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Source URL: rmalberta.com/news/turn-canadas-rural-challenges-into-opportunity-fcm-report/

Turn Canada’s rural challenges into opportunity: FCM report

Nisku, AB, May 31, 2018 – The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ (FCM) Rural Forum, which the Rural Municipalities of Alberta has a representative member on, released a report that details the important contribution rural municipalities make and outlines the unique challenges they face. The comprehensive report titled Rural Challenges, national opportunity – Shaping the future of rural Canada includes recommendations encouraging the federal government to tackle these challenges head-on and raise Canadians’ quality of life nationwide.

“When it comes to providing the infrastructure necessary to support a strong economy and high quality of life here in rural Alberta, we’re faced with two key problems that small communities across the country also encounter,” said Al Kemmere, President of RMA. “We have the challenge of serving a spread out population coupled with the fiscal and administrative limits we bump into that larger communities don’t.”

FCM’s report provides recommendations to address the realities rural municipalities face. Key recommendations include applying a ‘rural lens’ to all federal policies and programs that would empower smaller communities to better support local needs. It also calls for the federal government to commit long-term predictable resources to expanding broadband internet access in rural, northern and remote communities.

“This report tells the story of the significant contribution rural municipalities make to the nation’s economy, but it also highlights the fiscal squeeze they face due to low population densities and the exodus of younger generations,” added Mr. Kemmere. “But as a key driver of economic growth, we know that investing in rural Canada means building a better country for everyone.”

FCM is leading the way in advocating for new tools that empower rural communities to build tomorrow’s Canada and has secured unprecedented federal investment in recent years. The full report is available here.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is the national voice of municipal governments, with nearly 2,000 members representing more than 90 per cent of the Canadian population.

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For enquiries, please contact:

Courtenay McKay
Communications & Design Coordinator
courtenay@rmalberta.com