Rural Issues

Beyond Freefall: Halting Rural Poverty

Date:                  2008 (Final)
Chair:                 Hon. Joyce Fairbairn (AB)
Deputy Chair:    Hon. Leonard J. Gustafson (SK)
Downloads:       Click here

Summary:
This report finalizes a study on rural poverty begun two years previously (see Interim report  below). It makes 68 recommendations, including a new Department of Rural Affairs whose first task would be to move 10% of the public service out of big cities and into the regions. Other key recommendations address low incomes, education, health and industry issues.

Create a national poverty reduction strategy:
     * develop a green paper on guaranteed annual incomes;
     * enhance the Canada Child Tax Benefit and Working Income
       Tax Benefit programs; and
     * revise the Farm Families Options Program to improve income
        stability for low-income farmers.

Enhance support for rural education:
     * introduce a new early learning and childhood education pro-
       gram sensitive to rural realities;
     * provide resources for cooperative vocational schools in rural
       Canada;
     * establish more university and college programs in rural Canada;
     * increase funding for student loans and grants that is sensitive
       to rural needs; and
     * increase funding for adult literacy programs.

Create a Rural Health Human Resources Initiative:
     * provide funding for tele-health;
     * support rural-based health education; and
     * restore the Office of Rural Health.

Address farm and forest industry issues:
     * compensate farmers for providing environmental steward-
       ship services; and
     * develop a national forest strategy to deal with massive layoffs
       and mill closures that have been occurring in rural areas.

Impact:
Saying it offers a "respectful and positive picture of low-income rural Canadians", the Canadian Association of Food Banks is one of several organizations which responded positively to Beyond Freefall.  The National Anti-Poverty Organization has strongly endorsed the call for a green paper on guaranteed annual incomes, for example, while others like Rural Women Making Change, the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia and the Ontario Rural Council have featured the report on their websites.


Understanding Freefall: The Challenge of the Rural Poor

Date:                  2006 (Interim)
Chair:                 Hon. Joyce Fairbairn (AB)
Deputy Chair:    Hon. Leonard J. Gustafson (SK)
Downloads:       Click here

Summary:
This interim report examines the extent and reasons for rural poverty in each of Canada's regions. In particular, the report looks at

     •  the dimension and depth of rural poverty in Canada;

     •  Canada's comparative standing in this area, relative to other
        OECD countries;

     •   key drivers of reduced opportunity for rural Canadians; and

     •  recommendations for measures mitigating rural poverty.

Impact:
The BC Rural Women created a chat room to discuss the Senate's report.  Many other rural organizations have adopted the report to use as part of their advocacy work.