Last week I attended the Ontario Hospital Association’s conference on Innovation and Leadership in Rural and Northern Health Care. This is an annual event put on by the hospital association to help small hospitals navigate the turbulent waters of health care reform but also to highlight innovations in rural health care delivery. The event did not disappoint in terms of showcasing exciting new developments such as the wide array of health services now delivered through telemedicine right across rural and northern Ontario. In his presentation appropriately titled “Are You Still Travelling for Health Care?”, Dr. Ed Brown, CEO of the Ontario Telemedicine Network, noted that telemedicine is quickly moving out of hospitals and into community settings such as family health teams, community health centres and other community care organizations. On the horizon, OTN is pushing forward with Ipad videoconferencing and telehomecare to support rural seniors in their homes by helping them to manage one or more chronic conditions. Other exciting success stories include new joint replacement surgery offered at the Kemptville District Hospital through visiting surgeons from The Ottawa Hospital. This new rural orthopedic service, created by an innovative partnership between the Kemptville and Ottawa hospitals, is not only providing care closer to home but is helping The Ottawa Hospital to reduce overcrowding and wait times for surgical care. 

The conference was ‘book-ended’ by two high-profile speakers who need no introduction – the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and Don Drummond, Chair of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services. Not surprisingly, Mr. Drummond delivered some bad news in terms of the medium term outlook for the provincial economy and the implications for all publicly funded services including hospitals. By his own admission, Mr. Drummond said that he doesn’t know much about small rural and northern hospitals but he was clear that rural and northern communities will be significantly challenged by declining or stagnant population growth coupled with a rapidly growing seniors’ population and less resources to look after people in hospital because of constrained operating budgets.  In contrast to Drummond’s gloomy message, Minister Matthews offered some rays of hope. The final provincial budget that was recently negotiated between the Liberals and the NDP does contain a new $20 million fund for rural and northern hospitals and the Minister asked the OHA to quickly set up an advisory group to make recommendations to her about how best to use these new funds. She also confirmed that “small communities treasure their hospitals” and is most interested in how these facilities can be ‘re-purposed’ to meet the evolving health care needs of rural and northern communities. Specifically she noted that the “rural health hub model is one whose time has come”. This is very promising news for the growing number of rural and northern hospitals that are developing local integrated models of health care – in essence, one-stop-shopping for patients where the small hospital acts a ‘hub’ for a wide variety of non-hospital services including primary care, long term care, community services and homecare. From Dryden to Deep River, from Hornepayne to Hanover, from Seaforth to Sioux Lookout; there are exciting integrated service delivery models being developed which will help to revolutionize rural and northern health care and also show larger urban centres how to deliver coordinated, cost-effective and high-quality health care!

More information about small hospital innovation can be found on the website of the ROHA's Small, Rural and Northern Hospitals' Leadership Council.

Jim Whaley, Chair, Rural Ontario Institute

Smiths Falls was the beneficiary of a fantastic leadership workshop, presented by members of the Me To We organization, April 27^th to April 29^th.  Twenty-one youth from Smiths Falls and surrounding area attended the weekend event that was held at the recently renovated Station Theatre.  Youth were unanimous in their comments that the weekend was fun, informative and challenged their previously held beliefs about themselves, others and their community. 

It was a life-changing experience for many of the young people who attended and we look forward to watching them use these newly found skills to make a difference in our community.

Guest Blogger - Jamie Schoular, Community Ambassador/ Personal Trainer, Town of Smiths Falls

The Step Up to Leadership program is the first of three programs to be delivered in partnership with the Town of Smiths Falls under Steps to Leadership – a collaborative initiative of the Rural Ontario Institute and 4-H Ontario with funding provided in part by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada through the Agricultural Adaptation Council. The Steps to Leadership programming will also be delivered in other rural communities in Ontario in 2012. Visit www.stepstoleadership.ca for more information.

The HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector at takes action on nonprofit labour force issues as a catalyst, a convenor and a research instigator.  The Council is funded in part through the Government of Canada's Sector Council Program.  The Council’s Resource Centre at is a great place to find resources supporting the nonprofit sector.  In this area of their website you can find: 

• The HR Toolkit - a comprehensive, free online resource that helps managers, employees and board members better understand, address and manage HR needs and issues in nonprofit organizations;
• The HR CheckUp - a self-diagnostic tool which allows you to rate your organization's current performance in a number of functional HR areas. Based on your results, a custom HR Prescription will recommend tools, tips and strategies to improve and maintain your organizational HR Health;
• The HR Management Standards - a companion to the HR Toolkit, this tool demonstrates what nonprofits should strive for in the development and implementation of effective HR policies and practices;
• The Delicious List – an up-to-date list of websites and online resources for the nonprofit sector;
• Presentations and Podcasts - downloadable presentation slides and audio recordings;
• HR Council Publications - the latest issue of Perspectives and other published reports and communiqués;
• ACCESS - a comprehensive index of nonprofit learning, training and development opportunities that are offered by post-secondary institutions, community organizations and other providers across Canada. You can search ACCESS by area of interest, mode of learning, location and language of instruction; and
• Shared HR Services Guide – a comprehensive framework developed by the Council to assist organizations in the development and implementation of a shared HR services model
  
  If you are involved in the nonprofit sector, as a board member or staff member, take the time to check out the HR Council for the Nonprofit Sector website today. You’ll be glad you did!
  
  Rob Black
  Chief Executive Officer

The early bird registration deadline for the 2nd national Rural Research Workshop is Friday, March 30, 2012.  $250 for 2 days or $125 for 1 day.

The Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (CRRF), the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA), and the Canadian Rural Health Research Society (CRHRS), along with the Rural Ontario Institute and many other partners, are pleased to invite you to the:

2nd national Rural Research Workshop
“Policy and Research in Community Investment”
www.crrf.ca/?page_id=720

Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25, 2012
Victoria Hall, Bytown Pavilion, 111 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario

The Workshop will focus on the complex relationships between policy and research as they relate to the practice of rural community investment, while examining the challenges, opportunities and lessons that these three-way interrelationships present.

Invited Speakers

The Day 1 keynote address – “Policy and Research and Rural Community Re-Investment in the Context of Globalization” – will be made by Dr. Lou Hammond Ketilson, University of Saskatchewan
The Day 2 keynote address – “A Critical Reflection on the Emergent Themes and Challenges from the Workshop” – will be made by Dr. William (Bill) Reimer, Concordia University

Also on the programme...

• “From Other Corners” – Responses and Perspectives from Policy and Practice – And an Open Facilitated Discussion
• “Rural Community Investment: The Policy & Research Challenges and Opportunities” (A facilitated plenary session with a discussant panel and open floor challenge and debate)
• Action! – From “Talk to Walk”:  What Needs to be Done in Policy and Research? What are the Priorities? Who Makes it Happen?  (A facilitated agenda building session.)

Visit www.crrf.ca/?page_id=720 for further details and registration information or download the detailed program here.

The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) was organized in May 2007 in response to concerns about proposed changes to the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (Bill 65).  Since then ONN has emerged as a nonpartisan convener of sector voices, and a communication broker and coordinator for nonprofits in Ontario and support for this network has continued to grow as the broad ranging work of ONN continues to be relevant in many areas.

Most recently ONN ‘led the charge’ on behalf of the non-profit sector leading up to, and since the release of the Drummond Report in mid February 2012.  In late 2011 ONN provided a submission to the Commission which was representative of the non-profit sector’s thinking on the anticipated report.  This submission can be found at:

www.theonn.ca/wp-content/uploads/ONN-Submission-to-the-Commission-on-the-Reform-of-Ontarios-Public-Services-Nov-15-2011.pdf

Following the release of the Drummond Report on February 15, 2012, ONN noted in a press release that the non-profit sector provided an important solution to the public service delivery reforms suggested in the report.  Read the full release at:

www.theonn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Drummond-Press-Release-Feb.16_Final.pdf

In recent days, a brief, incisive non-profit sector-based analysis of the Drummond Report has been developed by ONN and the four fundamental principles that guide this work are intended to help focus dialogue within the sector and between the sector and the provincial government as it prepares its 2012 budget and beyond.  Find this analysis at:

http://www.theonn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/ONN-Drummond-Analysis-March_2012.pdf

Finally a wealth of information posted by the Ontario Nonprofit Network and others on the Drummond Report can be found at www.theonn.ca/what-we-do/drummond-commission

We encourage non-profit organizations across rural Ontario to take the time to better understand the impacts of the Drummond Report through the links noted above.  While doing so, take some time to become familiar with the Ontario Nonprofit Network.  They continue to work on behalf of all our organizations and the non-profit sector in Ontario and we need to recognize and applaud their significant efforts in this regard.

Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Ontario Institute

Rural Ontario is chock full of successful cooperative enterprises – a historical legacy worth celebrating and an important mechanism through which to help build the successful, sustainable rural communities of tomorrow.  Check out the many events and awareness building activities that the Ontario Cooperative sector has planned for 2012.   

Co-ops - Building a Better Ontario.pdf (267.48 kb) 
http://www.ontario.coop/all_about_cooperatives/2012_the_international_year_of_cooperatives 

It is well understood that leadership effectiveness and member involvement have a huge impact on the health and well being of organizations and groups in communities across rural Ontario.  Many organizations across the province are under intense pressure and facing uncertain times as they try to remain relevant, keep organization costs in check, sustain their organizations and move forward… all because times and members’ interests change, and it becomes harder to acquire the funds necessary to sustain the organization and more difficult to find individuals willing to stand up, get involved and take on the leadership aspects of the organization.

The individuals who do accept the leadership responsibility for those organizations are, in most cases, willing, able, capable and interested enough to take on a leadership role to ensure a positive road forward… but they can’t do it alone!

Organizations need the support of their members – folks who are interested in attending the meetings and getting involved in the issues and various activities held on behalf of their organization.  They also need individuals to step forward to continue leading the organization.  As your organization approaches its next Annual General Meeting it is absolutely critical now to identify, support and encourage current and emerging leaders who have the self-confidence, critical thinking, communications and leadership skills to continue the good work of your organization.  It will be these people who will lead the way in to the future!

Economic growth starts with encouraging and then building the capacity of people to provide effective leadership thereby ensuring strong businesses, organizations and communities across rural Ontario.  Most definitely there is value in developing leaders… for the individual leader, for their businesses, for the individuals around them, for the communities in which they live and for the organizations on which they serve.  It is vitally important that each of us be on the look out for, and then encourage and support current and emerging leaders for our rural organizations.

As you approach your organization’s next AGM, think about it.  Who are YOU encouraging?

Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Ontario Institute

To hear some of the media commentary on the population change emerging from Census numbers from 2011 you’d be excused for thinking no-one was living in Ontario anymore because the west is booming and that all rural and small towns are in decline.   Let’s keep some perspective. 

It is important to look at the absolute numbers as well as trends in the growth rate.  Ontario’s growth rate of 5.7 % on a population base of approximately 12 million saw an addition of around 700,000 people over 5 years.  Alberta with a growth rate of 10.6% on a population base of 3 million saw an addition of some 360,000 people over that time.  Thus Ontario’s % share of the population in Canada continued to grow.   Make no mistake, Ontario still has congestion issues, affordable housing and growth management challenges to deal with.  Necessary debates about the merits of provincial Growth Plan allocations and Greenbelt polices will persist with rural and small towns in near-metro regions in Ontario growing even while more remote regions are declining.    Sustainably managing our resources is something we will need to continue to concern ourselves with – managing pressures to convert farmland, wisely using aggregate resources, conserving natural heritage and biodiversity, investing in alternative transportation and sustainable water systems should continue to occupy our attention even as we balance budgets and work to keep our economy competitive.

For a more nuanced understanding of rural and small town trends across the country click here to see a recent presentation from Ray Bollman formerly with Statistics Canada and long time analyst of rural data.

Also, the data for Ontario “small population centres” as opposed to strictly rural areas are available here:  

http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/hlt-fst/pd-pl/Table-Tableau.cfm?LANG=Eng&T=802&PR=35&S=51&O=A&RPP=999

Population share of Canada's regions, 1951 to 2011

Sources: Statistics Canada, censuses of population, 1951 to 2011.

Norman Ragetlie, Director, Policy & Stakeholder Engagement 

Rural users of wireless phones and those seeking better broadband connections should be paying close attention to an upcoming Industry Canada announcement regarding the details of how it will conduct an auction of the 700 MHZ spectrum to telecommunications companies – this is a great opportunity for improving rural services relatively cheaply because the 700MHZ spectrum is the old television analog signal bandwidth.  This spectrum can carry signals through dense foliage and penetrate buildings.  A single telecommunications tower using this spectrum can also cover a much greater area.  However, there are fears that otherwise desirable new competition may backfire and large companies will buy “blocks” of this licensed spectrum and muscle out small Internet Service Providers or local telecommunications companies by cherry-picking away customers in small towns and more densely populated areas leaving some smaller, existing rural providers to service the higher cost, more remote customers with less revenue to invest in that service.  This concern has been expressed by the Ontario Telecommunications Association and others in the wake of a CRTC decision that opens up rural areas to new competition while expecting existing companies to continue to serve everyone.  (See here and here.)  

Federal MPs on the government side might be reminded by their constituents to make sure this opportunity to address rural broadband service is not overlooked.  Otherwise the federal government may need to consider spending more of the taxpayer dollar on extending and supporting rural broadband investment if the long term impact of the auction is to reduce the potential private sector partners who have demonstrated their willingness to partner with the government and provide rural services up till now. 

See also: http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1122943--details-of-canada-s-upcoming-700mhz-auction-expected-this-week

Norman Ragetlie, Director, Policy & Stakeholder Engagement 

The International Comparative Rural Policies Studies (ICRPS) organization is now seeking applicants for its annual summer school.  Each year this unique two-week program alternates between Europe and North America, bringing together an international, multi-disciplinary group of faculty, students, and professionals to study the many facets of rural policy.  The 9th annual summer school will be held in Québec this year from June 21 to July 6.

The summer institute is an intensive program that provides graduate students, researchers, and rural development experts and practitioners from around the world an opportunity to examine and compare the role of rural policy in different cultural, political, and administrative contexts in Europe, North America, and the South.  Participants work on skills for analyzing and comparing rural policies at the international, national, regional and local levels while studying the nature and implications of new forms of governance in rural contexts.

While studying Rural Planning at the University of Guelph, I had the special opportunity to participate in the 2009 ICRPS program, traveling the highlands and islands of Scotland on a two-week learning and adventure tour.  It was an engaging blend of participatory lectures, group-based problem solving, student-led presentations, and out of the class fieldwork exercises with an itinerary that took us from Edinburgh to Inverness to the Isle of Skye.

Field school participants are given unparalleled access to some of the world's current leading specialists in rural policy studies in a convivial yet intellectually stimulating environment.  Meanwhile, itineraries are always packed with great travel and cultural experiences.  This year's participants will begin in Montréal before traveling on to the Estrie region, Québec City and the Bas Saint-Laurent region.

All information on the two-week summer school, including registration details can be found at www.icrps2012.ca.  If you have any questions or require any further information, you can contact the ICRPS 2012 team directly at icrps2012@yahoo.ca.

Isle of Skye, Scotland. Taken during ICRPS 2009. Photo by Morgan Boyco.

Morgan Boyco, Project Manager, Rural Ontario Institute