Enhancing Rural Innovation in Canada

Strengthening rural innovation is especially important in Canada because rural regions are dually impacted by demographic change, with slower population growth and an ageing population, and climate change. There is scope to boost innovation to address these challenges, including adapting federal, provincial and territorial programmes to better support rural entrepreneurs and green innovation initiatives, calling on good practices from Indigenous knowledge and exemplary rural firms.

Shorefast as a model for locally driven economic development has been globally recognized as a viable case study for use in communities around the world. This report includes our ground-up approach on Fogo Island and local re-investment strategy as a case study. The report also draws on lessons from similar research in other OECD countries to provide a diagnosis of rural innovation in Canada as well as policy recommendations to support it.