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Spring 2008

 
 

 

TORC Conference 2008 - Ottawa

Information sharing and networking were front and centre recently as rural stakeholders from across Ontario gathered in Ottawa for the TORC Rural Development Conference 2008: Leading the Rural Renaissance. By all accounts, the considerable slate of keynote speakers and panel presenters offered up valuable insight, resources, expertise and firsthand accounts of successes/challenges in rural development initiatives.

Broadband, and the implementation of high speed internet access in all rural communities, was a major subject stream running through the two-and-a-half day agenda. Keynote speaker Louis Zacharilla, co-founder of the Intelligent Community Forum (New York, NY) drew the connections between a 'broadband economy" - one in which intellectual property and 'knowledge work' are dominant economic factors - and the traditional characteristics of a rural community (local culture, church, people, schools, private sector, etc.). When the two begin to meld together,"the result is the beginnings of an intelligent community." In such an environment, Zacharilla added, "adaptability outweighs legacy; skills, not resources, are the key to future; and innovation, not location, creates a competitive advantage."

Speaker Presentations



TORC Partners in Rural Leadership Initiative

TORC has joined forces with The Centre for Rural Leadership (TCRL), the Foundation for Rural Living (FRL) and 4-H Ontario to implement a new program designed to invest in our rural leaders of tomorrow. Funding for the new program will come from the Government of Canada, which has earmarked $1.1 million over five years.

"Strong leadership is a critical community asset," notes TORC Executive Director Harold Flaming. "By investing in the continued development of leaders in the agricultural and rural sectors it will allow us to compete globally and achieve the overall goal of vibrant and prosperous rural community living."

The announcement was made at the recent Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations (OACFDC) conference in Stratford. Local Member of Parliament (MP) Gary Schellenberger made the announcement on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Program funding will be administered through the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC).

"Partnering with others towards common goals and objectives is an integral part of each of the four organizations involved in this project," said TCRL Executive Director Rob Black at the launch. "Collaborating on the delivery of the initiatives will strengthen the overall project."



The TORC Report

TORC Reports emanating from our last two Forum events have now been published and are ready for download on the TORC website (www.torc.on.ca). Circulation of The TORC Report on Renewable Energy and The TORC Report on Local Food has been initiated to targeted rural stakeholders and relevant ministry contacts in both levels of government in keeping with TORC's mandate to ensure the collective rural voice is heard by decision-makers setting rural policy.

The official proceedings from a TORC Public Issue Forum, The TORC Report summarizes and puts into current context the issue being explored on Forum day. TORC has produced six (6) such reports dating to June 2006. Links to all can be found on the TORC home page.


Membership Renewal

A reminder to all TORC Members to review their renewal packages which were recently mailed out, with an invitation to forward any questions or concerns our way.
Under the new membership structure approved last fall by TORC Members, Associate Membership as a separate entity has now been folded into the overall membership structure. Current Associate Members are asked to stay tuned as further details on how to renew will be e-mailed out in the next few weeks.


Calendar of Events

Have an event coming up? Be sure to let us know and we'll post it to the TORC website. tell-me-more@torc.on.ca
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




TORC past Chair Tom Prout (Conservation Ontario) joins TORC Chair Jim Whaley (Individual and Regional Member) in greeting TORC Conference 2008 delegates.




Keynote Speaker Louis Zacharilla of the Intelligent Community Forum (New York, N.Y.) shares with participants what constitutes an "intelligent community" and the related impact at local levels.




TORC Member Val Ryan (Nottawasaga CFDC) moderates a session on rural entrepreneurship with panel speakers (L to R) John Doherty of Valley Heartland CFDC, Jen Heneberry of On Co-op and Francois Désmoreaux of RDÉE Ontario.

 

 

TCRL Executive Director Rob Black at $1.1 million federal funding announcement for
rural leadership initiative