( 1963 ). Chlldhood and socleLy. new ?ork : norLon .
losLer-8ey, !., Crlmm, 8., & uleLz, n,. (2007). keep 8aby 8oomers volunLeerlng. 8eLrleved from
CorporaLlon for naLlonal and CommunlLy servlce:
hLLp://www.naLlonalservlce.gov/pdf/07_0307_boomer_reporL.pdf
looL, k. u., (2006). 1he 8aby 8oomer's Llngerlng Lcho. looLwork ConsulLlng lnc. 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.fooLwork.com/academlc_maLLers.pdf
!ang, 8., (2013 ). vancouver house sales roar back. 1he Clobe and Mall (lndex-Cnly), pp. 8.3.Conslder
how a full-fledged campalgn Lo sell SechelL for reLlremenL could beneflL all
!ackel, S., (2010). SechelL 8esldenLs 30+ Survey: 8eporL Lo Lhe communlLy. ulsLrlcL of SechelL. 8eLrleved
from:
hLLp://www.dlsLrlcL.sechelL.bc.ca/orLals/0/ubllc20uocumenL20Llbrary/SLudles20and20
8eporLs/SechelL2030plus20Survey208eporL20-20Aprll202010.pdf
klkakucho, k., (Lconomlc lannlng Agency). (1993). kokumln selkaLsu hakusho. ?uLakana koryu: PlLorl
hlLorl no fureal no salhakken. White paper on citizens lifestyles. rosperous lnLeracLlon: 1he
redlscovery of human conLacL]. 1okyo: AuLhor.
Meldlnger, u. v., & o[ar, !., 8rlLlsh Columbla. MlnlsLry of loresLs. 8esearch 8ranch, & 8rlLlsh Columbla.
MlnlsLry of loresLs. (1991). LcosysLems of 8rlLlsh Columbla. (no. 6.) vlcLorla, 8.C: 8esearch
8ranch, MlnlsLry of loresLs.
newbold, 8., MeredlLh, 1., & Canadlan LlecLronlc Llbrary (llrm). (2012). Where wlll you reLlre? Senlors'
mlgraLlon wlLhln Canada and lmpllcaLlons for pollcy. MonLreal, Cue: lnsLlLuLe for 8esearch on
ubllc ollcy.
Cfflclal CommunlLy lan ulsLrlcL of SechelL 8ylaw 492, 2010. (2011). ulsLrlcL of SechelL. 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.dlsLrlcL.sechelL.bc.ca/orLals/0/ubllc20uocumenL20Llbrary/CommunlLy20la
ns/CC208ylaw20492.pdf
nakano, L. ?., & MylLlbrary. (2004). CommunlLy volunLeers ln [apan: Lveryday sLorles of soclal change.
new ?ork, n?: 8ouLledgeCurzon.
Salamon, L. M., (1994). The rise of the nonprofit sector, Foreign Affairs, 73, 4, 10916.
o8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1ong, L., (2006). Soclal Work wlLh Llders. LasL Chlna unlverslLy of Sclence and 1echnology ress
unlLed naLlons. (2002). 8eporL of Lhe Second World Assembly on Agelng. 8eLrleved from CaLhollc
lamllles & Puman 8lghLs lnsLlLuLe: hLLp://c-
fam.org/docLlb/20080623_Madrld_Agelng_Conference.pdf
Wuthnow, R. (1991). Tocquevilles question reconsidered: volunLarlsm and publlc dlscourse ln
advanced industrial societies, in R. Wuthnow (ed.), Between States and Markets: The Voluntary
SecLor ln ComparaLlve erspecLlve, rlnceLon: rlnceLon unlverslLy ress, pp. 288303.



og
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

<.,+"7*"#$% 2197:.$+.9% 8* +/% ?'@%$$ 67A%9 6%17'*

8y \lotloq llooq & Oloqcbeoq cboo


8*+9'3.:+7'*
Located on British Columbias Sunshine Coast, the Powell River Regional District (PRRD) covers
an area of abouL 3,000 sq. km wlLh a populaLlon of less Lhan 20,000. 1he ClLy of owell 8lver ls Lhe
largesL communlLy ln Lhe reglon. Accordlng Lo 2011 census, Lhe populaLlon of owell 8lver (13,397)
accounLed for roughly 68 of Lhe LoLal populaLlon of 88u. Cver Lhe perlod from 2001 Lo 2010, Lhe
percenLage of resldenLs aged 63 years and over lncreased from 18.1 ln 2001 Lo 23.7 ln 2011,
conversely, Lhe percenLage of people under 13 years reduced from 18.3 ln 2001 Lo 14.1 ln 2011
(ArllngLon Croup lannlng + ArchlLecLure lnc., 2013).


1hls reglon ls faclng a mulLlLude of food securlLy problems. Pamm and 8ellows (2003) deflned
community food security (CFS) as a situation in which all community residents obtain a safe, culturally
accepLable, nuLrlLlonally adequaLe dleL Lhrough a susLalnable food sysLem LhaL maxlmlzes communlLy
self-rellance and social justice (p. ##). Currently in Powell River, only 2-3 of Lhe food consumed ls
produced by local farms (88LuS, 2009). 1he local food supply relles heavlly on global food sysLems and
lmporLed food, whlch are llkely Lo expose local people Lo food supply dlsrupLlons and concerns abouL
polluLed geneLlcally modlfled foods. Moreover, Lhe global food supply sysLem ls lncreaslngly conLrolled
by a smaller number of mulLlnaLlonal corporaLlons, whlch may lead Lo monopolles and Lhus drlve ouL
Lhe local produce from markeLs. Cne lndlspuLable facL ls LhaL Lhe prlce of fossll fuels wlll keep rlslng ln
Lhe foreseeable fuLure. 1he lncrease ln cosL of food producLlon, processlng, and dlsLrlbuLlon wlll have a
great impact on the residents options, especially those under Lhe poverLy llne. Moreover, lL ls worLh
noLlng LhaL cllmaLe change wlll affecL food producLlon all over Lhe world.

Fortunately, the region has great potential to cope with these problems. Powell River region
could approach 24 self-sufflclency ln Lhe fuLure, based on Lhe value of agrlculLure
production.(PRREDS, 2009: 21) Therefore, it is crucial to develop sustainable agriculture in the region to
reduce Lhe rellance on lmporLed food and secure food consumpLlon. 8eallzlng Lhe lmporLance of
susLalnable agrlculLure, Lhe local organlzaLlons are now commlLLed Lo develop Lhls area. 1hls paper wlll
ldenLlfy Lhe challenges ln Lhe developmenL of susLalnable agrlculLure ln owell 8lver. Secondly, lL wlll
demonsLraLe Lhe local responses Lowards Lhese susLalnablllLy challenges and lnlLlaLlves. llnally,
successful experlences from ouLslde Lhe reglon wlll provlde examples for local governmenL Lo address
Lhls lssue.

)/"$$%*1%, '( <.,+"7*"#$% 2197:.$+.9%
ln 2003, less Lhan 83 of Lhe farms ln Lhe owell 8lver ulsLrlcL were ldenLlfled as havlng farm
recelpLs of less Lhan $23,000. 1he average recelpL was $22,600. 1o break even farms requlred sales of
$40,000 annually. Average reporLed revenue per hecLare ln Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL was only
$1,183 ln 2003, barely one quarLer of Lhe revenue per hecLare ln Lhe Comox valley. larms were clearly
supporLed by non-farm lncome. Moreover, only 0.32 of Lhe poLenLlal farm areas were acLually farmed
(88LuS, 2009). 1he agrlculLural lndusLry here ls noL yeL able Lo supporL lLs growLh. Cenerally speaklng,
o
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

farms are noL economlcally susLalnable ln Lhls reglon. 1he challenges Lo Lhe developmenL of susLalnable
agrlculLure are lncreased sLarL-up and operaLlonal cosLs, lack of avallable labour, and greaL dlfflculLy ln
markeLlng and dlsLrlbuLlng produce.

O>*:%03%" F$0:$U1; 0>" R;%:0$#+>0, E+3$3
SLarL-up and operaLlonal cosLs have lncreased over Lhe lasL 10 Lo 13 years. Lxpenses lncreased
by almosL 26 beLween 2000 and 2003(88LuS, 2009). 1hls ls parLlally due Lo Lhe rlslng prlce of land
ownershlp. 1hls has slgnlflcanLly affecLed Lhe llvesLock lndusLry as ralslng beef and operaLlng dalry farms
are llkely Lo requlre more land Lhan ralslng crops. Meanwhlle, Lhe provlnclal farmland preservaLlon
policy cant facilitate farmers access to the farmland. The Agriculture Land Commission, which is the
auLhorlLy of agrlculLural land use of 8rlLlsh Columbla, does noL supporL farmland subdlvlslon. lnsLead,
Lhe organlzaLlon Lrles Lo preserve farmland as a whole. lL currenLly encourages a mlnlmum loL slze of 8.0
ha ln accordance wlLh Lhe provlnclal sLandard (ArllngLon Croup lannlng + ArchlLecLure lnc., 2013).
neverLheless, buylng parcels of agrlculLural land also means hlgher ownershlp cosLs. As far as farmers
who only requlre small-scale farms are concerned, its not easy for them to buy the land for farming. Its
even harder for young farmers who dont have sufficient capital to purchase farmlands.

ln parallel Lo Lhls, LransporLaLlon leads Lo slgnlflcanL cosLs. LlvesLock operaLlons generally
requlre concenLraLed feeds (graln) lmporLed from Lhe ralrle rovlnces. For some producers, or types
of producLlon, Lhere are no alLernaLlves or subsLlLuLe lnpuLs so producLlon has lefL Lhe area moved Lo
areas with lower input costs (PRREDS, 2009: 14). Also, the implement of the BC Meat Inspection
8egulaLlon has exposed slaughLerlng llvesLock Lo a hlgher expense. uue Lo a serles of food and anlmal
dlsease ouLbreak, a sLrlcLer MeaL lnspecLlon 8egulaLlon has been enacLed slnce 2003, sLlmulaLlng LhaL all
meaL for sale should be slaughLer and lnspecLed aL llcensed faclllLles. Powever, as Lhere ls no llcensed
planL ln Lhe reglon, llvesLock has Lo been shlpped Lo Lhe lsland for slaughLerlng. lor small scale farmers,
shlpplng anlmals Lo Lhe lsland ls lmpracLlcal because Lhe shlpmenL cosLs Loo much Lo make Lhelr
buslness proflLable. lenLy of farmers have been unable Lo slaughLer and sell Lhelr meaL any more. Slnce
Lhen, Lhe supply of meaL has suffered from serlous decllne (Wells, 2010).

-0*P +< BM0#,0',% -0'+:
The local industry must reach and maintain a certain size, scale and producL mlx Lo supporL Lhe
local businesses, industry and infrastructure needed for local production. (PRREDS, 2009:17) Larger
scale of Lhe agrlculLural lndusLry means more commodlLy producers are requlred. WlLhouL Lhese larger
producers, many supporLlve buslnesses are unllkely Lo remaln vlable. lor lnsLance, frulL and vegeLable
packlnghouses have dlsappeared as a resulL of decreaslng mass of producLlon ln Lhe pasL (lbld.).
Its no doubt that there has been a declining trend in the number of available labor. In 2006, 120 people
were reported as farm operators in the local census area while in 2001 the number was 150. The
number of farms employlng labor elLher full or parL Llme dropped from 32, accounLlng for 33 of Lhe
LoLal number of farms ln 2000 Lo 22 ln 2003, accounLlng for 26 of Lhe LoLal number(88LuS, 2009).
1he aglng Lrend of labor, Lo some exLenL, aggravaLes Lhe labor problem. 1he average age of farm
operaLors ln Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL ls 32.4 years ln 2006, up from 31.3 years ln 2001.
Compared Lo Lhls, Lhe average age of farmers ln Canada ls 32.0. Among Lhe 120 farm operaLors, only 3
(less than 5%) were under 35 years of age (PRREDS, 2009). Overall, reLlrlng farmers need successlon
plans and new farmers are needed to produce food for the future (p21).


"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

J#<<#*1,$( #> T0:P%$#>2 0>" J#3$:#'1$#+>
lL ls very hard for local farmers Lo markeL and dlsLrlbuLe Lhelr producLs Lo Lhe local food supply
channels. 1he Hotel and Restaurant sector mostly purchases their products from large-scale distributors
for a range of reasons. llrsLly, lL ls slmple Lo geL all Lhe producLs from one suppller, dellvered Lhrough
well-esLabllshed orderlng sysLems. Secondly, Lhe producL wlll always be conslsLenL and avallable all year
round. 1hlrdly, large-scale dlsLrlbuLors usually offer more compeLlLlve prlce. Also, purchaslng for large-
scale distributors is out to the safety concern (PRREDS, 2009). The sector requires safe and inspecLed
producLs. 1he operaLors do noL wanL Lo spend Llme sorLlng or gradlng producL, nor do Lhey wanL Lo
throw out product that isn't up to standard(p22).Generally, the sector is willing to support local
producers buL lL ls hard Lo ldenLlfy producers who ls able Lo meeL Lhe sLandard conslsLenLly. Cne food
safeLy problem could brlng a dlsasLer Lo Lhe secLor.

MarkeLlng Lo large food chalns ls even more dlfflculL. lor Lhe mosL parL, Lhe chalns have bullL up
maLure dlsLrlbuLlon sysLems and sLlck Lo Lhem. lf Lhe chalns are wllllng Lo purchase local producLs, Lhe
producLs are llkely Lo be shlpped Lo a dlsLanL warehouse, enLered lnLo Lhelr sysLem, and Lhen
LransmlLLed back Lo owell 8lver. naLural asLures cheese seL an example for Lhls. 1he cheese producLs
dont go straight to the Courtenay Thriftys store (which is only 3 blocks from the plant). Instead, they
are shipped to the Thriftys warehouse and are delivered from there to the stores that stock it(PRREDS,
2009).

1he dlrecL markeL ln owell 8lver reglon ls noL maLure enough Lo render consumers purchase
more locally grown food. 1here are llmlLed places for Lhe reLalllng of locally grown food. LxlsLlng cholces
are Lhe summer open alr markeL, Lhe wlnLer markeL aL Lhe communlLy resource CenLre, farm gaLes and
a nomlnal sampllng of local produce ln cerLaln grocery sLores Lo address some of Lhe need aL key Llmes
of a year. An expanded selecLlon of local food producLs, a more consLanL supply, and a more predlcLable
and accesslble opLlons for purchaslng local food producLs ls sLrongly requlred by Lhe local people (SALSA,
2013).

D':"$ 9%,E'*,%,
ln 2009, Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc ulsLrlcL SocleLy (88LuS) released Lhe owell 8lver
Lconomlc uevelopmenL lan for AgrlculLure, provldlng guldance Lo revlLallze Lhe agrlculLure secLor
whlch has been decllnlng for decades. Slnce Lhen, Lhe 88LuS has been carrylng ouL programs ln
parLnershlp wlLh many oLher organlzaLlons accordlng Lo Lhe plan and rebulld Lhe lndusLry sLep by sLep.


-+*0, D%3;+>3% $+ O>*:%03%" F$0:$U1; 0>" R;%:0$#+>0, E+3$3
In order to lower farmers input costs, the PRREDS has formulated a series of projects with the
parLnershlp of Lhe owell 8lver larmer lnsLlLuLe. ln Lerms of lmprovlng Lhe accesslblllLy of farmlands, Lhe
88LuS ls worklng on a land leaslng program. WlLh Lhe land leaslng program, new enLranLs wlll be no
longer necessary Lo spend large amounL of caplLals on buylng Lhe land ownershlp for commerclal
agrlculLure. 1hls program ls based on Lhe esLabllshmenL of Lhe agrlculLure land lnvenLory whlch was
compleLed ln 2012 and funded by Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal ulsLrlcL ln parLnershlp wlLh 88LuS. lL ls a
daLa base of unuLlllzed land whlch could be vlable for agrlculLure producLlon (Sallsbury, 2012). Slnce
effecLlve land use plannlng asks for a hollsLlc undersLandlng of varlous elemenLs, such as Lhe spaLlal
patterns of the area under study, an agriculture land inventory is a useful tool to provide a record of
land uses ln farmlng or ranchlng areas and acL as a benchmark for monlLorlng land use change,
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

improve the information base to assist land use decision-making, and identify opportunities for
greater land use and resource compatibility (MAFF, 2004: 4).

ln 2012, Lhe 88LuS conducLed a survey by malls on agrlculLure land lnvenLory Lo properLy
owners ln Lhe reglonal dlsLrlcL wlLh 13 acres or more on aL leasL one parcel of land, and properLy owners
ln Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver wlLh flve acres or more on aL leasL one parcel of land. 1he quesLlonnalre
survey showed a sLrong lnLeresL of many of Lhe properLy owners Lo have commerclal agrlculLure on Lhelr
land through leasehold (). They think an agriculture expansion through a leasing program could be an
easy succession (p18).

CurrenLly, Lhe 88LuS conLlnues Lo work on Lhe developmenL of Lhe agrlculLure land lnvenLory
for Lhe reglon. 1hey are flndlng exlsLlng and or new farmers who are posslble Lo make use of producLlve
new land and conLrlbuLe Lo sales, leases or communlLy developmenL of land and lncludlng Lhe poLenLlal
purchasers or lessees lnLo Lhe name llsL along wlLh Lhe daLabase of land for sale or lease(Sallsbury,
2012).

1he lull Clrcle larm (lCl) ls anoLher supporLlve pro[ecL. 1hls pro[ecL ls launched by Lhe owell
8lver SocleLy for Lhe AdvancemenL of Local SusLalnable AgrlculLure (known as SALSA). SALSA ls a branch
organlzaLlon of Lhe 8ll, lnLeresLed ln maklng local farmlng, economlcally, soclally, and envlronmenLally
vlable. 1he core of lCl ls Lo bulld up a communlLy food hub provldlng food processlng faclllLles, markeL
garden, reLalllng ouLleL, composL planL and so forLh. All Lhe amenlLles are bullL nearby so as Lo reduce
Lhe LransporLaLlon cosLs and lncrease knowledge sharlng. lurLhermore, Lhls model enables Lhe nuLrlenLs
Lo cycle Lhrough planLs, anlmals and soll, embodylng susLalnablllLy ln Lhe agrlculLural ecosysLems (SALSA,
2013).

Moreover, Lo faclllLaLe farmers Lo process Lhelr food, Lhe 88LuS ls ln parLnershlp wlLh 1exada
AgrlculLure (and lood) Croup (known as 1AC) Lo help Lransform Lhe 1exada School Pome Lconomlcs
8oom Lo a permlLLed food processlng faclllLy (88LuS SupporL for larmers, n.d.).

When lL comes Lo slaughLerlng anlmals, slnce shlpplng llvesLock Lo larger abaLLolrs ln more
populaLed areas ls noL economlcally pracLlcal for farmers ln lsolaLed, rural communlLles, Lhe 8ll has
negoLlaLed wlLh Lhe provlnclal governmenL Lo work ouL some favorable programs for farmers ln Lhe
remote region. The achievement is the issue of Class D and Class E licenses under BCs Meat Inspection
8egulaLlon, wlLh whlch farmers are permlLLed Lo slaughLer llvesLock for sale Lo resLauranLs, reLall ouLleLs
or aL Lhe farm gaLe. Lach llcense allows for Lhe annual slaughLer of up Lo 23 and 10 anlmal unlLs
respecLlvely (Wells, 2010).

-+*0, D%3;+>3% $+ -0*P +< BM0#,0',% -0'+:
1o encourage people Lo [oln ln Lhe agrlculLure secLor, local organlzaLlons have pro[ecLed a
varleLy of programs focuslng on promoLlng Lhe local lnLeresLs Lo grow food. Cne of Lhe programs ls
Powell River Seedy Saturday. It is a weekly activity organized by The Powell River Farmers InsLlLuLe,
almlng Lo provlde a plaLform for local resldenLs Lo swap seeds and share lnformaLlon wlLh communlLy
groups, gardeners and farmers. arLlclpanLs preserve varlous planL seeds from Lhe local envlronmenL,
and aL Seedy SaLurday, people exchange Lhelr seeds wlLh each oLher. 1he evenL ls beneflclal Lo provlde
hlgh-quallLy seeds Lo proLecL local blodlverslLy and agrlculLure herlLage (hLLp://prfarmers.ca/pr-
seedysaL).

)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Other interesting programs include the Edible Garden Tour, an annual event organized by the
owell 8lver lood SecurlLy ro[ecL and 1ranslLlon 1own owell 8lver (118). lL alms Lo showcase how
oLher people are planLlng food susLalnably. 1hls evenL ls an effecLlve Leachlng Lool LhaL shows people
how oLher people produce food susLalnably (!ones, 2012). Also, Lhe Lwo organlzaLlons hold a monLhly
meeting named Kale Force. Kale Force is an opportunity for people to work together to improve local
food securlLy and lncrease local food producLlon (hLLp://prfoodsecurlLy.org/pro[ecLs/).
A new Farm to School lunch program has been launched at James Thomson Elementary School since
2011. 1he program connecLs sLudenLs Lo Lhe food Lhey eaL by Leachlng sLudenLs abouL food sources,
growlng food and lnLroduclng local, healLhy food lnLo Lhelr dleLs. School programs are belleved Lo
expose and lnLeresL chlldren ln farmlng (larm Lo School, 2012).Chlldren are Lhe fuLure, especlally Lo
agrlculLure and farmlng. ln addlLlon, Lhe 88LuS ls worklng on new farm buslness sLrucLures LhaL may
help young enLranLs esLabllsh Lhe farm buslness.

-+*0, D%3;+>3% $+ J#<<#*1,$( #> T0:P%$#>2 0>" J#3$:#'1$#+>
Measures Lo cope wlLh Lhls problem malnly focus on lmprovlng Lhe awareness of eaLlng locally
grown food and lmprovlng Lhe dlrecL markeL sysLem. ln order Lo lmprove Lhe local awareness of eaLlng
locally grown food, Lhe 88LuS parLners wlLh owell 8lver Llvlng, Lhe local magazlne medla, Lo produce
Pome Crown whlch ls a publlcaLlon Lo help promoLe lnformaLlon ln Lhe local agrlculLure, lncludlng
where people can flne local food, how farmers develop Lhelr buslness and so forLh.

The 50-mlle LaL-Local Challenge since 2006 is also a significant project to raise public
awareness of Lhe slgnlflcance of eaLlng food locally and seasonally. ln Lhls evenL, local people make
every efforL Lo eaL as much locally grown food as posslble. 1he acLlvlLy has experlenced an lncreaslng
number of parLlclpanLs. ApproxlmaLely 230 people Look parL ln 2006, approxlmaLely 300 people ln 2007,
and approxlmaLely 700 people ln 2008 (hLLp://prfoodsecurlLy.org/pro[ecLs/).

In terms of improving the local direct farmers market system, in addition to the traditional open
air farmers market, two more markets have been created in 2013. ln Lhe markeL survey conducLed by
Lhe 8ll (2012), a sLrong deslre expressed by Lhe consumers Lo have markeLs locaLed aL a more
convenlenL place Lo faclllLaLe aLLendance. Accordlng Lo Lhls, Lhe kelly Creek Carden MarkeL and Lhe Lund
Co-op have been esLabllshed. 1he kelly Creek Carden MarkeL ls slLuaLed aL Lhe souLh of Lown whlle Lhe
LradlLlon open air farmers market is located at the north of town. Both of the two new markets are
open aL lrlday nlghLs, offerlng fresh local produce.

8**'A"+7A% "EE9'":/%, (9'5 '.+,73% +/% 9%17'*
lL ls no doubL LhaL Lhe local organlzaLlons have already made worLhy efforLs Lo conLrlbuLe Lo Lhe
susLalnablllLy of agrlculLure. Also, Lhey are open-mlnded Lo learn from lnnovaLlve approaches from
elsewhere around Lhe world. 1wo cases are demonsLraLed here whlch mlghL be useful Lo address Lhe
problems of susLalnable agrlculLure ln Lhe reglon. Cne ls Lhe pracLlce of MeLro vancouver, Lhe oLher ls
the Farmers Market in Waianae, Hawaii.

9++" 3%*1:#$( ;+,#*#%3 0>" #>#$#0$#M%3 #> I:#$#3= E+,1C'#0
ln order Lo creaLe a reslllenL food sysLem and enhance food securlLy, MeLro vancouver has
developed a seL of reglonal food sLraLegles, lncludlng creaLlng a CenLre for excellence ln food
Lechnology, a food labellng sysLem Lo allow consumers Lo dlsLlngulsh local food from lmporLed food ln
markeLs and a school for susLalnable agrlculLure aL Colony larm 8eglonal ark (Shore, 2010). As well,
local reglonal governmenL ls bulldlng an experlmenLal farm aL Colony larm 8eglonal ark ln CoqulLlam.

"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

1o develop urban agrlculLure, Lhe ClLy of 8lchmond purchased 296 acres of agrlculLural land and
collaborated with Kwantlen Universitys Institute of Sustainable Agriculture to operate a Richmond Farm
School aL 1erra nova 8ural ark (lood SecurlLy, 2010).

ln 2007, Lhe Land Conservancy of 8C and larm lolk ClLy lolk esLabllshed Lhe CommunlLy larms
rogram. 1he CommunlLy larms rogram bullL a CommunlLy larm model where mulLlple farm
buslnesses operaLe cooperaLlvely on land held ln LrusL by a socleLy or cooperaLlve. larm buslnesses can
hold long-runnlng leases and have Lhe cholce Lo bulld equlLy ln Lhelr buslness (lood SecurlLy, 2010).
ln 1999, a group of chefs who were concerned abouL Lhe fuLure of lndependenL farms on vancouver
lsland, 8C launched Lhe lsland Chefs CollaboraLlve (lCC). lCC alms Lo bulld a local and susLalnable food
sysLem on vancouver lsland LhaL enables local farmers Lo grow more food and connecL wlLh local
merchants. ICCs purpose is to build a local and sustainable food and agriculture system to raise public
awareness of Lhe ecologlcal and economlc beneflLs of purchaslng locally (lCC and 8C, n.d.). llrsLly, lCC
brlngs chefs and farmers LogeLher Lhrough lLs message sysLem and beLween Lhe lCC and Lhe general
publlc Lhrough mass medla and varlous acLlvlLles. Secondly, every year lCC chooses aL leasL one pro[ecL
Lo supporL flscally, whlch wlll enhance Lhe economlc vlablllLy of farmlng ln Lhe local communlLy. 1hlrdly,
lCC enacLs and execuLes aL leasL one fundralslng acLlvlLy annually. AL Lhe momenL, lLs ma[or fundralser ls
Lhe lsland Chefs, lood lesL (lCC and 8C, n.d.).

Iarmers Market |n Wa#0>0%H Q0L0##
Llke Lhe 88u, Walanae ls also an lsolaLed rural area wlLhouL convenlenL LransporLaLlon.
Compared with about 25% of Powell Rivers population who live below the Canadian poverty line
(owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, 2011, SLansfleld, 2013), abouL 20 of Lhe populaLlon of Walanae
llve below Lhe Amerlcan poverLy llne (lnda, Washburn, 8eckham, 1allsayan, & Plkuroa, 2011). uue Lo
these geographic and demographic features, Waianae was the most food insecure area in Hawaii.
ApproxlmaLely one-third of the families lack the ability to acquire food that is safe and nutritious in a
socially acceptable way (Inda et al., 2011).

ln order Lo lmprove Lhe food securlLy, Lhe Walanae CoasL Comprehenslve PealLh CenLer
(WCCPC) has spared no efforL Lo provlde local people wlLh easy access Lo locally grown food. Cne of Lhe
efforts is to establish a direct Farmers Market; this Farmers Market was selected in October 2005 by
Lhe uSuA (unlLed SLaLes ueparLmenL of AgrlculLure) as one of Lhe mosL lnnovaLlve and successful
projects. Setting up the Farmers Market does not only make healthy foods more available, but also
enhances Lhe economlc vlablllLy of Lhe communlLy, because lL supporLs local food sysLems by provldlng
a plaLform for a communlLy Lo convene (lnda eL al., 2011).

The Waianae Farmers Market has several innovative approaches which might be helpful to
enhance Lhe agrlculLural susLalnablllLy and food lnsecurlLy ln 88u. lnlLlally, WCCPC Look on-slLe and on-
llne surveys among cusLomers, vendors, and community members to better identify the communitys
wlshes and needs.

Location has played a vital role in the success of the Waianae Farmers Market. This market is
locaLed aL Lhe Walanae Plgh School (WPS) breezeway ln 2010, whlch has been Lhe mosL convenlenL
locaLlon due Lo abundanL parklng, hlgh vlslblllLy, and hlgh Lrafflc. As a resulL, Lhe cusLomer aLLendance
has doubled (lnda eL al., 2011).


"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

LlmlLed lnformaLlon and knowledge abouL how Lo prepare and cook healLhy foods was an
lmporLanL facLor ln Lhe hlgh consumpLlon of unhealLhy foods ln Walanae (ClLLlesohn eL al., 2006, lnda eL
al., 2011). This Farmers Market provides on-slLe cooklng demonsLraLlons, food samples, monLhly LasLe
LesLs, weekly free healLhy reclpes, and general nuLrlLlon educaLlon such as ldenLlfylng senslble porLlons
of food and reading food labels. In this Farmers Market, a registered nutritionist oversees these free
and healLhy reclpes LhaL are characLerlzed by local, convenLlonal, and economlcal lngredlenLs (lnda eL
al., 2011).

1here are several markeLlng sLraLegles LhaL WCCPC ls Laklng Lo aLLracL more cusLomers and
vlslLors. llrsL, Lhere are adverLlsemenLs and promoLlons ln almosL all Lypes of mass medla, such as
newspaper, 1v and radlo broadcasLs, roadslde blllboards, markeL fllers, lacebook page, cusLomer
emalls, and an lnLerneL markeL webslLe. Secondly, Lhere are promoLlons and compllmenLary glfLs for
cusLomers, such as free recyclable shopplng bags, calendars, and coupons. 1hlrd, Lhere are fun acLlvlLles,
llke llve muslc, beekeeplng demonsLraLlons, on-slLe book moblle and a peLLlng zoo for Lhe chlldren.
llnally, Lhere are seasonal fesLlvals and evenLs llke a Mango lesLlval ln summer, and ChrlsLmas wlLh
Santa Claus (Inda et al., 2011). Farmers markets in rural areas have Lhe poLenLlal Lo be comblned wlLh
Lhe Lourlsm lndusLry Lo aLLracL more Amerlcan and forelgn LourlsLs (leensLra & Lewls, 1999). 1hus, Lhls
Farmers Market also invites more tourists from other areas in USA and foreign tourists to attend
culLural acLlvlLles such as kapa maklng (kapa ls an lndlgenous food) and wood carvlng. 8esldes, Lhls
markeL makes every efforL Lo recrulL more dlverslfled vendors who sell noL only LradlLlonal local food
buL also souvenlrs. ConcurrenLly, WCCPC ls developlng a Lralnlng program Lo Lraln vendors Lo produce,
package, dlsLrlbuLe, and sell hlgh value-added goods and commodlLles (lnda eL al., 2011). Cverall, we
can see examples from oLher clLles ln 8rlLlsh Columbla and Walanae ln uSA Lo learn lnnovaLlve
approaches Lo address exlsLlng lssues ln 88u.

)'*:$.,7'*
Cenerally speaklng, farms ln owell 8lver 8eglon are noL economlcally susLalnable and were
clearly supporLed by non-farm lncome (88LuS, 2009), whlch ls embodled ln lncreased sLarL-up and
operaLlonal cosLs, lack of avallable labour, and greaL dlfflculLy ln markeLlng and dlsLrlbuLlng produce. 8uL
Lhe local organlzaLlons have already made worLhy efforLs Lo address Lhe Lhree challenges and conLrlbuLe
Lo Lhe susLalnablllLy of agrlculLure. 1wo cases are demonsLraLed here whlch mlghL be useful Lo address
Lhe problems of susLalnable agrlculLure ln Lhe reglon. Cne ls Lhe pracLlce of MeLro vancouver, Lhe oLher
is the Farmers Market in Waianae, Hawaii.



6
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

8LlL8LnCLS

lCC and 8C. (n.d.). 8eLrleved from hLLp://www.lccbc.ca/
leensLra, C., & Lewis, C. (1999). Farmers markets offer new business opportunities for farmers.
Callfornla AgrlculLure, 33(6), 2329. uCl: 10.3733/ca.v033n06p23
lood SecurlLy. (2010). 8eLrleved from
hLLp://susLalnablllLy.crd.bc.ca/medla/1236/food_securlLy_pollcy_brlef_small.pdf
ClLLlesohn, !., 8amlrez, v., Lee, !-S., uavlson, n., novoLny, 8., & Murphy, S. (2006). lood preparaLlon and
psychosoclal facLors affecL dleLary lnLake ln naLlve Pawallan communlLles: 8asellne resulLs from
Lhe PealLhy loods Pawall lnLervenLlon. 1he lASL8 !ournal, 20, A173.
Pawall ueparLmenL of PealLh. (2007). Walanae CoasL: Soclo-economlc, healLh and populaLlon sLaLus.
Ponolulu, Pl: SLaLe of Pawall rlmary Care needs AssessmenL uaLa 8ook. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://hawall.gov/healLh/doc/pcna2007daLabook.pdf
lnda, C., Washburn, A., 8eckham, S., 1allsayan, 8., & Plkuroa, u. (2011). Pome grown: 1he Lrlals and
Lrlumphs of sLarLlng up a farmers' markeL ln Walanae, Pawall. CommunlLy uevelopmenL, 42(2),
181-192. dol:10.1080/13373330.2011.320327
Cfflce of lannlng. (2003, !anuary). SLaLe of Pawall lood SecurlLy 1ask lorce.
owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon. (2011). owell 8lver's vlLal Slgns. owell 8lver, 8C.
Shore, 8. (2010, SepLember 10) MeLro vancouver unvells reglonal food sLraLegy. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/wesLcoasLnews/sLory.hLml?ld=6e1a1df2-ba38-
423b-a7bb-8eb0a2f6ddbb
SLansfleld, L. (2013). A full clrcle farm lnlLlaLlve: owell 8lver, 8rlLlsh Columbla 8eLrleved from
hLLp://hawall.gov/dbedL/maln/abouL/annual/2003-sfsLf.pdf

















)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"


<.,+"7*"#7$7+= '( 29+ 0 ).$+.9% !'.97,5 8* ?'@%$$ 67A%9

8y. ltotlk cboktovotty ooJ Amol Albotbl


8*+9'3.:+7'*
owell 8lver ls a beauLlful, breaLh-Laklng clLy LhaL ls full of naLure, and ouLdoor acLlvlLles. lL ls
locaLed ln Lhe norLh parL of Sunshlne CoasL of 8rlLlsh Colombla, lnslde Lhe reglon of Sllammon llrsL
naLlon. Lncompassed wlL specLacular lakes, ocean, and fasclnaLlng mounLalns, owell 8lver proposes
many aLLracLlons, and a charmlng llfesLyle (owell 8lver ClLy lnformaLlon, 2013). As accordlng Lo Lhe
(Powell River Vision Statement, OCP report 2013,), Powell River is a coastal city with a proud heritage,
dlverse local economy and a susLalnable fuLure- envlronmenLally soclally and economlcally. WlLh a
superb naLural seLLlng, vasL recreaLlonal opporLunlLles and vlbranL arL and culLure servlces, we are a
communlLy for all ages, Lhe pearl on Lhe sunshlne coasL, owell 8lver conLlnues Lo work cooperaLlvely
wlLh lLs nelghbors Lo fosLer a respecLed communlLy lncluslve for all. lurLhermore, ArLs and culLure ls one
of Lhe dlsLlngulshable parLs ln owell 8lver, whlch characLerlze Lhe clLy wlLh a unlque lmage (owell
8lver, ClLy lnformaLlon, 2013). 1herefore, culLure ls a comblnaLlon of acLlvlLles lncludlng Lhe arLs,
behavlours, performances, and bellefs LhaL are essenLlal Lo Lhe llfe ln mulLlple socleLles, and lL ls
expressed by cusLoms and values (1hrosby, 1993). owell 8lver reallzes Lhe ma[or role whlch arLs and
culLure plays ln Lhe dynamlc of Lhe clLy. , As a resulL of LhaL a conslderable number of fesLlvals, arL
evenLs, gallerles, and lnsLlLuLlons are launched ln dlfferenL Llmes of Lhe year.

1he Wlnd Sprlng Callery, lnLernaLlonal Choral kaLhaumlxw, 8lackberry lesLlval, 1he aclflc
8eglon lnLernaLlonal Summer Muslc Academy (8lSMA), Sunshlne Muslc lesLlval, and owell 8lver Cpen
Alr MarkeL are [usL some examples of Lhe slgnlflcanL role LhaL arLs and culLure acLlvlLles embodles ln
owell 8lver (owell 8lver, ArL CulLure & PerlLage,2013). lnvesLlng ln arLs and culLure would provlde
many advanLages Lo Lhe local communlLy. Powever, Lhe arLs and culLure ln owell 8lver face some
LhreaLenlng facLors LhaL are LesLlng Lhe ablllLy of Lhls secLor Lo susLaln lL, and Lo develop ln Lhe fuLure.
AfLer a Lhree days Lrlp Lo Lhe wesL Sunshlne CoasL, meeLlng wlLh members of Lhe prlvaLe secLors,
governmenL offlclals, and some people who are lnvolve ln Lhe arLs and culLure of owell 8lver revealed
Lhe dlfflculLles Lhls approach faces ln Lhe clLy. 1he developlng goal of Lhls paper ls Lo presenL Lhe
challenges LhaL owell 8lver faces ln Lerm of lmprovlng Lhe arLs and culLure, Lhe responses of Lhe locals
and governmenL Lo Lhese dlfflculLles, and provlde Lwo examples of slmllar challenges from oLher parLs of
Lhe world, and Lhe reacLlon Lowards lL.

!/% "9+, "*3 :.$+.9% :/"$$%*1%,
owell 8lver has a sLrong, exLended hlsLory ln arLs and culLure LhaL plays an essenLlal role ln Lhe
componenL of Lhe clLy. ln 2004, Lhe clLy had been awarded as Lhe culLural caplLal of Canada by Lhe
Canadlan PerlLage SocleLy (owell 8lver, ArL & CulLure CC 8eporL 2013). ArLs and culLure evenLs and
fesLlvals have a slgnlflcanL lmpacL on enhanclng sense of communlLy, place, and Lourlsm prosperlLy.
1hey provlde a seL of acLlvlLles for clLlzens and LourlsLs LhaL enhances Lhe local communlLy plcLure
(Cursoy eL al., 2004). Host communitys contribution through festivals and events will create and shape
Lhe fuLure of Lhelr communlLy Lhrough parLlclpaLlon, and enlarge Lhe soclo-economlc lnLeresLs for Lhe
8
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Lourlsm secLor as well (lnskeep, 1991). Moreover, fesLlvals and evenLs are magnlflcenL, appeallng
Lourlsm LralL LhaL does noL depend on expenslve developmenL, buL Lhe exclLemenL and passlon of Lhe
local communlLy (Cursoy eL al., 2004). 1hey help Lo creaLe prlde and unlLy whlch generaLe a healLhy
communlLy, or proLecL Lhe envlronmenL (Allen eL al., 2000). Also, arLs and culLure evenLs provlde a
sense of equlLy by permlLLlng people no maLLer of Lhelr background or sLaLus Lo celebraLe and engage.
SubsequenLly, arLs and culLure could presenL a healLhy envlronmenL Lo demonsLraLe Lhe meanlng of
sense of community, place, and unity, and display an attractive trait for targeting tourists attention.
Lven Lhough Lhere ls a hlgh poLenLlal and sLrong exlsLence of arLs and culLure ln owell 8lver, yeL Lhere
ls a ma[or challenge for arLs and culLure secLor Lo develop and lmprove for number of facLors, Lhe lack of
pollcy lmplemenLaLlon ln Lhls secLor, fundlng, and Lhe dlfflculLles of lnlLlaLlng small buslnesses. 1he
followlng Lhree secLlons wlll descrlbe each of Lhese facLors ln more clarlLy.

B"+;$#>2 B:$ A E1,$1:% K+,#*#%3 K+L%,, D#M%:
ArL and culLure has an lmporLanL poLenLlal ln boLh large and small clLles. Pence culLural
lnvesLmenL sLraLegles should be seen as a hollsLlc approach Lowards susLalnablllLy. lL could lmprove Lhe
citys competitiveness to attract talented people and innovative businesses. This trend tends to grow as
economles shlfL away from prlmary lndusLrles and manufacLurlng secLors Lowards economles focused
on knowledge and lnnovaLlon (owell 8lver, ArL & CulLure lnlLlaLlve, 2012). ln order Lo promoLe arL &
culLure ln owell 8lver Lhe clLy councll along wlLh Lhe owell 8lver ArLs and CulLural commlLLee has
lnlLlaLed pollcles such as (1) llnanclal lncenLlves (2) roperLy developmenL & use (3) ubllc lnfrasLrucLure
and place maklng pollcles (4) ermlLLlng by laws and zonlng and (3) lnsLlLuLlonal supporL (owell 8lver
ArL & CulLure lnlLlaLlve, 2012) lurLher ln 2003, Lhe councll adopLed an arL and culLure pollcy as a
formldable change for developlng Lhe communlLy. Such measures lncluded developlng Lhe CulLural
MasLer lan (2009) ln assoclaLlon wlLh Lourlsm owell 8lver and Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc
uevelopmenL SocleLy (8LLuS) (owell 8lver, CC reporL 2013).

As conLemporary arL and culLural aLLracLlons are ofLen vlewed as spaces Lhrough whlch ldenLlLy,
meanlng and behavlour are consLrucLed, negoLlaLed and renegoLlaLed accordlng Lo soclo culLural
dynamlcs (AlLcheson & 8eeves, 1998). 1here are several sLakeholders ln Lhe arLs and culLure ln owell
8lver lncludlng Lhe ArLs Councll, Lhe Malasplna ArL socleLy, 8lSMA (aclflc 8eglon lnLernaLlonal Summer
Muslc Academy), Lhe owell 8lver 8eglonal ClLy Councll, Lhe local communlLles and local buslnesses.
Powever Lack of lncorporaLlon wlLh oLher domalns ln Lerm of lmplemenLaLlon resulLs some operaLlonal
obsLacles. 1hls lack of connecLlon could delay and reduce Lhe effecLlveness and efflclency of Lhe declslon
maklng and plannlng process. lurLhermore, occaslonally Lhere are dlfferenL polnL vlews beLween Lhe
reglonal dlsLrlcL and Lhe reglonal dlrecLor when lL comes Lo deflnlng responslblllLles, and
lmplemenLaLlon, also, Lhere ls a need Lo engage Lhe reglonal dlsLrlcL Lo enhance Lhe arLs as well, slnce
owell 8lver ls a parL of lL (ersonal CommunlcaLlon CcL21 2013). 1he culLural MasLer lan of owell
8lver recognlzes Lhls challenge, and oLher relaLed gaps ln some pollcles such as, Lhe pollcles LhaL are
revolve around uLlllzlng free, empLy spaces Lhrough arLs recreaLlon (owell 8lver SusLalnable
CommunlLy lan, 2013). 1hls secLlon has hlghllghLed Lhe pollcles LhaL Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver has
lnlLlaLed ln arLs & culLure. 1he followlng secLlon wlll focus on Lhe responses made by Lhe ClLy of owell
8lver ln arLs & culLure.
6%,E'*,%, +' 29+ 0 ).$+.9% )/"$$%*1%,
1he ClLy of owell 8lver has made slgnlflcanL conLrlbuLlons ln Lhe fleld of arLs & culLure. named
as Lhe culLural caplLal for 2004, owell 8lver hosLs evenLs such as annual owell 8lver lesLlval of Lhe
erformlng ArLs, Lhe owell 8lver lllm lesLlval, Lhe annual fesLlval of wrlLers, and many oLher muslc and
LheaLrlcal evenLs. lL hosLs Lhe lnLernaLlonal choral kaLhaumlxw, a global gaLherlng of cholrs &
g
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

conducLors, feaLurlng lnLernaLlonal concerLs, choral and vocal solo compeLlLors (owell 8lver
CommunlLy Llvlng, 2013). WlLh Lhe conLrlbuLlon of varlous sLakeholders, owell 8lver successfully hosLs
some of Lhe ma[or arL and culLure evenLs ln Lhe reglon such as Lhe Sunshlne CoasL ArL Crawl, a
communlLy evenL ln mld-CcLober every year whlch dlsplays boLh LradlLlonal and conLemporary arL wlLh
122 participating galleries and artists studios and over 300 artists with 47 venues. The event is highly
successful were crawlers across Lhe reglon experlence arL & culLure evenLs from Lhe parLlclpanLs
(Sunshlne ArL Crawl, 2013). 1he clLy also hosLs Lhe 8lackberry lesLlval, one of Lhe blggesL evenLs ln Lhe
area, held ln AugusL every year. lL ls a week long LradlLlon LhaL hosLs llve muslc, evenLs, llghLs and
flreworks dlsplay and several dlnlng and eaLlng conLesLs (owell 8lver, uesLlnaLlon 8C, 2013). 1he oLher
lnnovaLlve fesLlvals LhaL owell 8lver has lnlLlaLed ls Lhe Aurora fesLlval, lL ls a new arLs & culLure fesLlval
for owell 8lver Lown slLe. 1he fesLlval ls Lhemed on where pasL, presenL and fuLure meeL. 1he fesLlval
organlzed by 1ourlsm owell 8lver ln SepL 2013, lnvolvlng arLlsLlc lounge, llve audlo vlsual performance
aL Lhe hlsLorlc aLrlcla 1heaLre, and also exhlblLs by local arLlsLs and muslclans (Aurora lesLlval, 2013).

1he ClLy of owell 8lver has lnlLlaLed several arL and culLure pro[ecLs, Lhe ubllc Llbrary ln Lhe
clLy ls one such example whlch ls an asseL Lo Lhe clLy. lL provldes noL only baslc llbrary servlces buL also a
range of lnnovaLlve programs for resldenLs and vlslLors such as rlver clLy sLory Lellers an lnformal
gaLherlng Lo pracLlce arL of sLoryLelllng, fllp vldeo workshops for youLhs Lo perform and produce shorL
fllms and backcounLry brush up an evenlng of lnformaLlon and C&A abouL geLLlng lnLo Lhe counLry
(owell 8lver, ArL &CulLure lnlLlaLlve, 2012). lurLher owell 8lver has also underLaken several poslLlve
sLeps Lo promoLe arL and culLure such as leaslng munlclpally owned bulldlngs for arL and culLure uses
such as arts and cultural events that takes place in the citys Recreation Complex. Further the city also
provldes Lax break and lncenLlves for vacanL properLles, acknowledglng LhaL Lhey could poLenLlally be
used as faclllLles Lo hosL arL & culLure evenLs (owell 8lver, ArL & CulLure lnlLlaLlve, 2012).

91>"#>2
ArLs and culLure have always been an essenLlal part in human societies. The beat of peoples
everyday llfe requlres havlng arLs and culLure Lrace Lo break Lhe dally rouLlne ln many ways such as arLs
and culLure fesLlvals and evenLs. neverLheless, ln order Lo make a progress and promoLlon for arLs and
culLure secLor, Lhls demands a flnanclal fundlng and embraclng from Lhe governmenL. ?eL, Lhe arLs and
culLure secLor sLruggles wlLh unsLable fundlng from Lhe governmenL. ArLs and culLure fundlng could be
hard Lo recelve Lhe prlmacy for Lhe spendlng due Lo oLher prlorlLles LhaL governmenL has (owell 8lver
Annual 8eporL 2012). owell 8lver ls full of arLs and culLure poLenLlal, buL Lhls approach ls fragmenLed
and conslsLs of small buslnesses and lndlvlduals (owell 8lver ArL & CulLure lnlLlaLlve reporL, 2012).
1he governmenL of owell 8lver ls complex, and comblnes number of dlfferenL sLrucLures. 1hls
complexlLy could someLlmes creaLe a challenge wlLhln Lhe varlous governmenLs Lo declde Lhe
approprlaLe amounL of budgeL, and deflnlng Lhe prlorlLles. MosL arLs and gallerles, and sLake holders are
non-proflL or prlvaLe. Accordlng Lo 8lchard 8enson, Lhe manager of (Wlnd SplrlL) a co-op arL gallery ln
Powell River the gallery has no support from government sources, it is totally self-funded, Lhe source of
granLs are from the individuals and memberships(Personal Communication Oct 21st 2013) However
Lhere are several challenges faclng Lhls was evldenL from one such fleld lnLervlew on Lhe lssue of owell
8lver Llbrary debaLe whereby a proposed slLe for 8 mllllon dollar consLrucLlon for a mulLlpurpose arL and
performance CenLre ln Lhe clLy ls a hlghly conLenLlous lssue. 1he clLy llbrary board has been aL a plannlng
sLage for Lhe pasL 23 years. Powever Lhe enLlre pro[ecL ls belng held up due Lo feaslblllLy and fundlng
lssues of ralslng 8 mllllon dollar Lhough governmenL subsldles and ralslng Laxes (ersonal
CommunlcaLlon CcL 22nd 2013).

zo
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

F1;;+:$ +< B:$ A E1,$1:% K:+c%*$3 #> K+L%,, D#M%:
As per the City of Powell Rivers Art & Creative sector investment, investing in arL and culLure
creaLlvlLy can brlng a range of economlc, soclal and envlronmenLal beneflLs. AcLlvlLles ln Lhls secLor lead
Lo lower envlronmenLal lmpacLs whlle creaLlng opporLunlLles ln conLexL Lo naLure and susLalnablllLy. 1hls
creaLes [obs, spendlng for local buslnesses and conLrlbuLes Lo Lax revenues (owell 8lver, ArL & CulLure
lnlLlaLlve, 2012). 1he pollcles lald down ln Lhe owell 8lver CC reporL, conLlnues Lo supporL Lhe
plannlng developmenL of vlsual and performlng arLs and herlLage acLlvlLles (owell 8lver, CC reporL
2013). As nowadays, due Lo sLrong compeLlLlon among desLlnaLlons, creaLlng a poslLlve lmage ls
lmporLanL Lo have a compeLlLlve advanLage (8aloglu & McCleary, 1999). 1he dlfference among producLs,
servlces and desLlnaLlon as a brand malnly lles ln Lhe manner of creaLlng a parLlcular desLlnaLlon as a
brand concepL, reveallng a common llnk ln brand sLraLegy. 1hus creaLlng a unlque and dlsLlncLlve
concepL Lo ldenLlfy Lhe brands hlgher values ln relaLlon Lo lLs compeLlLors would be Lhe maln goal (koLler
& CerLner, 2002).

1herefore Lhe quesLlons Lo be explored, flrsLly how arL and culLure LradlLlonally been vlewed ln
relation to sustainability and secondly how has art and cultures role in development and urban planning
been framed and concepLuallzed. (Pawkes, 2001) has proposed LhaL culLure becomes Lhe fourLh plllar of
susLalnablllLy wlLhln local plannlng LhaL polnLs Lo Lhe WCCu (World Commlsslon on CulLure &
uevelopmenL) reporL LhaL Lles arL and culLure LlghLly Lo developmenL concerns. 8ased on Lhe mayor
revlLallzaLlon commlLLee process, arL and culLure ls expecLed Lo play a key role ln bolsLerlng Lhe
revlLallzaLlon of Lhe owell 8lver local and reglonal economy LhaL ln Lurn wlll enhance Lhe Lourlsm and
recreaLlon secLors. SLoeglehner (2004) & 8ergen (2007) argue LhaL successful plannlng Lo accommodaLe
changes assoclaLed wlLh Lourlsm developmenL lnLo communlLy plans does noL happen by chance and
LhaL Lhe lnLegraLlon of Lourlsm developmenL should be lmplemenLed as a process raLher Lhan a slngle
evenL. As accordlng Lo uredge (2006), arL and culLural plannlng ls lnfluenced greaLly by spannlng prlvaLe
and publlc secLors and LhaL Lhe formal and lnformal relaLlonshlps beLween local governmenL and
lndusLry have a conslderable effecL on such parLnershlps.

B:$ A E1,$1:% G0:2%$ T0:P%$ K+L%,, D#M%:
Accordlng Lo Lhe lederal CovernmenL, Lhe creaLlve and culLural secLor ln Canada ls esLlmaLed Lo
employ abouL 1.1 mllllon people ln 2008 and Lhe economlc lmpacL of Lhe arL and culLure secLor was
esLlmaLed Lo be 7.4 of Lhe Cu (owell 8lver, ArL & CulLure lnlLlaLlve reporL, 2012). undersLandlng Lhe
lmporLance of Lhe arL and culLure, Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver has successfully lald ouL Lhe culLure masLer
plan updaLe ln cooperaLlon wlLh 88LuS (owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL AuLhorlLy)
where slx ob[ecLlves were lald as a parL of Lhe culLure masLer plan updaLe (1) Achleve susLalnable
fundlng for arLs and herlLage (2) lnvesL ln culLural values Lo meeL communlLy needs (3)Lncourage
culLural volunLeerlsm ln Lhe communlLy (4) Lnhance cooperaLlon and communlcaLlon wlLhln Lhe culLural
communlLy (3) lncrease emphasls on herlLage programs 6) Lxpandlng on Lhe L (parLlclpaLe Learn lay
Model) (CulLural MasLer lan updaLe,2009). As owell 8lver has a long LradlLlon of ArL & CulLure wlLh a
wlde range of culLural organlzaLlons, culLural venues and socleLles, LhaL are well poslLloned as an
economlc generaLor.

1he clLy has already underLaken measures Lo promoLe arLs and culLure such as hosLlng evenLs
and fesLlvals such as Lhe Sunshlne ArLs Crawl, 8lackberry lesLlval and Lhe Aurora lesLlval. lurLher Lhe
culLure masLer plan updaLe has caLegorlzed arL as four subdlvlslons whlch are erformlng ArLs (muslc,
drama and dance), vlsual arLs (palnLlng and sculpLure), llLerary arLs (poeLry and flcLlon), CrafLs (baskeLry
and woodcarvlng), 1radlLlonal CulLural AcLlvlLy (sLory Lelllng & language sLudles). 1hls 2003 masLer plan
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

provlded an lnLegraLed markeL and buslness plan LhaL would drlve economlc developmenL and creaLe
[obs (owell 8lver, CulLural MasLer lan updaLe, 2009). 1he owell 8lver ubllc Llbrary ln an classlc
example ln conLexL Lo Lhls where lL noL only provldes culLural servlces buL also as an economlc
producLlvlLy by provldlng employmenL and revenue (owell 8lver, ArL & CulLure lnlLlaLlve, 2012)

8**'A"+7A% 73%", (9'5 %$,%@/%9%
ln conLemporary conLexL where culLure ls lncreaslngly vlewed as a developmenL caLalysL local or
reglonal ldenLlLy Lakes a greaLer lmporLance ln advenL of globallzaLlon (8yan & Alckln, 2003). ln owell
8lver, culLure relaLed lndusLrles employed 173 people ln 2006, 29.6 more Lhan Lhe 2001 LoLal of 133
people. 8uL culLure relaLed employmenL accounLed for only 1.9 of LoLal employmenL ln owell 8lver.
8y comparlson, culLural lndusLrles accounLed for 3.3 of LoLal employmenL ln 8rlLlsh Columbla and 3.0
of employmenL ln Canada (owell 8lver, vlLal Slgns 2013). AlLhough arLs and culLure ls susLalnablllLy
lssue Lhe Lwo case sLudles descrlbed ln Lhe paper may allow Lhe ClLy of owell 8lver Lo conslder lL for
long Lerm susLalnable developmenL. 1he case sLudles are based on Lhe small Lowns of 8lack MounLaln ln
norLh Carollna and new ?ork Mllls ln MlnnesoLa ln Lhe u.S.A. havlng slmllar LralLs and characLer LhaL of
owell 8lver.

I,0*P T+1>$0#> )+:$= E0:+,#>0 dVFBe
1he followlng case sLudy ls based on lnlLlaLlng arL & culLure ln 8lack MounLaln, norLh Carollna.
8lack MounLaln ls a small communlLy Lown wlLh a populaLlon approxlmaLely 13,000 and a per caplLa
lncome of $20,310. lL ls slLuaLed ln Lhe fooLhllls of Lhe 8lue 8ldge MounLalns. 1he communlLy has a rlch
hlsLory as a CenLre for arLs, muslc and drama. 8lack MounLaln College LhaL was opened ln 1933 as an
experlenLlal school ln lnLerdlsclpllnary educaLlon, Lhe college became a CenLre of learnlng for
lnLellecLuals, arLlsLs, muslclans who came Lo Lhe mounLalns of WesLern norLh Carollna. Several world
renowned arLlsLs such as 8uckmlnsLer luller, Merce Cunnlngham and !osef Albers LaughL aL Lhls college.
However in the 1950s many of the artists and intellecLuals had moved Lo Lhe WesL CoasL and ln 1936
Black Mountain College closed its doors. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s Black Mountain struggled
and the downtown was full of dilapidated buildings. During the 1980s and injection of funding from the
Covernors community of excellence program allowed the community to invest in re-esLabllshlng Lhe
downtown. Next came the investment in the art and culture aspect as the Towns strategy was to
recognlze Lhe lmporLance of arL and culLure Lo aLLracL LourlsLs and poLenLlal lnvesLors lnLo Lhe
communlLy hence Lwo key declslons was Laken flrsL Lo provlde bulldlng space for Lhe 8lack MounLaln
CenLre for ArLs and secondly Lo reduce Lhe centers consLrucLlon debL.

While in the 1990s when the local government was looklng for new offlce space Lhey noLlced
LhaL Lhe old Lown hall needed a subsLanLlal repalr raLher Lhan consLrucLlng a new bulldlng. 1hey
purchased lL from Lhe clLy hall for Lhelr new offlces and also saw a golden opporLunlLy Lo help Lhe local
black mounLaln arLs group. 1hus Lhe old Lown hall was sold Lo a group of ad hoc group of arLlsLs and
local buslness people. 1hls enabled Lhe arLs group ln 1993 Lo become a formal non-proflL organlzaLlon
called Lhe 8lack MounLaln CenLre for Lhe ArLs and campalgned for Lhe renovaLlon of Lhe bulldlng. 1he
reglonal governmenL sLepped ln wlLh Lhe necessary loan and overall Lhe group ralsed $ 1.2 mllllon for
renovaLlons whlch ulLlmaLely resulLed ln Lhe openlng of Lhe new black mounLaln CenLre of ArLs ln Lhe
year 2000. Slnce lLs openlng Lhe CenLre for arLs has aLLracLed culLural enLhuslasLs from LhroughouL Lhe
counLry. lL exhlblLs concerLs and gallerles and showcases a range of local and lnLernaLlonal arLlsLs,
musicians and theatre personnels. By the year 2002, the city had reached yet another milesLone Lo
ensure Lhe conLlnued vlablllLy Lhe Lown pald off all Lhe remalnlng debLs. 1he CenLre now operaLed debL
free Lhereby offerlng more culLural evenLs Lo Lhe publlc. Pence Lhe ClLy of 8lack MounLaln ls reaplng Lhe
zz
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

beneflLs of lnvesLlng ln arL and culLure. A recenL sLudy esLlmaLed Lhe economlc lmpacL of 8lack
MounLaln Lo be $200 mllllon annually Lhrough arL & culLure. 1he case sLudy reflecLs Lhe ubllc / rlvaLe
parLnershlps LhaL led Lo Lhe creaLlon of ArLs ln Lhe clLy and elevaLed Lhe role of arLs group ln Lhe
communlLy, provldlng wlLh an ldenLlLy and a focus. 1he case sLudy also reflecLs LhaL lnvesLlng ln arL and
culLure can be a drlver of economlc developmenL ln Lhe reglon whlch has led Lo lncrease ln Lourlsm,
developmenL of small arL based buslness and a CenLre of aLLracLlon for Lhe resldenLs who wanL Lo
assoclaLe Lhemselves wlLh arL and culLure ln Lhe 8lack MounLaln reglon (!ackson, 2002).

)%L @+:P T#,,3H T#>>%3+$0 dVFBe?
nearly 80 mlles from any slgnlflcanL clLy, Lhe small Lown of new ?ork mllls, demonsLraLes Lhe
poLenLlal for Lurnlng rural arL and culLure lnLo economlc developmenL. 1hrough bold and forward
Lhlnklng lnvesLmenL by local leaders, Lhe communlLy creaLed Lhe new ?ork Mllls 8eglonal CulLural
CenLre ln 1992. 1hls exhlblLs LheaLre producLlons, muslcal performances and lncludlng lnLernaLlonal
culLural evenLs. new ?ork mllls were founded by llnnlsh lmmlgranLs ln MlnnesoLa around 1880. ln 1883,
new ?ork mllls was lncorporaLed and named for Lhe large number of Llmber mllls ln Lown. 1he Lowns
arL based approach Lo economlc developmenL began ln 1987, when !ohn uavls an arL graduaLe moved
Lo Lhe Lown. Pe was aLLracLed Lo new ?ork mllls for lLs rural locaLlon and small Lown quallLy of llfe. 1he
maln sLraLegy was Lo use arL as an economlc developmenL Lool by creaLlng Lhe new ?ork Mllls 8eglonal
CulLural CenLre. 1he CenLre was belleved would aLLracL LourlsLs and encourages Lhe developmenL of new
small buslnesses. ln 1990 uavles organlzed a nonproflL group wlLh Lhe mlsslon of brlnglng Lhe arLs Lo
new ?ork mllls. Pls flrsL lnlLlaLlve was an arLlsL ln resldence program LhaL lnLegraLed a vlslLlng arLlsL
lnLo Lhe communlLy Lhrough arL exhlblLs, classes and varlous oLher publlc servlces.

lurLher Lhe arLlsLs were requlred Lo asslsL Lhe communlLy ln a varleLy of ways based on Lhelr
lnLeresL and lndlvldual sklll seL. uavls ensured LhaL Lhe new ldeas and creaLlve energy were ln[ecLed lnLo
public life in New York Mills. Davis also decided to build on momentum by developing a downtown
culLural CenLre Lo place Lhe resldency program and arL exhlblLs ln Lhe CenLre of Lown. AL flrsL he
acqulred an old dllapldaLed properLy and vlslLed all local clvlc groups and reglonal cenLers for
conLrlbuLlon Lo hls pro[ecL. 8y Lhe end he had almosL ralsed $33,000 for Lhe new York mills downtown
culLural CenLre. In June of 1992, the New York mills regional cultural CenLre opened Lo Lhe communlLy,
Lhus sLaylng Lrue Lo lLs mlsslon, Lhe centers exhlblLs were made accesslble Lo all people ln and ouLslde
Lhe reglon. CommunlLles LhaL embrace Lhe ldeas and energy LhaL newcomers can bring to the
communlLy. Such as !ohn uavls, a clvlc enLrepreneur boughL new ldeas abouL Lhe lmporLance of arLs and
culLure Lo communlLy llfe LhaL were embraced by communlLy leaders. 1herefore by sLrucLurlng ouL Lhe
ways Lo rlsk ordlnary pro[ecLs, so LhaL Lhe Lown had ownershlp of Lhe culLural bulldlng and by deslgnlng
exhlblLs LhaL were aLLracLlve Lo boLh resldenLs and LourlsLs (uavls, 1998).
)'*:$.,7'*
ArLs, CulLure, performlng and vlsual arLs are lmporLanL ln every communlLy, Lowns and clLles
(Crams & lerrell, 2008). 1he culLural secLor however lncludes a broad range of lndlvlduals and
organlzaLlons LhaL creaLe, produce, presenL, dlsLrlbuLe and preserve culLural and hlsLorlc goods (uewey,
2004). CulLural Lourlsm can have broad soclal value for local communlLles such as creaLlvlLy, resource
susLalnablllLy and Lhe developmenL of place ldenLlLy (Sepe & 1rapanl, 2010). 1he ClLy of owell 8lver has
formulaLed pollcles for susLalnlng arL and culLure ln Lhe reglon and ls underLaklng proacLlve sLeps Lo
ensure lLs long Lerm susLalnablllLy by hosLlng several arL & culLural evenLs such as Lhe 8lackberry fesLlval,
Sunshlne ArL Crawl and Lhe Aurora lesLlval.

z)
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Powever Lhere are key challenges whlch need Lo be addressed for long Lerm susLalnablllLy Lhe
Lwo case sLudles dlscussed ln Lhls paper provlde a gllmpse as how small Lowns llke 8lack MounLaln ln
norLh Carollna and new ?ork Mllls ln MlnnesoLa have successfully Lransformed Lhemselves Lhrough arLs
and culLure by lnLegraLlng communlLles, organlzaLlons and oLher sLakeholders as a susLalnable Lourlsm
poLenLlal. As communlLles can dlffer ln how arLs, organlzaLlons, communlLy arL agencles lnLeracL ln Lhe
developmenL and execuLlon of arL and culLure Lourlsm sLraLegles. 1herefore arL and culLure are
descrlbed as hollsLlc, drawlng ln people from many walks of llfe and assoclaLed wlLh lndlvldual and
collecLlve capaclLy bulldlng, empowermenL, collaboraLlon, expanded neLworklng opporLunlLles and
LransformaLlon (8roLman, 2007). 1he paper explores Lhe varlous sLages of arL and culLure Lourlsm ln
owell 8lver, ldenLlfylng lLs key sLrengLhs and lndlcaLlng Lhe currenL challenges.

z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

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from nelson/1asman 8eglon, new Zealand. Asla aclflc !ournal of 1ourlsm 8esearch, 10(1): 43
37.
8roLman, ! (2007) Nourishing the arts in rural communities. Paper presented at Culturescopes In
Focus Series, 2007.
uavls, ! (1998) Small 1own blg ldeas Case sLudles ln small Lown communlLy economlc developmenL
New York Mills Minnesota retrieved from http://www.log.unc.edu/program.developmenL
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Dewey, P. (2004) From Arts Management to Cultural Administration. International Journal of Arts
ManagemenL, 6 (3): 13-22.
uredge, u. (2006). ollcy neLworks and Lhe local organlzaLlon of Lourlsm. 1ourlsm
Crams, u, & larrell, 8, (2008). LnLerlng CulLural CommunlLles: ulverslLy and Change ln Lhe nonproflLs
ArLs. lscaLaway, n!: 8uLgers unlverslLy ress.
Cursoy, u., klm, k., & uysal, M. (2004). ercelved impacts of festivals and special events by organizers:
an extension and validation. Tourism Management, 25(2), 171-181.
Pawkes, !. (2001). 1he fourLh plllar of susLalnablllLy: culLure's essenLlal role ln publlc plannlng,
Melbourne, vlC: Common Cround.
!ackson, C (2002) Small 1own blg ldeas Case sLudles ln small Lown communlLy economlc developmenL
Black Mountain North Carolina retrieved from http://www.iog.unc.edu/program.
koLler,. & CerLner, u. (2002) CounLry as brand, producL, and beyond: a place markeLlng and brand
managemenL perspecLlve !ournal of 8rand ManagemenL, 9 (43) (2002), pp. 249
261.ManagemenL, 27, 269-280.
Personal Communication, Benson, Richard (2013) Curator Wild in Stone (Art Gallery) through VIU field
1rlp as on CcLober 21sL 2013 aL owell 8lver reLrleved from rnbenson[Lelus.neL .
ersonal CommunlcaLlon, kamon, aul (2013) MarkeLlng ulrecLor (Sunshlne CoasL 1ourlsm) Lhrough vlu
fleld 1rlp as on CcLober 22nd 2013 aL owell 8lver, 1ourlsm owell 8lver reLrleved from
paul[dlscoverpowellrlver.com .
ersonal CommunlcaLlon: knlghL, 1homas (2013) lannlng Manager (CommunlLy Lnergy & Lmlsslons
lan) Lhrough vlu fleld 1rlp as on CcLober 21sL 2013 aL ClLy Councll Chamber, owell 8lver
reLrleved from LknlghL[cpdr.bc.ca .
Powell River (2009) Culture Master Plan Update retrieved from http://www.prreds.com.
Powell River (2012) Annual Report retrieved from https://powellriver.civicweb.net/.
Powell River (2012) Art & Culture Initiative report as on June 2012, retrieved from
hLLps://powellrlver.clvlcweb.neL .
Powell River (2013) Art & Culture Our Community Life OCP Report October 2013 City of Powell River
OCP by Law 2080 retrieved from http://powellriverocp.com/media-from-evenLs/.
z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

Powell River (2013) Art & Culture Our Community Life OCP Report October 2013 City of Powell River
OCP by Law 2080 retrieved from http://powellriverocp.com/media-from-evenLs/.
Powell River (2013) Sustainable Community Plan Purpose Process & Partnerships OCP Report October
2013 City of Powell River OCP by Law 2080 retrieved from
hLLp://powellrlverocp.flles.wordpress.com/2013/.
Powell River (2013) Vision Statement & Guiding Principles OCP Report October 2013 City Of Powell
River OCP by Law 2080 retrieved from http://powellriverocp.com/media-from-evenLs/.
Powell River (2013) Vision Statement & Guiding Principles OCP Report October 2013 City Of Powell
River OCP by Law 2080 retrieved from http://powellriverocp.com/media-from-evenLs/.
Powell River (2013) Vital Signs Taking the Pulse of Powell River Portrait of Our Community Total
Land Area reLrleved from hLLp://www.prvs.ca/porLralL-of-our-communlLy.hLml.
Powell River (2013) City Information Welcome To Powell River The Pearl on the Sunshine Coast
reLrleved from hLLp://www.powellrlver.ca/ .
owell River (2013) Tourism Powell River Arts, Culture & Heritage Pearl on the sunshine coast
reLrleved from hLLp://www.dlscoverpowellrlver.com/Lhlngs-Lo-do-an.
owell 8lver (2013) 1ourlsm owell 8lver uesLlnaLlon 8C, reLrleved from hLLp://www.hellobc.com .
8yan, C. & Alcken, M. (2003) lndlgenous Lourlsm: 1he commodlflcaLlon and managemenL of culLure
Llsevler, AmsLerdam (2003).
Sepe, M. & Trapani. G, (2010). Cultural Tourism and Creative Regeneration: Two Case Studies.
lnLernaLlonal !ournal of CulLure, 1ourlsm and PosplLallLy 8esearch, 4 (3): 214-27.
SLoeglehner, C. (2004). lnLegraLlng sLraLeglc envlronmenLal assessmenL lnLo communlLy
Sunshine Art Crawl (2013) Information on Powell River Sunshine Art Crawl retrieved from
hLLp://www.suncoasLarLs.com/proflles/arLcrawl/ .
Throsby, D. (1995). Culture, economics and sustainability. Journal of Cultural Economics, 19(3), 199-206.
Van Nostrand Reinhold.

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67A%9

8y. lesotl ltooov keJJy.


8*+9'3.:+7'*
LnLrepreneurs play an lmporLanL role ln reglonal economlc developmenL and are vlLal Lo
susLalnlng local growLh, progress and lnnovaLlon (SchumpeLer, 1984). LnLrepreneurs allgn Lhelr buslness
wlLh Lhelr passlons, values and moLlvaLlons and Lhese enLerprlses play a vlLal role ln enhanclng quallLy of
llfe ln Lhe reglons Lhey operaLe (MarckeLLl, 2006). LnLrepreneurs can also play a vlLal role ln rural
economlc LranslLlon. LnLrepreneurshlp ls dependenL on Lhe locaLlon for many of funcLlons and lL ls
assumed LhaL enLrepreneurs draw Lhelr lnsplraLlon and lnnovaLlon from Lhe reglons Lhey operaLe
(Aldrlch, 1990). 1he exlsLence of supporL neLworks ln a reglon ls a cruclal lnfluence behlnd
entrepreneurs decision to base Lhelr enLerprlses ln a reglon (8enneLL 8 !, 2002).

owell 8lver ls a Lown ln LranslLlon. lL once had a vlbranL resource lndusLry behlnd lL and ls now
aLLempLlng Lo make a susLalnable LranslLlon from belng resource dependenL Lo knowledge based. ln
many ways, Lhe ClLy ls aL cross roads, sLruggllng Lo malnLaln lLs ldenLlLy whlch ls deeply rooLed ln
resource based lndusLrles whlle reallzlng Lhe need for Lhe clLy Lo evolve lnLo Lhe new economy and
embrace a susLalnable paLh. 1hls new paLh musL lnclude Lhe aLLracLlon and supporL of a unlque mlx of
small buslnesses Lo provlde self-employmenL servlces for resldenLs, aLLracL vlslLors and Lo reach exLernal
markeLs.

As Lhe medlan age of Lhe clLy resldenLs ls around 30, Lhe clLy also needs Lo aLLracL young people
who can asslsL ln revlLallzlng Lhe old Lown and add self-employmenL opporLunlLles Lo lLs hlsLorlc culLural
scene. 1he Lown ls blessed wlLh specLacular naLural and culLural amenlLles, lL has an amazlng waLer
fronL, prlsLlne envlronmenL, excellenL alr quallLy and a vlbranL hlsLory LhaL ls closely allgned wlLh Lhe
CaLalysL paper mlll.

1hls paper wlll aLLempL Lo ldenLlfy challenges LhaL exlsL ln owell 8lver ln Lerms of aLLracLlng
enLrepreneurs and susLalnlng small buslnesses, Lhe local responses Lo address Lhese challenges and lL
wlll provlde lnnovaLlve soluLlons from ouLslde Lhe reglon where clLles and Lowns wlLh slmllar conLexLs
have dealL wlLh Lhese challenges and evolved lnLo new economles. 1he examples provlded ln Lhls paper
from ouLslde Lhe reglon are carefully selecLed keeplng ln mlnd Lhe unlque geographlcal and economlcal
conLexL of Lhe Lown. 1hese examples and suggesLlons are based on case sLudles of small Lowns whlch
have been successful ln Lransformlng Lhelr economlc dlrecLlon. 1he clLles menLloned ln Lhls paper are
selecLed from Canada, unlLed SLaLes of Amerlca and AusLralla.

!>$:%;:%>%1:3=#; 0>" 3C0,, '13#>%33 #> K+L%,, D#M%:
LnLrepreneurs are lnnovaLors who creaLe economlc galns ln Lhe reglons Lhey operaLe. Accordlng
Lo classlcal economlcs, LnLrepreneurshlp ls a vlLal elemenL ln measurlng economlc performance of a
reglon (Pawley, 1907). LnLrepreneurs are Lhose who reallze Lhe poLenLlal of opporLunlLles and use
lnnovaLlon as a Lool Lo creaLe value. LnLrepreneurs are glorlfled as faclllLaLors of economlc growLh and
are consldered valuable for economlc progress aL naLlonal, reglonal and local levels. lL has been
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esLabllshed LhaL naLlons wlLh more enLrepreneurs usually en[oy superlor growLh raLes and
enLrepreneurshlp ls a key facLor LhaL accounLs for reglonal economlc reslllence. lL should also be noLed
LhaL small buslnesses help Lo creaLe a cerLaln charm and can aLLracL people Lo maln sLreeLs.

1here ls a need Lo undersLand Lhe moLlvaLlons and values LhaL dlfferenLlaLe enLrepreneurs.
LnLrepreneurs are moLlvaLed by varlous reasons whlch can lnclude boLh economlc and non-economlc
moLlves. 1he bellef sysLem LhaL encourages enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLy varles greaLly based on personal
values, lnLeresLs and moLlvaLlons. 1hls bellef sysLem also deflnes an enLrepreneur. Llfe sLyle
enLrepreneurs are prlmarlly moLlvaLed by non-economlc moLlves whlle hlgh growLh enLrepreneurs are
usually moLlvaLed by economlc moLlves. Small and Medlum enLerprlses are ofLen noL moLlvaLed
excluslvely by economlc reasons and Lhese moLlvaLlons creaLe Lhe bellef sysLem LhaL deLermlnes
enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLy (uewhursL, 1998). 1ourlsm enLerprlses are usually small buslnesses and a vasL
ma[orlLy of Lhem are llfe sLyle enLerprlses (1homas 8, 1997).

owell 8lver ls a Lown LhaL ls boLh remoLe and small, and as such, lL lacks a crlLlcal base and vlLal
lnfrasLrucLure LhaL can faclllLaLe Lhe klnd of hlgh growLh enLerprlses whlch are known Lo brlng slgnlflcanL
economlc galns and large numbers of [obs. 8uL lL ls evldenL LhaL enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLy ls on rlse ln Lhe
clLy wlLh many small enLerprlses belng esLabllshed ln Lhe lasL couple of years (personal lnLervlew) mosL
of Lhese enLerprlses are small buslnesses and a number can be consldered as llfe sLyle enLerprlses. Close
Lo 16 of Lhe labour force ls self-employed ln owell 8lver (vlLal Slgns, 2011) and Lhere are varlous
organlzaLlons ln owell 8lver LhaL provlde supporL Lo enLrepreneurs. CommunlLy luLures uevelopmenL
CorporaLlon works Lowards fosLerlng enLrepreneurshlp and provldes crlLlcal servlces Lo enLrepreneurs ln
owell 8lver such as asslsLance wlLh wrlLlng a buslness plan, researchlng poLenLlal markeLs, workshops
on enLrepreneurshlp, loans and expanslon counsellng among oLher servlces.

1he owell 8lver Chamber of Commerce ls a nonproflL organlzaLlon LhaL ls commlLLed Lo
enhanclng buslness vlLallLy ln Lhe reglon. lL represenLs Lhe local buslness communlLy and lnfluences
pollcy makers Lo conslder Lhelr lnLeresLs, provldes lnformaLlon on sLaLlsLlcs, land use regulaLlons,
llcenslng requlremenLs eLc. for new buslnesses, and lL provldes neLworklng opporLunlLles wlLh oLher
enLrepreneurs ln Lhe reglon. WlLh more Lhan 600 members llsLed under lLs dlrecLory, Lhe Chamber ls an
lnfluenLlal volce of Lhe buslness communlLy ln owell 8lver and ls a valuable source of lnformaLlon for
poLenLlal enLrepreneurs.

1he owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy (88LuS) ls a non-proflL organlzaLlon
LhaL works wlLh a mandaLe Lo aLLracL new lnvesLmenLs, dlverslfy Lhe local economy and provlde
supporLlng servlces for exlsLlng buslnesses. Career Llnk whlch connecLs Lhe labour markeL wlLh small
enLerprlses ls anoLher lmporLanL resource ln Lhe supporL sLrucLure Lo faclllLaLe buslness acLlvlLy ln Lhe
reglon. 1he ClLy Councll of owell 8lver ls Lhe local admlnlsLraLlve body and ls responslble Lo creaLe
pollcles and regulaLlons LhaL govern buslness acLlvlLy ln Lhe clLy. Whlle each of Lhese organlzaLlons has
lLs own mandaLe, Lhelr broad lnLeresL ls ln enhanclng enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLy ln owell 8lver ls shared.
8ased on personal lnLeracLlons wlLh members of all Lhese organlzaLlons lL has become apparenL
LhaL owell 8lver faces some unlque challenges and opporLunlLles when lL comes Lo enLrepreneurshlp.

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1he challenges faced by enLrepreneurs ln owell 8lver are mulLl-faceLed. Cne of Lhe largesL
lssues ls perhaps Lhe lack of crlLlcal mass or clusLer of buslnesses. Many buslnesses flnd LhaL Lhe local
markeL ls Loo small Lo supporL Lhelr enLerprlses (personal lnLervlew), and a number of Lhem also
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recognlze LhaL wlLh Lhe decrease ln slgnlflcance of Lhe Mlll may cause furLher eroslon of Lhe populaLlon
base puLLlng Lhe fuLure of Lhelr buslness ln [eopardy. WlLh an average age of around 30, Lhe populaLlon
base ls conslderably older Lhan Lhe resL of Lhe provlnce and Lhe counLry. 1hls has lmporLanL lmpllcaLlons
for Lhose who wlsh Lo sLarL an enLerprlse ln owell 8lver. 1he lack of angel fundlng and venLure caplLal ls
anoLher lssue for economlc lnnovaLors ln owell 8lver. 1hough lL ls qulLe rare Lo flnd supporL ln Lhe
form of venLure caplLal funds or angel lnvesLors ln rural areas and small Lowns, Lhese supporL sysLems
are crlLlcal Lo fosLer Lhe klnd of hlgh growLh enLerprlses LhaL can change Lhe face of Lhe clLy and creaLe a
new dlrecLlon for Lhe reglon.

ln splLe of havlng a hlsLorlc old Lown slLe and a rlch LradlLlon of down Lown buslness acLlvlLy, Lhe
empLy bulldlngs on Lhe maln sLreeLs provlde a gllmpse of Lhe beLLer days Lhe Lown once had. Maln
sLreeLs should be promoLed for Lhelr value and Lhey can be greaL asseLs ln show caslng Lhe Lown as a
vlbranL communlLy and aLLracLlng poLenLlal lnvesLors.

LnLrepreneurs are lnnovaLlve people wlLh Lhe rlghL klnd of skllls whlch can enhance boLh Lhe
economlc wellbelng and llvlng sLandards of Lhe reglon. Whlle crlLlcal llLeraLure conslders enLrepreneurs
as economlc lnnovaLors who can lnfuse new lease of llfe ln a reglon (Pawley, 1907, Aldrlch, 1990,
MarckeLLl, 2006), lL ls also lmporLanL Lo conslder Lhe facL LhaL Lhere are dlfferenL klnds of enLrepreneurs
who are dlsLlngulshed based on Lhelr values and moLlvaLlons. romlnenL among Lhese are llfe sLyle
enLrepreneurs and hlgh growLh enLrepreneurs.

Plgh growLh enLrepreneurs work wlLh a slngle alm of growlng Lhelr buslness and revenues, whlle
llfe sLyle enLrepreneurs conslder growLh as a secondary moLlvaLlon and place more value on quallLy of
llfe. A common mlspercepLlon conslders llfe sLyle enLrepreneurs as an anLl-Lhesls of hlgh growLh
enLrepreneurs. ?eL lL should also be noLed LhaL Lhelr servlce Lo reglonal economlc developmenL ls ln no
way lnferlor Lo LhaL of hlgh growLh enLrepreneurs (MarchanL,8, & MoLLlar,Z, 2011, Llkhof,u.8, &
Paunschlld,A, 2006, 8osworLh, C, & larell, P, 2011). Llfe sLyle enLrepreneurs are known Lo creaLe nlche
markeLs and can aLLracL vlslLors wlLh slmllar seLs of values and bellefs.

Small communlLles whlch depend on a slngle large employer face a hosL of problems wlLh
llmlLed buslness dlverslLy whlch makes Lhem suscepLlble Lo global economlc cycles. owell 8lver ls one
such reglon whlch relled on Lhe paper mlll as lLs core employer and mosL of Lhe buslnesses LhaL
developed were connecLed Lo Lhe mllls success. AnoLher challenge for rural communlLles such as owell
8lver ls Lhe llmlLed dlverslLy ln local economy whlch means Lhere are noL many successful enLrepreneurs
who can moLlvaLe and gulde poLenLlal enLrepreneurs and creaLe neLworklng opporLunlLles for Lhem.
1hese challenges creaLe barrler for poLenLlal enLrepreneurs who sLrlve Lo creaLe economlc opporLunlLles
based on amenlLles, resources and lnnovaLlon.

D':"$ 9%,E'*,%,
Local pollcy makers, Lhe buslness communlLy and oLher organlzaLlons worklng for Lhe welfare of
Lhe reglon have reallzed Lhe lmporLance of dlverslfylng Lhe local economy and are prepared Lo creaLe a
susLalnable fuLure less rellanL on a slngle lndusLry. 1he clLy ls Lrylng Lo markeL lLs greaLesL advanLages
whlch lnclude affordable real esLaLe (ls a rare commodlLy ln coasLal 8rlLlsh Columbla), a prlsLlne naLural
envlronmenL, a vlbranL arL, culLure and a rlch hlsLorlcal conLexL. ollcy makers also undersLand LhaL
whlle small buslnesses mlghL noL creaLe enough [obs or wealLh Lo compensaLe for Lhe decllne of Lhe
Mlll, Lhey are vlLal ln sLrengLhenlng Lhe local economy and communlLy wellbelng. owell 8lvers new
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enLerprlses are predomlnanLly caLegorlzed as small buslnesses and 16 of Lhe LoLal labour force
operaLes from home (vlLal Slgns Canada, 2011).

1he owell 8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy (88LuS) ls a focused group LhaL
works wlLh a mandaLe on aLLracLlng lnvesLmenLs, promoLlng enLrepreneurshlp and buslness expanslon
ln owell 8lver. lL has represenLaLlves from Lhe communlLy and a clear seL of goals LhaL alm Lo faclllLaLe
economlc developmenL lnvolvlng all Lhe sLake holders of Lhe reglon. lL provldes asslsLance for exlsLlng
buslnesses ln Lerms of expanslon and reLenLlon. WlLh almosL 30 buslnesses for sale ln owell 8lver aL Lhe
Llme of Lhls paper, Lhe socleLy ls of Lhe oplnlon LhaL Lhere ls more value ln provldlng asslsLance for
buslnesses reLenLlon and expanslon. 1he socleLy does a commendable [ob ln creaLlng Lhe producLs and
servlces Lo deal wlLh buslness survlval and expanslon. 88LuS has a mandaLe Lo ldenLlfy suscepLlble
companles whlch mlghL be aL rlsk and Lhen provlde asslsLance Lo Lhem ln Lhe form of creaLlng sLraLegles
for Lhem, addresslng Lhelr wlder concerns on varlous lssues. 1he socleLy also prlorlLlzes exlsLlng
buslnesses and conslders LhaL lL ls cruclal Lo have happy exlsLlng buslnesses Lo aLLracL new
enLrepreneurs Lo Lhe reglon. Avallable lands are menLloned on Lhelr webslLe wlLh a sLaLed vlslon Lo
promoLe commerclal and lndusLrlal developmenL uslng affordable lands. 88LuS offers anoLher servlce
called Lhe buslness walk whlch lnvolves communlLy leaders lnLeracLlng wlLh local buslnesses. 1hls
program ls deslgned Lo connecL Lhe pollcy makers and senslLlze Lhem Lo Lhe lnLeresL of local buslnesses.

Career llnk ls Lhe [ob cenLer ln owell 8lver whlch provldes valuable servlces for enLrepreneurs
who seek labor, whlle larger resource based flrms depend on Lhelr own neLwork for hlrlng, Career llnk ls
predomlnanLly used by small buslnesses who cannoL afford Lo creaLe such a neLwork. owell 8lver has a
conslderably large reLlremenL communlLy who possess hlghly valuable skllls. Career llnk ls a valuable
asseL LhaL ls sLrlvlng Lowards connecLlng enLerprlses wlLh work force ln owell 8lver.

1he owell 8lver Chamber of Commerce ls a vlLal source of supporL for local buslnesses,
enLrepreneurs and small buslnesses. lL promoLes Lhe opporLunlLles presenL ln owell 8lver for wlder
audlence across Lhe globe. 1he Chamber ls now lnvolved ln a campalgn Lo promoLe local shopplng and ls
educaLlng resldenLs abouL Lhe need Lo susLaln local buslnesses and Lhelr value Lo Lhe wellbelng of Lhe
communlLy. 1helr argumenL ls LhaL every dollar spenL ln Lhe communlLy wlll have mulLlple effecLs and
can sLrengLhen local nonproflLs and employmenL. 1he Chamber represenLs Lhe lnLeresLs of Lhe owell
8lver buslness communlLy and ls acLlvely engaged ln creaLlng neLworklng opporLunlLles, connecLlng
exLernal markeLs and creaLlng supporL neLwork ln Lhe local communlLy. lL has more Lhan 600 acLlve
members ln lLs dlrecLory.

1he buslness reLenLlon and expanslon program ls an lnnovaLlve approach Lo deal wlLh lssues
LhaL are crlLlcal for local economlc wellbelng. 1he program ls a producL LhaL resulLed ouL of acLlve
collaboraLlon from 88LuS, local Chamber of Commerce and CommunlLy luLures. 1hls program ls now
Lhe fasLesL growlng program of Lhls Lype ln norLh Amerlca and acLs as a corner sLone of supporL for local
buslnesses. 1hls program uses Lhe execuLlve plus sysLem whlch ls a daLabase program and Lralned all Lhe
sLake holders lnvolved on Lhls program. Whlle Lhe work of Lhls program ls sLlll ln lLs lnlLlal sLages, lL dld a
commendable [ob by collecLlng Lhe local daLabase on exlsLlng buslnesses and ldenLlfled enLerprlses LhaL
needed Lhese servlces and has already begun Lhe lnLervlew process. 1hls program also helped ln
creaLlng vlLal llnks for local buslnesses wlLh local governmenL .1hls approach ls lnnovaLlve lnvolved
coordlnaLlon aL varlous levels.

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8**'A"+7A% 73%", (9'5 %$,%@/%9%
Whlle owell 8lver faces some unlque challenges, Lhere are varlous reglons around Lhe world
where communlLles under slmllar conLexLs wlLh slmllar challenges crafLed local soluLlons and
successfully adapLed Lo changlng global economlc dynamlcs, Lhls secLlon wlll provlde examples from
dlfferenL parLs of Lhe globe and Lhen relaLe Lhe conLexLs Lo offer lnnovaLlons LhaL can be appllcable for
owell 8lver.

Sllver ClLy ln norLh Carollna ls anoLher small clLy wlLh a populaLlon of around 8000 resldenLs.
1he clLy developed a sLraLegy Lo promoLe enLrepreneurshlp, develop down Lown and Lap lnLo Lhe
creaLlve economy. 1hls sLraLegy lnvolved collaboraLlon and a parLnershlp wlLh Lhe local communlLy
called Lhe cenLral Carollna communlLy college (CCCC). 1he developmenL of Lhls sLraLegy has become
posslble wlLh Lhe vlslon of Lhe former buslness program dlrecLor aL CCCC. ln parLnershlp wlLh Lhe clLy,
Lhe college creaLed an lnnovaLlve arL based small buslness lncubaLor whlch wlll offer programs and
Lralnlng Lo Leach arLlsLlc skllls and buslness skllls LhaL can be useful ln Lhe operaLlon of crafL sLudlos and
gallerles. 1he lncubaLor was seL up ln down Lown Sllver ClLy and was operaLed from a herlLage bulldlng.
1hls lncubaLor added vlbrancy Lo Lhe downLown, faclllLaLed creaLlon of oLher small buslnesses and
boughL new llfe Lo Lhe old clLy. 1he lnlLlal fundlng for Lhe pro[ecL had come from a local bank whlch was
convlnced wlLh Lhe argumenL puL forward by Lhe college and Lhe ablllLy of Lhe arLlsLs Lo generaLe
reLurns. 1he lnlLlal success and Lhe buzz creaLed wlLh Lhe lncubaLor encouraged local governmenL Lo
provlde fundlng Lowards Lhe expanslon of Lhe CenLre. 1he rural cenLer of norLh Carollna was also
lnvolved ln Lhe pro[ecL. 1hls cenLer slngle headedly changed Lhe face of Lhe clLy and ls now deemed as
an aLLracLlon LhaL can brlng ln lnvesLmenLs, new resldenLs and LourlsLs.

owell 8lver could work wlLh vancouver lsland unlverslLy Lowards a slmllar alm. Whlle lL mlghL
noL necessarlly be an arLs based lncubaLor, lL can be a cenLer whlch focuses on small buslness and
enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLy whlle aL Lhe same Llme concenLraLlng on aspecLs such as llfesLyle
enLrepreneurshlp, LradlLlonal crafLs, dlvlng , mounLaln blklng and Lralls. owell 8lver has all Lhe
amenlLles LhaL can faclllLaLe research on Lhese acLlvlLles. 1he clLy could come forward wlLh an acLlve
argumenL abouL Lhe need for such a cenLer and could posslbly commlL some form of fundlng sub[ecL Lo
Lhe cenLer belng opened aL one of Lhe herlLage old bulldlngs near down Lown. 1hls lncubaLor could be a
ma[or aLLracLlon LhaL can faclllLaLe ln mlgraLlon of enLrepreneurs, new resldenLs and LourlsLs, and could
also help ln brlnglng lnLernaLlonal sLudenLs Lo Lhe Lown.

Coolah, whlch ls a small Lown ln new SouLh Wales ln AusLralla, shares many slmllarlLles wlLh
owell 8lver. lL was LoLally dependenL on Lhe local saw mlll for lLs survlval, and Lhen Lhe saw mlll closed
with the governments decision to convert local government forest into a national park. The town had to
change lLs LoLal characLer from belng resource dependenL Lo belng amenlLy based. lL was a dlfflculL
perlod for Lhe Lown wlLh many predlcLlng lLs slow deaLh wlLh Lhe absence of an economlc caLalysL. WhaL
changed Lhe faLe of Lhe Lown ls communlLy parLlclpaLlon. 1he resldenLs of Lhe Lown goL unlLed wlLh a
motive to save their community from an economic catastrophe. The Coolah District Development
Group was the group that acted as a vehicle in promoting sustainable local development. The principle
focus was on Lhe maln sLreeL of Lhe Lown, Lhey employed landscape archlLecLs Lo beauLlfy Lhe maln
sLreeL, creaLed aLLracLlve enLrances and slgnage, creaLed lnnovaLlve brochures and vldeos Lo promoLe
Lourlsm and employed sLraLegles Lo garner governmenL fundlng for Lhelr lnlLlaLlves. lor Lhe Lown, Lhe
maln sLreeL now acLs as Lhe hearL and ls a conLlnuous source of prlde and aLLracLs LourlsLs. 1he herlLage
characLer of Lhe maln sLreeL was refurblshed and was promoLed as a meeLlng place. AcLlve developmenL
of lnfrasLrucLure and a campalgn Lo promoLe local buslnesses helped ln furLher solldlfylng Lhe galns.
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LxLenslve use of Lhe communlLy developmenL process, whlle lnLeracLlng wlLh experLs from ouLslde Lhe
reglon was a blg reason behlnd Lhls change. 1he blggesL advanLage for Lhe Lown was Lhe communlLy
lncluslveness. 8esldenLs from all walks of Lhe llfe parLlclpaLed and promoLed Lhls developmenL lnlLlaLlve.
LffecLlve fundralslng, markeLlng campalgn and collaboraLlon wlLh varlous agencles made lL posslble Lo
acLlvely seek a change of dlrecLlon for Lhe Lown.

1oday Coolah ls prosperlng on varlous lndlcaLors, unemploymenL has come down, new
buslnesses have been esLabllshed and real esLaLe ls sLrong. A vlbranL maln sLreeL acLs as a caLalysL Lo
draw enLrepreneurs and ls usually consldered a slgn of Lhe economlc sLrengLh of Lhe communlLy and as
ls evldenL from whaL has happened ln Coolah crafLlng a vlbranL downLown adds llfe lnLo alllng
buslnesses and resldenLs value local enLerprlses.

owell 8lver shares many characLers wlLh Coolah. 1here ls a wlde spread loss of confldence
among Lhe buslness communlLy and resldenLs on Lhe growLh of Lhe clLy. WlLh a faclllLaLor llke Lhe owell
8lver 8eglonal Lconomlc uevelopmenL SocleLy (88LuS) ln place, slmllar Lo Coolah ulsLrlcL uevelopmenL
Croup, Lhls Lype of lnlLlaLlve could ensue. 1he challenge would be ln encouraglng communlLy
parLlclpaLlon aL a wlder range and creaLlng a sense of lnvolvemenL and open-mlndedness Lo
developmenLs LhaL are belng planned Lhere. ln Coolah, Lhe focus was on developlng Maln SLreeL as an
aLLracLlon LhaL can reap ln lnvesLmenLs, LourlsLs and lnsLlgaLe a sense of communal prlde. owell 8lver
can employ slmllar sLraLegles Lo promoLe Lhe old Lown CenLre wlLh efflclenL fundralslng and markeLlng
sLraLegles.

rlnce Ldwards CounLy ln CnLarlo Canada ls a small clLy wlLh around 23,000 lnhablLanLs.
PlsLorlcally Lhe clLy was dependenL on agrlculLure, whlch deflned lLs economy and culLure. AfLer
resLrucLurlng ln Lhe agrlculLural secLor, Lhe counLy losL mosL of lLs younger resldenLs, who mlgraLed Lo
larger urban cenLers. 1he 1own Councll Lhen declded Lo LranslLlon Lhe counLy lnLo a fuLure based on Lhe
creaLlve class. 1he CounLy creaLed a sLraLegy LhaL used an AmenlLy 8ased 8ural uevelopmenL approach.
1he CounLy, whlle acknowledglng Lhe naLural and CulLural AmenlLles presenL ln Lhe 1own, lnvesLed ln
developlng symbollc and bullL AmenlLles. 1he offlce of economlc developmenL of prlnce Ldwards CounLy
ldenLlfled four plllars of local developmenL, lncludlng agrlculLure, Lourlsm, commerce and culLure.
AcLlvlLles such as vlnlculLure and gasLronomy provlded opporLunlLy Lo creaLe an economlc alllance
beLween agrlculLure, arLs and Lourlsm.

1he clLy also revlLallzed Lhe 8eagenL 1heaLre and funded gallerles and culLural acLlvlLles. Local
enLerprlses conLrlbuLed Lowards Lhe wlder ob[ecLlve on culLural brandlng whlch aLLracLed new resldenLs,
lnvesLmenLs and LourlsLs Lo Lhe counLy. 1he sLraLeglc plan for culLure ls an lnnovaLlve approach
employed by Lhe counLy Lo encourage communlLy parLlclpaLlon. 1hey creaLed a Lask force called Lhe
culLural round Lable whlch creaLed an opporLunlLy for arLlsLs Lo geL lnvolved ln Lhls plan and coordlnaLe
wlLh buslnesses and Lhe Councll. SlgnlflcanL lnvesLmenLs were made Lo proLecL Lhe archlLecLural
herlLage of Lhe counLy. 1hls sLraLegy resulLed ln a Lurnaround for Lhe counLy. new buslnesses have been
esLabllshed and new resldenLs seLLled ln Lhe clLy Lo Lake advanLages of lLs amenlLles.

owell 8lver ls slmllar Lo prlnce Ldward CounLy ln many ways lncludlng Lhe geographlcal
lsolaLlon whlch Lhe laLLer used Lo nurLure a unlque culLural amenlLy. uslng an amenlLy based approach
would be a drasLlc change for a clLy whlch ldenLlfles lLs orlgln wlLh resource exLracLlon. Powever, as
demonsLraLed by prlnce Ldward CounLy, Lhls can be a vlable sLraLegy Lo offer new dlrecLlon Lo Lhe Lown.
1hls sLraLegy lnvolves acknowledglng lLs amenlLles lncludlng naLural, culLural and sysLem amenlLles and
Lhen devoLlng funds Lo make Lhese amenlLles more markeLable Lo wlder audlence and as a Lool Lo
)z
"#$% &'()*%$ *+ &($'#*+#,*-*'. *+ '/% &(+$/*+% "0#$' 1%2*0+ 03 4"

aLLracL small buslnesses and enLrepreneurs. 1hls sLraLegy can also help ln sLemmlng Lhe populaLlon draln
and aLLracLlng Lhe creaLlve class and younger generaLlons who could be lnvolved ln brlnglng Lhe clLy ln a
new vlbranL dlrecLlon.

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SusLalnlng enLrepreneurshlp ln owell 8lver ls a Lask LhaL needs coordlnaLlon aL varlous levels
and awareness on Lhe need Lo lncubaLe enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLy. LnLrepreneurshlp should be llnked Lo
Lhe blgger ldeal. lts about completing the transition for this city, adjusting the splrlL of Lhe Lown away
from resource explolLaLlon, creaLlng [obs, reLalnlng youLh, allevlaLlng poverLy and addlng vlbrancy Lo Lhe
clLy. LnLrepreneurs are ofLen Lhe mosL dynamlc agenLs of socleLy, Lhey are Lhe economlc lnnovaLors who
creaLe vlLal servlces, producLs and enLerprlses LhaL energlze communlLles. 1here should be an aLLempL
Lo undersLand Lhelr moLlvaLlons, values, conLexLs and gauge Lhe level of supporL Lo encourage
enLrepreneurshlp ln owell 8lver. undersLandlng Lhelr reallLles and needs can be done by creaLlng base
llnes and quanLlLaLlve daLa on buslness and enLrepreneurlal acLlvlLy ln Lhe Lown.

Whlle exlsLlng supporL sysLems provlde commendable servlces Lo enLrepreneurs, Lhere ls a clear
need Lo sLrengLhen Lhese organlzaLlons and use Lhem as faclllLaLors Lo provlde effecLlve and lnnovaLlve
servlces wlLh deflned ob[ecLlves Lo Lhe enLrepreneurlal communlLy ln Lhe clLy. 1here ls a need Lo achleve
collaboraLlon beLween dlverse organlzaLlons worklng wlLh slmllar ob[ecLlves. 1he Lown can provlde
effecLlve servlces Lo encourage enLrepreneurshlp by collaboraLlng and lnfluenclng reglonal, provlnclal
and federal governmenLs.

1o move Lowards a susLalnable fuLure, owell 8lver should explore soluLlons from communlLles
wlLh slmllar conLexLs around Lhe globe and Lallor Lhem Lo creaLe lnnovaLlve ldeas LhaL can push Lhe clLy
on a clearly deflned susLalnable Lrack. CollaboraLlng wlLh vlu campus aL owell 8lver can provlde
lmmense beneflLs Lo boLh Lhe clLy and Lhe unlverslLy. Lncouraglng clvlc engagemenL and communlLy
supporL Lo local buslnesses can go a long way ln creaLlng a vlable and vlbranL buslness communlLy ln
owell 8lver. uslng Lhe AmenlLy 8ased uevelopmenL approach Lo gulde Lhe clLy Lo new poLenLlal can
creaLe a new ldenLlLy for Lhe clLy. 1hls approach can also provlde an effecLlve way Lo ldenLlfy new
avenues for growLh and encourage enLrepreneurs Lo crafL a susLalnable fuLure for Lhe clLy Lhrough Lhelr
lnnovaLlve and effecLlve soluLlons.

Cn an endlng noLe lL ls lmporLanL Lo undersLand and appreclaLe Lhe organlzaLlons and
lndlvlduals who are worklng wlLh a deflned ob[ecLlve Lo achleve susLalnable developmenL ln Lhe clLy. 1he
clLy has some unlque challenges buL Lhe work belng done Lo creaLe soluLlons Lo Lhese challenges provlde
hope LhaL owell 8lver ls well polsed for a reslllenL fuLure.


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8LlL8LnCLS
SchumpeLer, !. A. (1983). 1he Lheory of economlc developmenL: An lnqulry lnLo proflLs, caplLal, credlL,
lnLeresL, and Lhe buslness cycle. new 8runswlck, n.!: 1ransacLlon 8ooks.
Aldrlch, P. (1990). uslng an ecologlcal perspecLlve Lo sLudy organlzaLlonal foundlng raLes.
LnLrepreneurshlp: Lheory and pracLlce, 7-24.
8enneLL 8 !, S. C. (2002). Lhe lnfluence of locaLlon and buslness on Lhe supply of buslness advlce.
LnvlronmenL and plannlng , 231-270.
uewhursL, . P. (1998). Small buslness owners. 1he managemenL of small Lourlsm and hosplLallLy flrms ,
19-39.
Pawley, l. (1907). LnLerprlse and Lhe producLlve process. new ?ork: C.. uLnam & Sons.
ln1LLl. (2011). CreaLlve based sLraLegles ln small and medlum clLles: guldellnes for local auLhorlLles.
Llsboa: ln1LLl.
Lambe, w. (2008). Small Lowns blg ldeas: Case sLudles ln small Lown communlLy economlc developmenL.
Chapel Plll: norLh Carollna rural economlc developmenL cenLer.
MarckeLLl, S. n. (2006). An exploraLory sLudy of llfesLyle enLrepreneurshlp and lLs relaLlon Lo llfe quallLy.
lamlly and Consumer Sclence 8esearch !ournal , 241-239.
eLer kenyon, a. b. (2001). Small Lown renewal: overvlew and case sLudles. klngsLon: rural lndusLrles
research and developmenL corporaLlon.
1homas 8, l. a. (1997). 1he naLlonal survey of small Lourlsm and hosplLallLy flrms. Leeds: Leeds
meLropollLan unlverslLy.
MarchanL, 8., & MoLLlar, Z. (2011). undersLandlng llfesLyle enLrepreneurs and dlgglng beneaLh
Llkhof, u. 8., & Paunschlld, A. (2006). LlfesLyle meeLs markeL: 8ohemlan enLrepreneurs ln creaLlve
lndusLrles. CreaLlvlLy and lnnovaLlon ManagemenL, 13(3), 234-241. dol:10.1111/[.1467-
8691.2006.00392.x
8osworLh, C., & larrell, P. (2011). 1ourlsm enLrepreneurs ln norLhumberland. Annals of 1ourlsm
8esearch, 38(4), 1474-1494. dol:10.1016/[.annals.2011.03.013
owell 8lver vlLal Slgns, owell 8lver CommunlLy loundaLlon, november , 10, 2013, reLrleved from:
hLLp://www.prvs.ca/survey.hLml
SLaLlsLlcs Canada, CovernmenL of Canada, november 10, 2013, 8eLrleved from:
hLLp://www.sLaLcan.gc.ca/sLarL-debuL-eng.hLml

















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