Forums | Conferences | Summits
TORC hosts Public Issue Forums throughout the course of the calendar year. Open to the public and members alike, these Forums are a direct reflection of our interest in capturing the pulse of rural Ontario.
Within the framework of a chosen theme, each Forum draws together the most experienced presenters with participants who are primed to receive the information and channel it effectively. In other words….
TORC audiences are actively engaged. No matter what sector you represent, as a participant in a TORC Forum you are valued as much for your voice as for your ears. Our participants dig in, get involved in group discussion, and collectively suggest viable strategies towards ensuring rural vitality. We invite you to come join us at our next TORC Forum!
FORUM PRESS RELEASE
FORUM PLANNING PARTNERS
FORUM AGENDA
FORUM PRESENTATIONS:
Henning Holst: The German Experience
Laurie Stanton/Garry Fortune: The Biogas Experience
Lloyd Crawford: The Wind Co-op Experience
Graeme Millen: RESOP + Net Metering - Biogas
Cornell Feenstra: RESOP + Net Metering - Wind
Jon Kieran: RESOP - Barriers
Carol Leeming: Net Metering for Individual Development - Wind
Jen Heneberry: Co-operative Model
Henning Holst: Collaborative Model
Patrick Cote: Val-Eo Co-operative Model
Jake DeBruyn / Don Hilborn: Tech 101 - Biogas
Cornell Feenstra: Tech 101 - Wind (small projects)
Henning Holst: Tech 101 - Wind (large projects)
Kevin Edwards / Bob Allen: Tech 101 - Water
June 19 , 2007 - Guelph, Ontario
FORUM AGENDARelated Presentations:
- Larry Jones, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky
- Diana Jedig , Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations (OACFDC)
- John Martin, Ontario Ministry of Small Business & Enterpreneurship
- Jen Heneberry, Ontario Co-operative Association - Community EFFORT
March 20, 2007 - Brockville, Ontario
March 22, 2007 - Ingersoll, Ontario
THE TORC REPORT on
Rural BroadbandBrockville AGENDA
- Barbara Schwartzentruber, Ministry of Government Services
- Marla Krakower, Ministry of Government Services
- Laura Bradley, Actionable-Intelligence Inc.
- Chris Cope, Eastern Ontario Broadband Coalition
- Donna Lunn, Elgin Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC)
- Chris Cope, Consultant - City of Ottawa
Ingersoll AGENDA
- Barbara Schwartzentruber, Ministry of Government Services
- Marla Krakower, Ministry of Government Services
- Kathryn Wood, Natural Capital Resources Inc.
- Barrie Crampton, Eastern Ontario Broadband Coalition
- Donna Lunn, Elgin Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC)
March 6, 2007 - Belleville, Ontario
- THE BELLEVILLE TOP SIX Creative and easy-to-implement ideas suggested by youth, for youth, to better engage young people in their communities
Related Presentations:- Getting Involved in Your Community:
Ingersoll Youth Action Committee- Using Technology to Enhance Youth Opportunities:
Medin Admasu, Taking IT Global- Youth Engagement: Fostered through Sports, Recreation and Arts & Culture:
Marion Price, Parks and Recreation Ontario
Linda Albright, Arts Network for Children and Youth- Best Practices for Non-Youth to Engage Youth:
Les Voakes, Town Youth Planning Strategies- Youth Living and Working in Rural:
Andrew Redden, Main Street Project Coordinator
Chris Berrigan/Jamie Simmons, Northumberland Youth Advisory Council
Marion Price/Brenda Whitehead, Youth Friendly Communities
September, 2006 - LHINs and the Future of Rural Health: What Can Our Communities Expect?
Sudbury, Ontario
- Dr. Roger Pitblado, Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research (CRaNHR)
Executive Summary REPORT: "How Healthy are Rural Canadians? An Assessment of their Health Status and Health Determinants"
- February, 2006 - Rural Health Works: Strengthening Rural Health Services through Local Economic Development Strategies (Forum Report)
Guelph, Ontario
- Related Presentations:
Karen Chan, Director, Rural Investments Branch (OMAFRA)
Linda VanLondersele, Delhi Community Health Centre- Related Articles:
Economic Analysis of a Health Services Co-operative's Presence on a Home Territory
Implementation of a Health Services Co-operative: Factors for Success and Failure
- June, 2005 - Vital Communities: Giving Voice to Youth
Guelph, Ontario- April 26, 2005 - Environmental Services: The New Countryside Products
Cambridge Ontario- February 1, 2005 - Innovative Directions For A New Rural Ontario: Making the Links between Innovation and Prosperity
Guelph, Ontario- June, 2004 - Trade and Tradition: A Dialogue with First Nations
Rama, Ontario- April, 2004 - Energy Alternates and Alternatives: Responding to the Current Energy Climate in Rural Ontario
Peterborough, Ontario- June 24, 2003 - Global Influences, Local Responses: Positioning for change in Ontario's resource sector
North Bay, Ontario- April 8, 2003 - Trading Spaces: Working through complex land use issues in Ontario
Brockville, Ontario- January 27, 2003 - Recruit, Retain, Rethink: Improving the state of rural health
Guelph, Ontario- July 8, 2002 - When 1 + 1 = 3: Building the culture for innovation in Ontario
New Liskeard, Ontario- April 15, 2002 - Common Causes: Creating a new urban/rural partnership
Whitby, Ontario- January 28, 2002 - The Leadership Challenge: Is rural Ontario ready for the 21st century?"
Guelph, Ontario- July 16, 2001 - Rural Youth: Leaving, staying or returning?
Dorset, Ontario- July 16, 2001 - Special Youth Workshop
Dorset, Ontario- April 9, 2001 - Changing Rural Demographics: Good news or bad?
Merrickville, Ontario- January 29, 2001 - Water Quality in Rural Ontario . . . Where do we stand?
Guelph, Ontario- July 10, 2000 - Who Cares for Rural Health
North Bay, Ontario- April 10, 2000 - Challenges and Opportunities in Economic Diversification: The Eastern Ontario Experience
Morrisburg, Ontario- January 17, 2000 - A Focus on the Changing Face of Energy: Impacts and Opportunities for Rural Communities
Guelph, Ontario- July 12, 1999 - Putting Research to Work in Rural Communities
Sudbury, Ontario- April 12, 1999 - Aligning Efforts Toward a Rural Strategy: Provincial, Federal and TORC working in collaboration
Peterborough, Ontario- January 13, 1999 - Understanding Partnerships: Building Successful and Sustainable Collaborations
Guelph, Ontario- July 27, 1998 - Rural Models that Work: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities
Stratford, Ontario
Conferences
Forums | Conferences | Summits
Peter Kenyon kicks off Conference with inspirational message of rural vitality amidst changing times
More than 320 people converged on Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood in Spring, 2006 to acknowledge the roles innovation and collaboration play in today's rural communities.
"Community Building through Innovation: Celebrating Today's Rural" was an inaugural event for the triumvirate partnership of The Ontario Rural Council, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Rural Development Division) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Rural Secretariat). By all accounts, the mix of plenary and workshop sessions, coupled with valuable networking time at THE Rural Development Conference 2006 was considered to be a resounding success for participants and organizers alike.
Kicking off the two and a half day event was the incomparable Peter Kenyon, small town "doctor" and rural community consultant from Perth, Australia. Kenyon regaled conference participants with a barrage of tales from Down Under, featuring a host of rural communities and their respective challenges in remaining economically and socially viable amidst changing times.
"The simple reality is, in rural areas, the future ain't what it used to be," noted Kenyon. "To be successful, you need to be idea- and opportunity-obsessed. You must leapfrog on each other and continue to learn. You've got to be hungry for ideas."
Kenyon's key messages revolved around the concept of community-building from the inside out, success achieved only through the fearless and tireless efforts of its constituents and local champions.
"You can't build communities from the top down," said the man who has traveled to more than 30 countries around the globe to assist in revitalizating rural and remote areas. "You must have the commitment and leadership of the town to invest in itself...to believe in itself."
Peter Kenyon's
7 Characteristics of a Healthy Community:1. practices ongoing dialogue
2. generates leadership
3. shapes its future
4. embraces diversity
5. knows itself
6. connects people and resources
7. creates a sense of communityKenyon suggests every community must be willing to ask itself four basic questions in the interests of future vitality and sustainability:
1. Who Are We?
2. What Have We Got?
3. What Do We Want?
4. How Do We Get It?
Although simple in concept, finding the leaders strong enough to ask these questions, and then assembling the people committed enough to pursue the answers, remains the biggest challenge. In Kenyon's vast experience, the future is seen "first in mind, next in will, then in activity."And who better to involve in this process than the youth of our communities. "One of the worse things I hear," noted Kenyon, "is that youth are our leaders of tomorrow. Bogus! They need to be current, active citizens of today. We need to get to them before they're gone!"
- More on Youth & Community from Peter Kenyon (Bank of I.D.E.A.S):
51 Things Adults Can Do for Young Men and Women (pdf)
Principles to Enable Effective Youth Participation (pdf)
Strategies for Energizing Young People (pdf)
THE Rural Development Conference 2006:
Plenary Presentations:
- Rural Community Buildiing through Innovation
Peter Kenyon, Bank of I.D.E.A.S. (Perth, Australia)- Seeds of Innovation: An Essential to Long-term Sustainability
Elaine Dundon, Chief Strategist, The Innovation Consulting Group Inc.
Note: No presentation made available to conference participants- The Survival of Resource-Based Communities in the New Rural Economy: The Case of Agriculture
Elbert van Donkersgoed, [formerly] Christian Farmers' Federation of Ontario
Mark Partridge, University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)- Emerging Strategies to Building Strong Rural Economies
Don Macke, RUPRI Centre for Rural Leadership (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Workshop Presentations:
- 1. Capturing the Innovative Spririt
Cathy Lang/Elinor Humphries; Innovative Rural Communities Project- 2. Alternative Energy: Can Community Wind Power Your Community?
Scott Tousaw, County of Huron
Melinda Zytaruk, Ontario Sustainable Energy Association
Lloyd Crawford, Countryside Energy Co-operative- 3. Strategies for Engaging Rural Youth
Peter Kenyon, CREATE Youth Program (Perth, Australia)- 4. Innovative Delivery Models in Rural Health
Jessica Burgess, HealthKick Huron- 5. Economic Diversification in Resource-Based Communities
Michael Atkins, Northern Ontario Business
Tom Morris, Wasaya Airways
Mayor Earle Freeborn, Municipality of Chapleau- 6. Unearthing the Root of Conflict in the Countryside: Cultivating Space and Understanding
Dr. Wayne Caldwell/Jennifer Ball, University of Guelph- 7. Shifting Municipal Boundaries: New Rural/Urban Realities
Ned Lathrop, City of Ottawa
Gary Michalak, Gary J. Michalak and Associates- 8. Preview Demonstration: Community Information Database
- 9. Building Innovative Clusters for Competitive Advantage
Doug Howorko, Saskatchewan Rural Development
George Brook, Bioproducts Business Network (BBN)- 10. Community Foundations and Rural Philanthropy
CIndy Lindsay/Jane Humphries, Community Foundations of Canada
Don Macke, RUPRI Centre fo Rural Entrepreneurship (Lincoln, Nebraska)- 11. Welcoming Communities: Growing through Economic Immigration
Marla Tremblay, City of North Bay- 12. Engaging Communities in Policy Making
Ishbel Munro, Coastal Communities Network (Nova Scotia)
Susan Eckerle Curwood, Tamarack Institute- 13. The Collingwood Elvis Festival...A Local Success Story
Rosemarie Garrity, General Manager, Elvis Festival- 14. Arts and Culture in Rural Communities: Soul Building
John Thompson re: Reuben R. Sallows Gallery- 15. The Arts and Culture Community: Branding Soul
Barb Bolin, Haliburton Highlands Arts Council- 16. A First Nations Experience in Using Culture and Arts in Community Economic Development
- 17. How Vital is Your Community?
Mike Stolte re: Community Vitality Index
- The Honourable Leona Dombrowsky,
Minister, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs- Donna Mitchell, Executive Director, Rural and Cooperatives Secretariats, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Conference Video Clip - OMAFRA
click here to download this video file (2.9MB)
Archived TORC Conferences
- October, 2004 - Rural Ontario 2004: Leading Through Change
London, Ontario- October, 2003 - Rural Ontario 2003: Making the Connection
Huntsville,, Ontario- October, 2002 - Rural Ontario 2002: Weaving Together
Alliston, Ontario- October, 2001 - Rural Ontario 2001: Nobody Does it Better
Alliston, Ontario- October, 2000 - Rural Ontario 2000: What's in it for you!
The Town of Blue Mountains, Ontario
.
Rural-Urban Summit Series - The TORC Model
Forums | Conferences | Summits
The TORC Rural-Urban Summit Model formed the foundation for two events in November, 2005:
Day One: November 15, 2005
Nepean Sportsplex
Day Two: November 19, 2005
Sir Robert Borden Highschool.
November 29, 2005
Mill Run Golf Course
Uxbridge, OntarioWhy the Need for Rural-Urban Dialogue?
In 1901, two out of three Canadians lived in rural areas. Little more than a century later, the figures are reversed. With more than 70 per cent of Canadians living in cities and towns, this country is one of the most heavily urbanized societies in the world. As such, it is becoming increasingly difficult to hear the voices of rural residents over the clamour of urban issues that tends to dominate the political agenda.
Exacerbating the situation is the current political and decision-making processes, which promotes competition between rural and urban sectors. In actual fact there is a terrific commonality in the myriad of challenges facing today’s rural and urban communities: lack of social services, inferior access to effective health care and ongoing school closures.
Despite this, notes TORC past chair Pat Smith, using a “broad brush stroke to take a one-size-fits-all approach” to fixing the problems that exist will not work. We’re not talking about entitlement…just fairness. Adds Smith: “The only way to get [a fair deal] is through open dialogue. We have to challenge ideas, be open and honest, and confident enough to raise issues.”
Enter the TORC Rural-Urban Summit series.
Reflecting the TORC mandate to act as a catalyst for rural dialogue, collaboration and action, the Summit series was designed to assemble the province’s best thinkers and opinion leaders from rural and urban Ontario to explore a new vision for the province.
Inaugural Summit: Huntsville, 2003
The first Rural-Urban Summit was held in 2003 in Huntsville, Ontario, during TORC’s annual fall conference. With more than 200 people in attendance, the dialogue was open, honest and lively. As hoped, a number of topics received very healthy discussion and a wide range of themes emerged.
“Our panel discussion created a lot of controversy,” noted participant Pat Olive, Economic Development and Tourism commissioner for Durham Region, “but it didn’t fall on deaf ears and I believe it is going to stimulate some programs. In Durham, we have always recognized the synergies between our rural and urban areas. This Summit reinforced our interest.”
And with almost ninety per cent of Durham Region categorized as rural, yet ninety per cent of its population living in urban areas, Olive knows firsthand the importance of the rural-urban interconnection.Chatham-Kent Summit, 2004
Encouraged by the participation at the inaugural Summit, TORC proceeded to join forces with a progressive group of thinkers in Chatham-Kent region in April, 2004. Some 150 people representing a variety of sectors, governments and geographic regions, gathered in Chatham for the second Summit, an impressive number considering this time around there was no captive conference audience. Once again a lively debate ensued, demonstrating the issues that proved so palpable in Huntsville really did carry over to other Ontario municipalities. This, of course, lends credence to the growing observation that not only do rural and urban communities share similar challenges, but those challenges are shared among municipalities. All the more reason for collaboration in search of solutions.
Chatham Keynote Speaker: Ross Daily (former broadcaster)
Moderator: Mary Rowe (Ideas that Matter, Avana Capital)
Panelists: Mike Chater (Chair, Downtown Chatham Business Improvement Association)
Ann Mulvale (Mayor Town of Oakville and President, AMO)
Patrick Carson (The Rosetta Group)
Bill Weaver (Farmer, Municipality of Chatham-Kent Councillor)Lessons Learned:
- The Rural-Urban Summit template for dialogue can successfully be applied at the local level; it is not simply an esoteric debate
- Chatham-Kent Success indicators include:
- The diverse audience attending a Summit is a practical demonstration of bridging gaps
- The open and challenging debate has proven to be a healthy way to get perspectives on the table
- Messages from “outsiders” help local leaders gain a diverse and generally more optimistic viewpoint
- Investigating the issues - not reacting to agendas - makes for more valuable dialogue
- “Detours” in the dialogue provide some of the most insightful conversation
- Laughter and entertaining discussion results in memorable messages being conveyed
- Cross-sector collaboration occurred through local Summit Committees
- Momentum from the Summit will benefit local strategic planning efforts
Looking Ahead:
Since first introducing the Rural-Urban Summit series two years ago, TORC remains involved in encouraging Ontario communities to open the lines of dialogue in the interest of eradicating the rural urban divide. Only through coming to better understand one another can we expect to work toward effective solutions. More often than not, we realize the “divide” is not as great as originally perceived.
I’d like to learn more about the TORC Rural-Urban Summit Model!
The Ontario Rural Council
Ontario AgriCentre
100 Stone Road West, Suite 109
Guelph, Ontario Canada N1G 5L3
T 519.826.4128, F 519.826.3408
E tell-me-more@torc.on.ca
