ATTRACTING AND RETAINING PEOPLE TO RURAL ALBERTA

JANUARY 2013

ATTRACTING AND RETAINING PEOPLE TO RURAL ALBERTA

A LIST OF RESOURCES & LITERATURE REVIEW

Humaira Irshad Rural Development Division humaira.irshad@gov.ab.ca

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

1

1. Attraction and retention of immigrants and migrants to rural areas

2

2. Attraction and retention of youth to rural areas

17

3. Attraction and retention of retirees to rural areas

37

4. Attraction and retention of professionals to rural areas

48

5. Attraction and retention of artists to rural areas

71

PREFACE Why did we develop this document? Attracting population to small rural communities can be a challenge as most people prefer to settle in larger cities where the draw of family, friends, ethnic networks and jobs is strong. However, rural communities can attract and retain population by promoting the benefits of living and working in smaller communities (e.g., employment opportunities, lower living expenses, safe neighborhoods and access to community health and recreation services). This document was developed as a resource guide to assist rural communities in Alberta wishing to attract and retain population to address their long-term economic needs1. The document includes information and links to web based resources, initiatives and programs. The document contains information on some best practices that have been developed by other countries. The document also reviews the literature on benefits, challenges and strategic options to attract and retain population in rural communities. The information is divided into the following five sections to allow communities to locate information relevant to their situation more quickly: 1. Attraction and retention of immigrants and migrants to rural areas 2. Attraction and retention of youth to rural areas 3. Attraction and retention of retirees to rural areas 4. Attraction and retention of professionals to rural areas 5. Attraction and retention of artists to rural areas

1 This document is intended for guidance and information only. The document identifies resources that the researcher was able to find through web search. However, it is not considered as an all-inclusive listing of resources.

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