tdgeog4390-19

[tdgeog4390-19]

Happy spring to you too Maddy!

Reading your post, I too started to envision Canada without rural spaces. What a scary thought. Sometimes I wonder why our governments aren’t working in a state of crises in saving our natural resources. Preserving rural means everything. It means saving our natural lands and waters, and in return sustaining both our urbanized centers as well. Unfortunately, a lot of Canadians still live with this disconnection, which is why I think it is so important that you brought up the need to rebuild relationships based on reciprocity and responsibility among nature. I enjoyed how you used the example of Biosphere 2 because it serves as a real-life scientific experiment that had proved we cannot simulate a natural environment. No matter how close to the ‘real thing’, an alternative environment will never function the same way.

To answer your question, I think that one of the most influential, and small acts that we can do daily is lead by example. Be an example for your friends, family, co-workers, etc. Be passionate about rural space and install the notion that it’s cool to care about protecting the environment and being a conscious being. For myself, I try and do this with my 7-year-old brother. I take him for walks, I encourage him to talk to people in our community, we water our vegetable garden together that we made for our dad, I bring him to summer markets, tell him to pick up his trash, I show him to be kind to our dog, Ginger, and cat, Rascal. I am proud of these small activities that I can experience with him, and show a connection with our small town and the environment. Educating our youth is what I see to be an important path for land preservation. Perhaps I should convince my dad to send him out to Haida Gwaii and pick chanterelles with you. He would definitely feel that earthly connection!

Also, thank you for sharing that beautiful Okanagan sunset. If the picture was good, the real thing must have been x10! Good luck with finals.

-Taylor

Some personal photos of me and my brother at a farmers market, and him showing some fur compassion! (mostly sharing because I miss him haha) 

How are you reconciling your personal relationship with the land?

Something that has been evident throughout this course for me is that the future of rural spaces is largely unknown. Population growth, urbanization, decline in the agricultural sector, out migration…. there are several contributing factors to this unknown future. This being said, the future of rural spaces needs to be certain and these spaces need to be preserved. I fear what our collective future will look like without these places that sustain life.

Land preservation is something that is so critical right now in society. Land sustains us and without it, I fear for our very survival as a race. Food provision, technology provision, air and water regulation… all of this is made possible because of natural entities and spaces. I am reminded of the Biosphere 2 project of the 1990s where 8 people tried living in an artificial environment for two years. Despite mimicking environmental processes this project largely failed… species relied on for food died, pollinators died, CO2 levels became a worry and so forth. The takeaway here is perhaps that we are extremely vulnerable without natural capital and we cannot manufacture substitutes. Watch more about the interesting project here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUJGR6qNVzA 

So what can we do? How can we get people to care about promoting these literally life sustaining landscapes. A flightpath to this that I see is a resurgence in connecting with nature. A focus and shift on building relationships based on deep reciprocity and responsibility. Relationships with ourselves, with others, with our environments and everything within them, biotic and abiotic. This can have profound impact on the way we interact, care for and therefore manage nature.

The way we interact with nature is not static. In fact, over the past few centuries it has been continually shifting and evolving. This can be seen in transitions that have shifted from fearing nature and therefore seeking to control it, to celebrating it leading to fortress conservation, to again utilizing it to sustain human life. At the same time, we have seen human lifestyle change dramatically alongside and influencing the way we view and interact with nature. The way we interact with nature is directly tied to history and lifestyle. This has led us down a path that currently seeks to separate humans from nature in order to command and control environmental resources. We do this by simplifying nature and its components in order to utilize and control them. I would argue we need to be seeking lifestyles and thought changes that situate ourselves within and as a part of nature. Our historical resource use has largely deteriorated our relationship with nature, however, this does not have to be our future. Alternate futurities exist.

The top layer of muskeg and earth (right), and the underlying tar sands (left) after the removal of the muskeg, at the Syncrude tar sands operations near Fort McMurray, Alberta, on September 17, 2014. Photo: Todd Korol.

And yes, generalization alert flashing in red… Of course there are many wonderful communities and individuals who work to dismantle this destructive system. I am not dismissing them, in fact I am proposing we witness and therefore learn and (un)learn from them.

For example, baring witness to Indigenous people and the ways that they interact with the environment. Indigenous worldviews tend to be intrinsically tied to nature and can therefore teach us so much about environmental stewardship. As Tully (2018) states, “The unsustainable and crisis-ridden relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people that we are trying to reconcile has its deepest roots in the unsustainable and crisis-ridden relationship between human beings and the living earth” (Asch, Borrows & Tully 2018, p. 266). Reconciling the land is a crucial component to reconciling with each other and simultaneously learning about being stewards to the environment. Something like 80% of the planets biodiversity is found within the customary lands of Indigenous peoples which has been managed and maintained by these people for time immemorial. Upholding these practices offers hope for the future.

Additionally, I feel that for the past few years as Spring is sprung and all beings (including myself) are reawakening, I revisit Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic. I hadn’t yet, until mulling over this prompt where I realized that this ethic over half a century later continues to reign true. Based on extending moral value to all natural beings and ecosystems as a whole, I feel it aligns with what I am trying to advocate for in creating deep reciprocal relations. It does not separate humans from nature as it is important to think of how we therefore shape these ecosystems we find ourselves situated in. How do we live, breath and exist while maintaining ecological integrity… Is this possible?

Leopold (1949) states, “It is inconceivable to me that an ethical relation to land can exist without love, respect, and admiration for land, and a high regard for its value” (Leopold 1949, p. 223).  As our society has largely headed in the opposite direction, engaging in command and control management styles, I think it is time to revisit this ethic towards intense consciousness and responsibility to the land. If we are all equal then we must all be protected.

From a day spent on hands & knees, picking chanterelle’s on Haida Gwaii. 

I see this deep connectivity as a path for all on this planet. We can learn so much from our non-human and human kin and I think that is such an important part in ensuring the wellbeing of all beings both biotic and abiotic to exist and thrive in this world. I think it is one of the biggest questions we are facing and I see reconciling our personal relationships with nature as a way to find these answers.

Further, it is a way to preserve our spaces and places by breathing life into them. People protect what they hold dear to their hearts. Reconnecting with nature and rural spaces will promote preservation of them. I truly hope that is the future of rural Ontario. I hope we see this resurgence of land based practices and land based love and therefore land preservation. The introduction of more Greenbelt-esque preservation plans that work to both protect and filter growth to very specific already built up areas. This therefore influences building up instead of out. We are seeing this in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area, and I only hope to see more rigid introduction and implementation of initiatives like this in the future.

Our history has shaped the way we interact with the land around us ~ let’s put in the work and energy then to shape our future that is built on connection and stewardship. We are all caretakers to this land, it is time to start embodying and acting on that. My questions for this week are surrounding how you work to foster relations with non-human kin? What drives and inspires you in this realm and do you see these as a flightpath to land preservation?

A beautiful Okanagan sunset as well as the backdrop for my blog! 

Warm regards & happy Spring, 

Maddy 

[tdgeog4390-19]

Hey Paige!

You had some really good points on the direction in which you see Rural Canada. immigration, agriculture, and technology are three very complex and important factors that will fuel this change in the future. I agree with you and think that immigration has, and will continue to play a big role. Even though a majority of immigrants reside in urban Canada, I could see a gradual transfer into rural communities. Not only does it enhance the lives of immigrants who may be exposed to crime, dangerous neighborhoods, and food deserts in the cities, but it also improves rural towns. In an article I recently read about provinces trying to encourage this move, there was a story about a family from the Philippines in rural New Brunswick. They were able to start a youth’s soccer house league in the community, which wasn’t possible before due to the lack of children in the area. It just goes to show how immigrants can enhance community aspects for rural spaces, such as recreation, and youth engagement.

Food production and access to water will no doubt become a challenge in the years to come, as it already is for many developing countries. It is in this sector that Ontario has a great opportunity to set future generations up for great economic productivity and healthy livelihoods. If rural farmland is properly protected now, communities in the years to come will be able to benefit from these spaces. A big part of this success will be the policy and technology that goes into the agriculture sector. I thought it was interesting how you brought up GMO. Personally, I am not completely against GMO products, because as you said, there is still a lot of missing information on the subject and potential threats. I also think GMO can offer a lot of solutions for people starving in developing rural areas who have limited food supplies. I am also skeptical about the term organic, as it can sometimes be a green-washing mechanism on consumers. I wonder how GMO would affect rural Canada/Ontario? Many farmers in Ontario pride themselves in using organic farming practices. I can see many farmers worried about their seeds and crops becoming contaminated by GMO technology. I suppose GMO regulation is another factor that must be considered in the preservation of rural communities in Ontario.

-Taylor (good luck with finals!!)

https://www.cicnews.com/2016/10/rural-areas-and-small-cities-across-canada-eager-to-attract-more-newcomers-108558.html#gs.49deoq

Future of Rural Canada

Immigration

A surge in Canadian urbanization has left the rural on the decline. Currently, 35 percent of Canada’s population lives in one of the three largest cities of Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal. The population growth in urban centres is driven by a combination of immigration from abroad and the migration from rural areas. However, immigration rates of newcomers to the countryside has grown in recent years, largely in the form of secondary migration. A trend is emerging whereby immigrants are transitioning to rural areas after previously settling into major cities. Immigrants initially seek a life in big cities due to the wealth of services and programs they offer. As more immigrants make the switch, it increases the likelihood that new immigrants will choose rural areas as their initial settling places. An influx of immigrants to the countryside will increase ethnic diversities and serve to extinguish fears regarding barriers to acceptance in these regions. Realizing the benefit of increasing their immigrant populations, many small cities have been making efforts to attract newcomers to the area. For example, Simcoe County has recently published an informational website to attract immigrants, which can be translated into fifteen different languages. If immigrant settlement patterns continue to change, rural Canada could see major demographic and economic transformations.

https://immigration.simcoe.ca/ - For more information

Agricultural Productivity

As climate change continues to threaten the landscape, Canada will serve to benefit in terms of agricultural productivity through longer growing seasons. This will give Canada the capacity to grow crops where not previously possible.

As conditions in vulnerable areas (such as the majority of Africa) worsen, Canada has the opportunity to become of the world’s next leaders in sustainable food production. Global populations are expected to exceed 10 billion by 2050; in order to keep up, 70% more food needs to be produced within the next generation. As the environment deteriorates, resource conflicts will be inevitable. Thanks to social media and communications, we are already witnessing citizens protesting over access to food in places all over the world. Most notably in 2011, when powerful images of a riot in Tunis went viral that showed a man wielding a baguette as a weapon.

Having access to affordable food and water is a privilege that many of us take for granted. Current technological advancements have allowed rates of food production to surpass that of population growth but at great social and environmental costs. Although we are producing enough food, it is poorly distributed, and the price fluctuates depending on current prices of oil. According to the new Canadian Food Guide, fruits and vegetables should make up 50 percent of our diet, yet we are underproducing these nutritional foods at only 4 servings per person per day. A significant portion of our diets now include oily, fatty and sugary foods – a reliance on which can lead to many health issues such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol/blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Current estimates predict that we will run out of oil within the next 50 years, this will have drastic implications on food pricing and availability, especially concerning distribution to remote rural communities. The scarcity of oil will hopefully spur a transition towards renewable, green energy sources that are safer and cheaper alternatives in the long term.

Technology

There have been many technological advancements in the agricultural industry that have allowed us to increase yields using smaller plots of land and minimal human intervention. Driverless tractors, GPS precision farming, field mapping via drones and the robotic milker are only some of the examples being implemented within farming operations today.

Robotic milkers are becoming more common worldwide and are known to improve qualities of life by reducing labour demands. Robotic milkers also have health and safety implications as they can be programmed to measure temperatures, bacteria levels and for immediate disease detection.

Perhaps one of the hottest topics in farm-tech debates remains the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) in consumer products. GMO’s are organisms whose genetic material has been artificially altered. This is typically done through the insertion of one specie’s gene into another specie’s genome via a gene gun. Despite scientist claims that GMO’s are perfectly safe to eat, reduce soil-damaging tillage, reduce carbon emission and reduce the need for the most toxic herbicides in favor of milder ones, consumers remain reluctant. There have been numerous success stories associated with GMO’s, most notably the Rainbow Papaya which is accredited for single-handedly saving Hawaii’s $17 million papaya industry. In the 1960’s, the papaya industry began incurring severe economic losses due to the spreading of a papaya ringspot virus by aphids. By 1997, Hawaii’s papaya industry was collapsing. The Rainbow papaya variety was developed in the U.S. by scientists at Cornell University which featured a gene that made papaya plants resistant to the ringspot virus – similar to the way a vaccine works on humans. The Rainbow Papaya produced immediate results and had stopped industry decline within four years of its implementation. Papaya is native to Central America and has become the first genetically modified fruit to be grown as a commercial product.

Resources

https://www.canadianimmigration.net/news-articles/is-immigration-to-rural-areas-in-canada-s-future/

https://grist.org/food/why-gmos-do-matter-and-even-more-to-the-developing-world/

http://fortune.com/2016/11/19/hawaii-gmo-pesticide-regulation/

https://www2.hawaii.edu/~doisteph/Papaya/rainbow.html

As always, thanks for reading.

Paige

[tdgeog4390-19]

Not all that Glitters is Gold

The meaning of rural:

Looking back on my very first post about my initial thoughts of rural Canada, I had a very personal and narrow perspective. I mostly thought about the geography of rural Canada and the physical features that separated the provinces from each other. Don’t get me wrong; diversity and Canadian nature are very important aspects of rural space, but after exploring more dimensions over this course, I have come to realize the real complexity behind this term. I really feel like the meaning of rural is different for everyone, as it is the remote spaces that people give recognition to in accordance with their experiences. For example, we all think to analyze the countryside of Ontario, but I bet the discussion would be very different if this class were being held in northern Canada, or on the west coast... or say, Africa! This was especially brought to my attention during Abdul’s presentation in class and in one of the exhibitions at the art gallery which told the story of third-world fishermen risking their lives, and usually becoming drug users. 

Rural Canada is also a beautiful space, but it is also where a lot of destruction and conflict arises involving the extraction of natural resources. I think that we could relate rural to the saying, “not all that glitters is gold”, in that although everything may appear beautiful and simple, there is a certain evil that is behind that aesthetic curtain. I think that there is a lot of work left to be done in making sure we don’t destroy the purity of rural Canada, while still encouraging community development.

How do I envision rural Ontario in 10-100 years?

I think that populations in smaller townships will start to grow. An article from Calgary states that as residents grow older, and younger people move out of these towns, rural communities across Canada are looking to encourage immigration as a way to rejuvenate their workforce and expand their tax base. Therefore I think it is likely that rural areas may become more culturally diverse over time, which would be interesting. I suppose an example of this is the increase of Mexican immigrants working in tomato greenhouses in Leamington, Ontario, which I have seen first hand. The challenge is attracting them and convincing them to stay in the country rather than in the more opportunistic cities, but some provinces have started to improve on this by collaborating small towns with provincial and federal governments. Initiatives such as customized immigration plans (towns in N.B), social media campaigns (in B.C.), Temporary Foreign Worker Programs, and simply making rural communities more welcoming has drawn the interest of workers from Germany, Russia, and the Philippines.

I don’t think there will be much change of Rural Ontario in the next 10 years, but within the next 50 years, I would predict that we would start to notice these population shifts. Although it is expected to be very slow, even migration of Canadian citizens out of urban centers may be likely as cities become overcrowded and overpriced without expanding in time. In the next 50-100 years, I would imagine a St.Jacobs-like transformation to occur in many rural communities that are nearby a larger ‘city’ center. As discussed in class, we had all agreed that St.Jacobs was on the edge of being classified as a rural town. Towns in Ontario may be likely to see similar transformations if marketing strategies for tourism and businesses enhance. 

With 2030 global water shortage and 2050 food shortage threatens us, author Robert Giles believes in a rural future, and has made a case study in West Virginia. The design is pitched as the dynamic, systems-solution to long-term global problems. It is made up of over 150 small businesses, guided by GIS and prescriptive software based on the latest science, working together to manage rural lands profitably and to meet rising food and water needs. Although ideas like this may be far fetched, I think the concept is admirable, showing the real opportunities of rural land. Lastly, I could also envision rural Ontario becoming a very green functioning society in the very distant future (~100 years). Already many urban and rural centers around Ontario have begun to prioritize green infrastructure and technology by using nature for community economic development and resilience. I would only imagine this to increase as Canada continues to realize the importance of our environment and protecting rural resources.

How do we get people to care about rural Ontario?

I think it’s important to remind people of the relationships in rural communities, opportunities and the productivity they offer. Rural Ontario is home to many resource industries and agriculture, with about 17% of Canadians living in these areas. Looking back at the presentations during the rural symposium, it is clear that agri-policies are not enough to address rural communities, and that issues are more specific. I think that the best approach is applying place-based development for the future of Ontario, focusing on youth, transportation, and economy.

On January 17, 2019 the director, Brent Royce, of Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) released a statement discussing the need for investment in Ontario agriculture and rural communities. The video below is a 2-minute audio of OFA’s advice to the government.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=167&v=uQS5q6sOKjc

Royce declares that investing in rural Ontario will create economic opportunity for everyone. Specifically, investing in natural gas, infrastructure, transportation, health care, and rural schools. Royce says that Ontario’s economy has the most to gain from prioritizing neglected regions in the province, and that it it will jump start farms, agri-business and rural communities, all while stimulating all of Ontario in the end. The OFA understands the province’s current fiscal situation and the need for restraint, but they also know that sound public investment in Ontario agriculture and rural communities will pay dividends and will ultimately improve Ontario’s fiscal outlook by driving the economy forward.

Ultimately…

The future of rural Canada will likely look very different among provinces, as there are many different conceptions of ‘rural’, and there is no one universal model for rural innovation. One thing is for sure, we need more connectivity and more meaningful development within rural Ontario. Rural policy needs to be prioritized and be considered at the very start of policymaking in Ontario, Canada, and worldwide. Does anyone else have different thoughts on how we can best approach the sustainability of rural Ontario?

-P.s. thank you all for the great discussions over the semester! Good luck to everyone in your future adventures! :) 

References

https://calgaryherald.com/news/national/canadas-small-cities-and-rural-areas-desperate-for-immigrants

https://www.cicnews.com/2016/10/rural-areas-and-small-cities-across-canada-eager-to-attract-more-newcomers-108558.html#gs.49deoq

http://www.ruralsystem.com/rural-future/

[tdgeog4390-19]

Hey Vanessa! 

I enjoyed reading your post for this week’s discussion because you chose a very new, and as you said, refreshing subject. Your statistics about internet usage was a strong reminder that our reliance on the internet will only increase in the years to come. I know that you have doubts about 33 million users in 2023, and although I think that is a huge jump, I don’t think it is completely unrealistic. I think that in 10 years or so, this will likely be our reality. Especially if people in developing countries finally acquire access, as they hold almost 60% of the world’s population. The Internet is important to connect people to the modern economy and for providing social, educational, and economic opportunities. Access to the internet influences all of the other concepts we have discussed in class and on the field trip; health care, business, agriculture, transportation, tourism etc. Internet has become very interconnected to all of these issues, and provides rural communities with arguably their most crucial tool for success… communication.

It was great how you used real, local examples to emphasize your point that people in Ontario with a lack of internet service causes challenges in their daily lives. Whether it be a child in school, a farmer in southern Ontario, or First Nations in the north, it is clear that a digital divide is present. If we really want to sustain our rural communities in Canada, and around the world, I think access to the internet is something to focus on. Improving this technology has the ability to open other doors and really integrate these communities into the modern world. Of course, internet should be used for the enhancement and convenience of our daily lives; it would be dangerous to rely on it too much, which seems to be the case for some.

On the brighter side, a news article and short video that was posted by Global News discusses rural Canada’s digital deficit, titled “B.C. Invests $50M to Bring High-Speed Internet to Remote Areas”. The article explains how we can tackle these challenges, such as isolated communities sending proposals for assistance and funding from the Northern Development Initiative Trust. Since the summer of 2017, B.C. has received high-speed internet in 417 communities, 74 of which are indigenous. All in all, I do think that having internet service is essential for rural communities, as connectivity can promote the protection of environments and economic growth.

- Taylor

Article: https://globalnews.ca/news/5086999/b-c-invests-50m-to-bring-high-speed-internet-to-remote-areas/

There’s no internet?! (Insert screaming 12-year old)

Our world revolves around the internet. Banking, politics, social movements, education, reading, access to medical care, booking appointments, or purchasing products online - you name it, the internet is 100% involved. As people who always have access to the inter-web, we often forget that there are remote areas in the world that are internet “immune”, so to speak. While we sit down, drinking a cup of coffee, and work on a assignment online on campus or in a cafe, we don’t really think about the people out there that are living their day-to-day lives without the internet. 

Of course this isn’t a bad thing, but when the world is so dependent on using the internet, it makes life significantly harder for those individuals who live without it. 

For the purposes of my blog this week, I’m going to write about low broadband internet accessibility in rural areas. I’ve spent a lot of time in the past few weeks focusing on agriculture and farming - it’s time for a refreshing change!

Low internet accessibility in isolated areas isn’t a new phenomena. Since the early 2000′s internet use has been growing - in 2009 usage increased by over 700% and further increased by 400% in 2013. By 2023 it is predicted that internet usage will skyrocket. The number of users is predicted to reach 33 million users, nearly 99 percent of the Canadian population. 

Unfortunately, I have difficulty believing in the authenticity of this statement, especially considering the fact that only 85% of Canadian citizens are adequately serviced with a reliable internet connection. This may seem like a considerable number of people, but when you look at a map of Canada the stark reality is that there is a technological divide between the north and south, even in Ontario!

Partial map of northern & southern Ontario.

The green areas on the map represent those regions with an adequate level of internet connection, more specifically fixed wireless access. The yellow colour represents those areas that have access to cellular data or cell service. As I’m sure you all can see, this represents a majority of Canada’s urban population in southern Ontario. 

Those areas without colour have no cellular service at all. 

Partial map of northern & southern Ontario.

The red dots represent those areas that are largely under-serviced, communities with anywhere between 1000 to 7000 people. Although generally more common in northern Ontario, there are some locations in the south that are suffering due to a lack of service as well. 

Why is this a problem? 

A farmer in the Ottawa Valley explains, “I live ten minutes from the town of Renfrew and I’m in a blackout zone with no hopes of getting high speed internet. I pay nearly $200 dollars a month for only 100 gigabytes of data - enough data for only 20 hours of internet. Watching videos is impossible.”

This may not seem like a problem, but with children who rely on the internet for school projects and assignments, it really puts a damper on things. The additional costs for poor internet are pretty unbelievable as well. 

A man from Elgin County can’t even pay his bills reliably. Don Miller, a farmer and business owner, says that he was put out of service for ten days without warning, just narrowly regaining his connection in time to pay off $8000 dollars in pesticides and fertilizers. He’s unable to use internet in the evenings; too many people use it at once. Miller is unable to stay up to date on cattle and grain prices as well. 

In northern, remote communities this is even worse. There are massive issues of affordability and accessibility. In Thessalon First Nation for instance, a reserve outside of Sault. Ste. Marie, satellite internet service is provided by Xplornet. Unfortunately this system has been criticized for being inconsistent, expensive, and lags in times of high traffic. Without proper monitoring, bills can quickly add up and cost hundreds of dollars each month. 

Public wifi hotspots are a suggested solution to this problem, but for many communities this is inadequate as well. Some towns and villages lack public spaces or have inconsistent hours operation, forcing people to tailor their lives around accessibility. People are forced to travel long distances just to receive important information regarding health care, education, and employment. This costs money, time, and a considerable effort, which translates into a geographical advantage. Individuals in urban areas do not have to deal with this at all, creating the digital divide I mentioned above. 

In terms of economic activity, small communities in isolated regions are also at a disadvantage as well. There is little opportunity for digital industries or businesses to be established in these areas as low access to high speed internet could easily destroy a young or brand new entrepreneur. People are not willing to risk the possible loss. 

Even access to digital health care is a problem with poor internet. For those individuals who rely on digital forms of medical care, it’s a challenge to receive help if it is desperately needed. 

Recently there have been conversations surrounding possible solutions to this problem, the Canadian government being a major actor in the discussions of such solutions. In 2016, the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) deemed basic internet service as a human right and set aside over $750 million for infrastructure investment to provide services where market forces have fail, primarily rural and northern communities as we have discussed.

Unfortunately the plans released do very little to improve the lack of accessibility in these areas. Two years ago the CRTC proposed that with improved infrastructure internet speeds would reach 50 megabits per second. Today, the Commission has gone back on its word; speed targets will be cut in half, reaching 25 megabits per second. This means that as each household in these areas adds additional internet-connected devices to their bill, there will be an increased number of connectivity issues. This is amplified in Indigenous communities where access to high-bandwidth connections is expensive and where multiple families share a single dwelling.  

Solving internet accessibility in Canada is going to be a challenge, that’s for sure. It’s difficult to say whether this is going to be possible in the first place. Many communities, even those in close proximity to Guelph have poor internet. One of my housemates currently relies on a very poor satellite connection at her family home due to the topography in her area. Her home is surrounded by drumlins, large glacial remnants, that act as giant barriers to a reliable internet signal. 

I currently live outside of Midland and experience very poor internet. If you guys look at either of the maps I’ve linked above, there’s a small peninsula that’s right across from the Bruce Peninsula to the east. In that area there’s a little spot surrounded by red dots. That’s approximately where I currently live and the internet is horrible. There are times when my youngest sister can’t complete assignments for her school because of it. 

Despite all of this, it seems to me that Indigenous communities seem to suffer the most when it comes to issues of rurality. They continue to be forcefully isolated, especially by the Canadian government and big-box internet companies due to poor bandwidth. There is little room for change, growth, and independence in these communities when the lack of internet is forcefully caging people to a number of social, economic, and political issues, continuing a cycle of dependency created as a result of colonization. 

What do you guys think? Is internet a basic human right in our time and day? Is there an adequate solution to addressing a lack of internet accessibility in a timely manner?

- Vanessa 

[tdgeog4390-19]

Not Involving Communities?Seems Fishy

We’ve spent a majority of the course talking about agriculture. A topic I want to introduce and explore is aquaculture and fisheries. I want to look at this topic through the lens of a rural geographer, and approach it the same way we have been looking at frameworks for rural community sustainability and conservation. I know what you might be thinking, how can fisheries be applied at a similar scale as rural agriculture? Well, I think that it’s important that we view all ecosystems with the same mentality that we have been viewing rural land; in this case being that oceans and rivers provide us with numerous social, economic, heritage and spiritual opportunities.

It’s important to highlight that the task of managing fisheries is very complex, and that fish and seafood are among Canada’s largest exports of food products. In my own opinion, I believe that both aquaculture and wild caught fish can be good or bad, it just depends on how they are farmed or harvested. There are many causes of environmental degradation and declining fish catch, such as stressors and pollutants from nearby communities. Livestock farms, bottom trawling methods, human waste, trash, and crop pesticides are some examples of these stressors, which are prominent issues in Canada.  

In order to better manage and preserve fishery industries in the same way that we do for rural Canada, new ideas such as community-based fisheries management (CBFM) can enable people to be more productive in such efforts. CBFM involves the management of fisheries by local communities working with government and other partners to ensure future generations will have access to sustainable fisheries and healthy ecosystems. 

Source: http://www.fao.org/3/b-bo081e.pdf

This figure shows the process for the implementation of CBFM. As you can see, there is a lot of community participation involved in the planning. It is similar to concepts from the two readings from class, “A Review of Farmland Trusts; Communities Supporting Farmland, Farming, and Farmers”, and “Adaptive Capacity and Community-Based Natural Resource Management”, such as incorporating land trusts. These readings exercise the same theme as CBFM in that they explore how the Community Farms Program works to preserve farms, make them available to farmers for food production, and ensure good land stewardship.

For provinces such as B.C. and Newfoundland, fisheries are a very valuable activity, just like farming in Ontario. They have the same connections and reliance on it for the strength of the community. In the “Community Fisheries Management Handbook” empowerment in this theory comes from the ability of the local people to exercise management control over resources and institutions on which they depend. Other principles of this theory are: equity, ecosystem-based management, respect for local knowledge, and inclusiveness. I would recommend scanning through this document if this concept is of interest to you, it has a lot of information about CBFM. Below is an example from the handbook of how community management of fisheries encourages local involvement.

Source: http://www.communityconservation.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/CommunityFisheriesManagementHandbook.pdf

Personally, I have been trying to be a more conscious consumer with the things I purchase, as I am sure that many of you are also on this long, and complicated journey. Although I have been a vegetarian for over 3 years, I find it very difficult to find true, sustainable fish products; but I do have some faith in labeling systems such as the marine stewardship council (MSC). This is unfortunate because fish have a much lower carbon footprint than any other meat product, and if done right, can be a very sustainable food species for people around the world. Does anyone else think that we can look at fisheries in a similar light as sustainable agriculture, or is it simply too complex to manage with likewise methodologies? I think we can apply somewhat comparative rural strategies.

References 

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10745-006-9092-3

https://www.regalsprings.com/foodservice/truth-wild-versus-farm-raised-seafood/

[tdgeog4390-19]

Hey Emma,

Great opinions on this research topic! I also think that this study is really important because the Greenbelt serves as a well known environmental policy in Canada, and the world, therefor it’s effectiveness for protecting farmland should be consistently monitored. I agree with your thought that urbanization is inevitable, and that it is frustrating to come to terms that not all land can be protected. I wonder how sustainable the Greenbelt will be in years to come, when human population is even greater and the pressure to expand increases. I also think that this study may become more complex overtime as the collection of data quality increases due to technological advancements. Issues with census and aerial imagery will be different now than compared to how it was back in 2000 (the start of the study). Therefor, there will be more, and greater detail of such farmland loss data.

With protection policies working with such large projects such as the Greenbelt, I think it’s important to discus the potential consequences as well. Many Canadians stress about the socio-economic impacts that this policy will have, such as the act affecting local supply, demand, pricing, and availability of farmland, and residential housing as well. Areas around Toronto, such as the three focused sites in their study, Halton, Peel, and York, would experience these threats the most. Another crucial aspect of this policy is the impact of intensification of density and the need to build up (i.e. high-rise buildings). Unfortunately, the potential problems with this could be increase of unemployment, lack of housing, and the fact that high-congested areas may be targets for increased pollution and associated health issues.

Although, I do have faith that Canadian policy makers will uphold the standards of the greenbelt and develop solutions to combat these socio-economic threats. After all, as shown by this study, the greenbelt has saved a lot farmland thus far; but it needs to be prioritized to ensure that we don’t lose anymore land, as suggested to still be happening in Peel, ON. As Singer and Wan continue their research around southern Ontario, I bet they will find different trends in each county, and that their data will help policy makers in preserving southern Ontario agriculture.

https://marshallzehr.com/how-the-green-belt-is-impacting-development-in-the-gta/

Testing the Greenbelt Act

The presentation that I found the most intriguing based on my interests and previous knowledge was the “Power in Policy: Measuring Farmland Loss in Ontario and Testing the Strength of the Greenbelt Act.” This presentation took place in the morning and was led by Rachel Singer and Sharon Wan. Their research examined 15 counties and regions in Southern Ontario from 2000-2017 and measured the rate and amount of farmland lost to development. 

I found this interesting because I have witnessed the increased development and decreased agricultural land of Southern Ontario first hand, so it was beneficial to see their research. Their presentation contained graphs displaying the amount of land changes to either developments, agricultural land, or golf courses. From this, it was evident that a substantial amount of land was being developed, and not enough land was being re-purposed to farmland. 

The second part of their presentation was testing the strengths of the Greenbelt Act. The data before 2005 showed land changes before the Act was created, and data after 2005 incorporated the Greenbelt Act. It was amazing to see how effective the Greenbelt Act was at protecting prime agricultural land from urbanization! There was a significant decrease in development in the Greenbelt area after 2005 which proves its effectiveness for land preservation. The Greenbelt not only contains prime farmland, but also wetlands and forests which are necessary for ecosystem productivity. Therefore, the Greenbelt Act is very effective at minimizing development in the protected areas in order to maintain important natural environments. 

One problem that was identified was the significant increase of development after 2005 in areas that were outside of the Greenbelt. Since these lands were not protected, it allowed for the spread of urban and suburban landscapes to these areas. Although this is unfortunate, I do not find it surprising because urbanization is inevitable. It is challenging because not all land can be protected in order to accommodate the fast growing population. 

From this presentation I have learned that land protection policies are actually effective at preserving important areas of land from development. The Greenbelt Act is a very important policy in Southern Ontario and hopefully in the future it will expand to new areas to protect even more land. After seeing how effective this act is, it is clear that Ontario needs to create more policies focused on agriculture and land preservation. The Greenbelt Act does a great job at protecting prime land from development, but there are other threats to the natural environment other than direct land alteration. 

Source Water Protection is very important as it protects our drinking water from contamination and overuse. Increased urbanization and construction allows for more chemicals and pollutants to enter the water systems which could have serious effects on our health and the health of ecosystems. This is just one example of another way we need policies to protect our environment. 

Hopefully government leaders have the opportunity to see how effective policies are in protecting the very important landscape of Southern Ontario. It is clear that rural Canada relies on these policies for its survival. 

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Winds of Change: Rural Attitudes Matter

I’m glad that we were introduced to Guelph’s Rural Symposium because I got to listen to a variety of topics and get an idea of what is expected by graduate students in their master’s research (which I’m sure some of us are considering for the future). Before attending, I knew that there would be a good turnout because Guelph is very involved with Southern Ontario agriculture, but I didn’t realize that there are so many studies and support for rural Ontario- on social, economic, environmental, and spiritual spectrums. After attending the morning session, the presentation that I found the most interesting was the very first one, “Perceptions of Wind Turbines in Rural Communities: A Case Study in Orono, Ontario”, by Jenn Adams. I think this is because I was introduced to the impacts and controversial topic of wind turbines last semester in a FARE Land Economics course. In this course, we spent a few days discussing the wind turbine developments in Melancthon, Ontario and how it influenced people’s property values based on proximity and visibility of the turbines, as well as resident’s opinions. Below I have provided the link to a podcast in which our FARE class recorded in November 2018 with Professor Brady Deaton, interviewing Dr.Richard Vyn, who is the author of the article "Property Value Impacts of Wind Turbines and the Influence of Attitudes Toward Wind Energy”.

Podcast: https://www.uoguelph.ca/fare/institute/podcasts#propertyvalue

Article: http://le.uwpress.org/content/94/4/496.refs

This presentation reminded me of the complications faced with renewable energy development in rural Canada. Like the Melancthon township, Orono is predominantly a farming community, who generally have negative perceptions around wind turbines due to their aesthetics, noise, economic influence, environmental effects, and accused “health” effects on humans and livestock. In the Melancthon case, while some residents are largely against wind turbines, some have shown interest and are excited about having additional energy, as well as a possible return of funds. In Orono, Jenn mentions that there is no lack of support for renewable energy, so why are there negative attitudes towards wind turbines? Using the not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) theory, Jenn made an important realization that rural community member’s perceptions on wind turbines will determine the support for turbine developments in Orono. This is interesting when you consider other Canadian rural towns, such as in Alberta, who have had very different experiences. Residents here don’t have large controversy because wind turbines have been around much longer than in Ontario. Similarly, when turbines first went up in mid-2000s in Ontario, community attitudes were neutral. I think that over time, the possible increase of media attention and development may have shifted attitudes towards turbines in rural jurisdictions. It’s almost like a ripple effect; the more that the message gets out that people think turbines are bad, the more people will consider that mindset (hetero-thinking becomes homo-thinking).

This has made my understanding of rural Canada more complex, coming to terms that not only do these communities face environmental and economic barriers, but also forms of social and psychological barriers. Perhaps being disconnected by large innovations that would be experienced in more urban centers has caused rural residents to develop a sense of nervousness and lack of trust, worried that innovations, such as wind turbines, will reduce their living and agricultural conditions. This idea is touched upon in the article form class, “Canada’s Rural Problem (1923)”, under the section, Work of Socialization.

I thought that Jenn’s research was interesting because it explores the attitudes of rural communities on development. It gave me the impression that rural residents are hesitant and passionate about technological developments occurring within their townships. I think these communities have a right to be ‘on alert’ about developments on the land, as rural Ontario is sensitive and must be protected with sustainable strategies to ensure it isn’t taken advantage by large companies. However, in class, we often talk about rural spaces as being the victim, but perhaps in cases such as these, where falsely lead perceptions discourages rural support of clean energy, they are unintentionally victimizing themselves.  

[tdgeog4390-19]

Hey Dan,

I thought I’d make this reply chain a little longer! I enjoyed your response to Maddy and Emma about the ‘disconnection’ with food because you include your own thoughts and provide a different perspective on the topic. I’ve noticed that everyone in this Rural Geography Seminar has really great insight on rurality in Canada, and I find myself changing my own opinions almost every class based on these new “eye openers” haha. I agree that we have almost created this new modern form of appreciation for food, as shown via television and social media platforms as you mentioned. These connections, however, are definitely different in comparison to the relationships between food and European countries that still value food in more social, and cultural artistic ways. It goes beyond just simple nourishment and is more of an event for European families and friends to socialize- think of Italy for example. Our modernized connection in North America seems to be more dramatic and sometimes over-indulged, in my own opinion. Nevertheless, it’s an undeniable connection that hasn’t slowed down. In addition, I also agree with yourself, Maddy and Emma that local food markets in Canada, and especially Ontario, create a more meaningful connection. It’s community groups such as Guelph Farmer’s Market and Kingston’s year-round Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market that aid to increase access to local foods and bring a new meaning to people’s relationship with our Canadian Cuisine we all know and love. 

-Taylor

https://traveltips.usatoday.com/culture-food-habits-italy-11428.html

https://www.memorialcentrefarmersmarket.ca/#

Food For Thought...

Happy Sunday,

Growing up in Milton, at one point dubbed the “fasted growing City in Canada” I have first hand witnessed out of hand expansion and development. One issue that therefore troubles me about rural Canada, more specifically rural Southern Ontario, is the conversion of prime agricultural land to suburbs and other urban uses.

Responses to population growth over the last few decades have resulted in an explosion of single family home dwellings. Constantly expanding urban city limits have continually encroached on rural spaces and gobbled up some of the best agricultural land in the country. This has resulted in declining local food systems.Of course, people need places to live, but don’t they need food to eat as well?

And yet farms persist! Althaea Herb Farm, located right in Guelph, Ontario. 

These events have simultaneously existed amongst some other major global issues and events. Most notably climate change and globalization which manifests in the passing of major free trade laws and increasing movement of goods over larger areas than ever before.

These events have caused disconnections between people and their food. What scares me the most about this is the discourse that supports and increases this disconnect. And I can see this discourse being created everyday. Fast food, grocery stores that allow for the consumption of produce from the other side of the world without thought, the University of Guelph’s slashing of the organic agriculture program, and the conversion of level 1 prime agricultural land into suburbs which I’ve witnessed within my lifetime. This manifests in instances such as the one witnessed in The Nature of Things episode Lost in the Suburbs. During this episode it was seen how as urban encroached on rural, complaints about the noise and odour of agricultural productions began. I wonder, where do those folks think that those eggs they are complaining over came from?

This troubles and scares me as this disconnect has severe implications. It causes us to acquire goods needed for everyday life and not question where they are coming from and at what cost beyond their extremely subsidized market value which does not account for other externalities. For example, fuel costs on the environment from shipping goods across the world. This can be seen in the average food item in a standard meal of our neighbours in the United States travelling 1,500 miles to get to that plate (Kingsolver 2008).

In an ever changing world, forming connections with our food seems to be some act of resistance on its own. Despite an increasing loss in agricultural lands due to population demands, we remain incredibly fortunate in Southern Ontario in terms of our access to fresh local foods. Options to connect with local systems in direct resistance to the globalized system we find ourselves in exist. Lets talk about them and simultaneously connect with the land that sustains us. Food is an incredibly powerful way to bring people together. It offers a multitude of ways to form connections and combat these growing disconnects.

A very smokey shot of a cherry orchard that I worked at over the summer in the Okanagan, British Columbia. A very humbling experience that taught me a lot about connecting with the food on our plates. 

A question I therefore have for folks is how are you connecting with your food in a globalized world?

In warmth and dryness on this very wet day,

Maddy

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Worst-Case Scen(O)N(T)ARIO

The thing that I am most worried about is the support, rather a lack of, from the Canadian government on rural communities and agriculture. It’s troubling to think that the survival of rural Canada could be determined by the choices made in politics. It is a collection of government leaders that have the dominant decision making power in implementing sustainability strategies for such areas. Sure, these strategies might only be conducted at higher federal power, but top-down approaches are just as important, if not more, than bottom-up.  If we don’t have complete support on a federal level, Canadian communities will be disconnected in their efforts to protect rural spaces.  I think that every province needs to be in agreement with such efforts because it is more difficult for change to occur if it is only happening in a few provinces, after all, there is power in numbers. Although there are many reasons why the rural is a resource, the issue of not prioritizing the protection of farmland more in Canada is what troubles me the most.

First, I want to acknowledge the appreciation I have for Canada and the abundance of resources available to us. I find this appreciation is always sparked after returning from somewhere abroad, as I just did from Cuba.  Rural Canada provides with us with mass amounts of productive land to farm large quantities and diversities of great food. This is very different from Cuba, where over 80% of goods are imported, of which Canada is actually a priority country in doing business with- when prices and qualities fit the bill. Below are two quick pictures I took while driving to a donation center in Cuba. The first is of a local bus station on the outskirts of Varadero, and the second is of a collection of vegetable planting beds that was in front of a home in the ‘country’.

Being a resident in rural Canada is much easier than one in Cuba. For example, rural communities in Canada that are ‘isolated’ from jobs in the city have the opportunities to start online businesses, while only 39% of Cubans in the entire country have access to the internet. Cuba’s strict and corrupt government hinders them from reaching their full rural potential and established practices that would help enhance and protect them. In Canada, and especially Ontario, we are fortunate to be able to have these opportunities, therefore I think that the worst-case scenario would be to not take advantage of this and really enforce these regulations that protect our vital, rich rural lands and communities, not only for our country’s future but for others as well, like Cuba.  As mentioned by Watkins et al. (2003), there are many policy options for farmland preservation and managed growth, such as land-use regulation, “Right to Farm” legislation (Ontario) agricultural districts, taxation incentives, and transfer of development rights. Strategies such as these need to be strictly enforced not only in Southern Ontario but country-wide to emphasize the importance of rural agriculture in Canada. More pressure from the higher Canadian government is needed to lead these preservation plans, all while in the process communicating to citizens the urgency of such issues. It is our Canadian, and human obligation to protect productive lands that will sustain future generations. 

Watkinds, M., Hilts, S. and Brockie, E. (2003). Protecting Southern Ontario’s Farmland: Challenges and Opportunities. Farmland and Preservation Research Project Discussion Paper Series.

https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/cuba/market-facts-faits-sur-le-marche/0001737.aspx?lang=eng

https://www.as-coa.org/articles/cubas-five-issues-watch-2018

[tdgeog4390-19]

Hey!

I enjoyed reading your post this week because it’s a topic that I have also found myself discussing recently. I’m currently at an environmental conference at Queen’s University and one of the problems we were asked to addressed in a case competition today was how to develop smart cities on brownfields, presented by the company, Stantec. I think that the redevelopment of cities has become an important project for future sustainability, and that there is incredible potential for creating greener communities, that essentially model successful rural living. Incorporating green technologies into communities is shown to have many of benefits for the environment, yes, but also from a socio-economic standpoint. For example, revitalizing these once contaminated, and abandon brownfields into productive space is likely to decrease crime rates, increase employment, strengthen education systems, and encourage residents to reconnect and migrate closer into these once wasted spaces.

Although, these approaches are clearly designed for more urbanized centers. Relating more to the course, I wonder if these similar green innovations could be implemented in rural communities? Obviously the scales of operation would have to be readjusted in order to make a meaningful impact on rural space, without wasting resources and implementation processes. I also think that incorporating such systems have the potential to align with the approaches addressed in the “Policy and Practice in Rural Development” section within the Strengthening Rural Canada (2016) document. These are: (1) traditional economic instruments, (2) Innovation investments in technology, (3) community economic development, and (4) community development and capacity building.

https://smartcities-infosystem.eu/scis-clusters/brownfield-development

Why is the role of nature taken for granted in our communities?

In our week off, I created as assessment of ecosystem services in Vancouver and the Lower Fraser River Valley as a result the importance of green infrastructure being integrated into urban spaces and the irony of suburban spaces in dividing people who are seeking greater connections are fresh in my mind.

People are drawn to the suburbs for lower prices and more space to raise families with a sense of community, maybe searching for the greenery and better air quality that is lacking in the nearby city too. A romantic name like Heritage Glen or Rural Acres create a sense of a cozy community, being able to live out of the city but able to access it easily too. But how accessible are urban developments that do not have quick and user friendly bus routes, walk-able grocery store access, or social events that bring the community together regularly? Are suburbs really just cities without these collective infrastructure in which people are trying to reconnect with the green space that many urban areas are lacking?

Urban spaces can have integrated green spaces which are accessible to all, are part of the city infrastructure, and very importantly; are built for people not cars so are far more connected to each other. The rural idyll of a community that knows and supports each other can occur in highly urbanized spaces too when people are regularly connecting with their communities and neighbour by doing away with urban design that necessitates cars.

Portland for example is a leader in building around existing green spaces and integrating in designed green spaces such as insulation’s of greenery around storm water drains to promote ground water refill, slow storm water from entering drains, and reducing physical and chemical waste from rushing into drains. These green infrastructure are ecologically better and economically better as they reduce flooding costs and water treatment facility pressure, and are far more sustainable than grey infrastructure methods of pipes and pavement.

Original green spaces such as wetlands and forests are the best option for green infrastructure, while manufactured ones when original is lacking are a secondary objective and requires ecological consultations. The Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul, South Korea for example replaced an overcrowded high way that was integrated into the city for almost 50 years with a water front space that is greened and walk-able, fed by ground water and water pumped from subways. It is imperfect with is concrete base that stops ground water refill and is not accessible for those with mobility limitations; yet it provides a walk-able green space for most and has improved air quality in the region significantly by connecting formerly divided areas of the city with walking paths.

The relationship between suburbs and cities is very close. Yet the classical categories are both ineffective for people and ecology. By designing and re-urbanizing with connectivity and complete communities, those in which the needed services can be accessed by all, some of the urban versus suburban distinction melts away.

[tdgeog4390-19]

“Fake Nature”  Artist- Humans.

I want to talk about a topic we recently started to discuss in class the other day; which is unpacking the values we determine of rural areas. It’s evident that humans have an undeniable appreciation for nature, some willing to spend millions of dollars to reside on land for it’s wilderness aesthetics, whether that be the wide open country, or in a lush forest. Perhaps this is why undeveloped areas in Ontario are very sot-after locations. It becomes worrisome that we have less amounts true nature today, which is addressed in the paper, “Canada’s Rural Problem”, by W.C. Good (1923), and also that people are encouraging this ‘lesser version’ because they have forgotten, or don’t know what it’s like to appreciate real rural. Some of the spaces that people consider to be “green” and lush are facilities like golf courses, which require mass amounts of inputs and design to look a certain way. For instance, the first image below of Ironwood Golf Club in Exeter is a classic example of a pristine golf facility found in Ontario. 

https://www.golfnorth.ca/welcome-ironwood-golf-club/

People tend to purchase property or homes around such course because there is a high chance that other residential housing will not be developed around them, and that they will be near this ‘natural’ beautiful golf course. We discussed in class that this can be problematic when courses look to sell years after. I think It’s very ironic how people seek to live in, or nearby, a rural look-a-like area. I bet if they could really see how much destruction and contamination is required for the upkeep of these so-called green, lush and natural spaces, their perceptions would change. Now, compare the above image to this second photo of Tara Iti, which is and all natural golf course design in New Zealand. 

https://www.linksmagazine.com/can-golf-course-natural/

Sure it may not deliver that same “wow factor” as Ironwood, but its ecosystem value is much higher. The value of rural spaces should be determined by these true ecosystem properties as well as being measured by their creation of recreational activities like hunting, bird watching, or hiking, and spiritual enhancement and physiological growth they provide, especially for early developmental stages of childhood. It can be hard to communicate to people the urgency to conserve their land when large corporations offer large amounts of money. Therefore it becomes even more important to express and communicate the value of rural land. I also think that it’s important to realize the urgency for using place-based strategies to save rural communities from these forms of destruction, as highlighted in the reading “Strengthening Rural Canada” (2016).

In theme with the faulty appreciation of fake nature, I have included some ridiculous examples of projects that attempt nature:

Olafur Eliasson’s Waterfalls. In 2008, artist Olafur Eliasson installed four artificial waterfalls around the waterfront in New York. 

Robotic flowers to attract bees. Using a synthetic pollinizer to further the pollination by bees and believed to keep them safe from pesticides.

Replacing Fireflies with Lasers. 

While all these technologies are great in that some may help to ‘push’ ecosystem services, do they inhibit people from striving for the real goal? Or will we just become dependant on these fake systems? Perhaps we should stop spending so much time on how to make spaces appear rural or ‘natural’, and actually look into protecting the real thing.

http://artdaily.com/news/24905/Olafur-Eliasson-s-The-New-York-City-Waterfalls-Opens-at-Four-Waterfront-Locations#.XHsS9eJKhQI

https://www.nextnature.net/2018/03/synthetic-pollinizer/.

https://www.nextnature.net/2017/08/replacing-fireflies-with-lasers/

[tdgeog4390-19]

Hey Paige! To start, I like how you mentioned that this discussion needs to include representatives from various backgrounds. I also strongly agree that this is the only way that a fair decision will be made on the construction of transportation in Northern Ontario. We need the input from locals, and well as experts in fields that residents of communities are not specialized in. Choosing to base your five selections on a case study in Timmins-James Bay area was interesting because it brings life to this situation, by using a real life scenario. By doing this you where able to make your selections much more specific, such as including Mayor George Pirie, and the multiple groups of indigenous that you listed from the area. If I picture the 5 representatives you have chosen for this community sitting together at the table, I can see how diverse the perspectives would be, and the amount of different ideas/knowledge that would be circling around. This is good because it would make for a great discussion in making an effective design for transportation systems, without risking any destruction within the Timmins area. 

It seems like a lot of us have the same ideal roundtable representatives for rural communities. For example, incorporating an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was a common trend I found among posts, showing it’s importance. Multiple studies and case examples have shown that active transportation infrastructure leads to revitalizing communities. I know we are focusing on rural communities, but this is true for urban communities as well, which also include  EIA of projects. For example, the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2017 works with the Greenbelt Plan and other frameworks to push for local and regional transit development. It has shown to enhance the incorporation of cultures within the GTA and improve socio-economic issues. Refugees tend to end up in “food desert” communities where there is no easy access to services, but with the development of transit routes, they are able to move between areas (grocery stores, school, work) and become productive members of society. I wonder if this urban table would look different to the representatives discussing rural transit? Would the stakeholders really be that different? I think that having a diversity of actors is key to successful transit operations, both in northern rural Ontario, and in the opposite case, southern urban Ontario.

References 

Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe 2017: http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=10852

5 Seats: A Timmins-James Bay Case Study

Public development projects – especially in Northern Canada, involve discussions between both governmental and non-governmental parties. It is important to include representatives from various backgrounds to ensure a fair decision is made and that all possible effects are taken into consideration. For the sake of my post, I chose the Timmins-James Bay area as a case study for the proposed construction of a transportation route. Here’s who I believe should have a seat at the decision table:

Firstly, a representative from the company leading the project should be present; perhaps a representative from Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation or another affiliated organization. This individual will explain the details of the project and clarify any questions the community may have.

Secondly, public consultation is important for an equitable decision; I believe that the mayor of Timmins, George Pirie (below) should have a seat to speak on behalf of its citizens. Pirie won the 2018 election with almost twice as many votes as his closest contender, Steve Black. He will have the city’s best interests in mind and is familiar with the challenges that the city currently faces. He will best understand how the proposed project will serve to benefit or hinder the societal needs of Timmins.

Photo of George Pirie following his victorious election in 2018 - taken from an article by Len Gillis in The Timmins Times

Thirdly, an appropriate governmental representative should be consulted regarding development in the region. NDP leader Charlie Angus (below) has been the elected Member of Parliament for the Timmins-James Bay riding since 2004. He will have relevant local knowledge having been born and raised in Timmins, Ontario. Two years after being elected, the Toronto Star named him as one of the top-ten most effective opposition MP’s. Further, Angus is a known activist for First Nations rights, he was previously appointed as NDP critic for Indigenous and Northern Affairs and also served as a member of the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development committee until 2016. With the motivation to be re-elected, Angus will seek the most beneficial outcome for his riding.

Charlie Angus, taken from Wikipedia

Fourthly, the consultation should include an Indigenous community member/leader of whose traditional territory the proposed development encroaches on. The Timmins area lies in Treaty 9 territory, on land traditionally belonging to Ojibway/Chippewa, Oji-Cree, Mushkegowuk (Cree) and Algonquin peoples. It is imperative that these communities are included in the decision-making process including the incorporation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), as of 2016, over 11% of Timmins’ population identifies as Aboriginal, which is more than double the national average. Not only is the consultation of Indigenous Peoples mandated by federal law, it is also a positive step toward mending the post-colonial relationship between First Nations and the Government of Canada.

Timmins Native Friendship Centre, established 1974

Lastly, the fifth spot at the table should be reserved for the environmentalist tasked with conducting the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA). An EIA is required before any major development project is approved - in accordance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA 2012). The results of EIA’s are made available online and are then subjected to a public review period of 30 days. The goal of this process is efficiency and transparency. An expert in this field will bring experience and scientific data to the discussion. Their report will contain suggested alternatives and mitigation plans for the proposed impacts of the transportation route. The individual will also help by answering any questions that the other stakeholders may have regarding the environmental risks of the project.

Current environmental impact assessments associated with northern development lack adequate consultation processes with both the public and Indigenous communities. People contain different opinions and biases and given the opportunity, can bring up concerns that were perhaps missed in the initial evaluation. Including stakeholders from multiple backgrounds ensures the final decision is made as fairly as possible and considers all parties and ecosystems affected.

References

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/news_centre/timmins-must-come-grips-indigenous-relations - Ontario Human Rights Commission

https://www.timminstimes.com/news/local-news/george-pirie-wins-timmins-mayoralty-with-huge-vote - Article by Len Gillis, The Timmins Times

https://ofl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017.05.31-Traditional-Territory-Acknowledgement-in-Ont.pdf - Traditional Territory Acknowledgements in Ontario

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-15.21/index.html - Government of Canada, CEAA 2012

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Building Connections: Who Gets to Make the Blueprints?

As we have been discussing the sustainability of rural communities, I think that the expansion of transportation is going to be an important topic over the years to come. Efficient transportation will allow rural communities the ability to travel to and from jobs in larger city centres. This connection gives rural residents the opportunity to continue living in their rural communities without facing the threat of unemployment. In this week’s textbook reading, Woods confirms that this unemployment is a very large threat to the survival of townships in rural Canada because it leads people to relocation in order to search for jobs in the city. 

Woods makes an important statement in chapter 7 in that, “communities are best envisaged as multi-dimensional entities”. We must have this perspective when discussing decisions made in rural towns because there are many dimensions that must be considered when altering elements in a community, especially with such a big project like transportation, which will impact social and economic entities within a small town. Woods discusses the promise of strategies that help with issues of accessibility in rural areas, and that transportation is one that will help mitigate isolation problems. More efficient transportation methods will give rural communities better access to a variety of services (ex. health care, financial support, large markets). Woods concludes that access to transportation also gives rural residents the ability to participate in different communities at different scales.

Currently, the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) and Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) are developing a Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy. I have included the image below to show their outline of this potential plan in the North.

https://nomts.ca/

They are hoping it will create a greater northern economy while supporting communities, expand modern infrastructure and create a healthy environment. The strategy is for all types of transportation as a whole- road, rail, air and water. They have recently released a 2041 draft of this Northern Ontario Multimodal Transportation Strategy for public comment. This is great because it allows feedback from the community to occur and give their opinion on the draft’s goals and direction. These public comments on the draft document are reviewed and considered to be included in the final strategy and first action plan. The Draft Strategy was developed from many partners, including northern Ontario residents, Indigenous peoples and communities, businesses, service providers, governments and non-profit organizations. I think this serves to be an effective strategy in guiding a modern development of a sustainable transportation system in northern Ontario. They clearly recognize the importance of public comment in order to help inform Ontario’s development of the final building plan. I think that they include a proper variety of actors in this current example of transportation development in Ontario. After investigating this draft proposal and reading the theories made by Woods, I have highlighted the five most important stakeholders below that must be present for a transportation strategy in the north, and why. These groups must be considered for current proposals, and in the future:

1.    Indigenous communities: These groups are essential to the sustainability of northern Ontario culture, as they rely strongly on their rural relationships with the land (physically and spiritually). Their voice must be incorporated in the development of transportation because they could contribute traditional ecological knowledge in the planning process. Under the Constitution, it is Ontario’s obligation and moral duty to consult with indigenous peoples and their rights. Canada must confirm their approval with such projects that could drastically alter their way of livelihood- i.e. increased traffic could influence traditional hunting routes or migration of animals.

2.    Environmental experts: I know that many of us have been introduced to the process of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) in Canada. These reports will help evaluate the effects that new transportation construction will have on the biophysical and social affects within that certain area. These are vital to successful proposals and the final decisions being made.

3.    Local residents: Obviously the public must be apart of this discussion, as they will be the ones most influenced by new transit routes. They may also provide helpful insight of where/what type of system should be established for best usage and access. Perhaps having a municipal representative at the table will help establish local input in decisions. Strategies such as online surveys should be upheld throughout the process, because it enhances transparency and public engagement.

4.    Rural planners: Construction designers of transit systems need to be present to establish innovative ideas for northern rural communities. Transit planners will also be responsible for listening to all concerns/ideas and how they will incorporate those, as well as developing greener technologies for future transportation methods.

5.    Ministry of transportation: Representatives of this ministry should have a share in the final decisions, as they are ultimately responsible for moving people safely and efficiently in Ontario. Their primary motive is to support Ontarian’s quality of life through transportation, thus they will contribute the most relevant information and ideas. 

Rural change is bound to occur, but we must make sure that engaging with these communities in rural development is handled with sensitivity, and as I mentioned at the start, must be inclusive of multiple aspects we find in rural townships. A successful transportation system in northern Ontario is key to the economic and social enhancement of rural communities. 

References

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/highway-bridges/northern-ontario-multimodal.shtml

[tdgeog4390-19]

Hey Emma!

Since the start of this rural geography course, I have come to realize a common trend in many of these small townships in Canada. Which is that many communities were first established off the basis of exploration jobs and resource industries such as lumber, coal, oil, fishing, etc. I’m sure some of our families can relate to this. For my dad I know this is true where he grew up in Kimberly, B.C., which was a large mining community that my grandfather and his family was apart of. Once these resources start running low, the small rural towns starts to suffer in consequence and people start looking elsewhere for employment. This is shown with the pulp and paper case you discuss. I think it’s great how you mention that they should showcase their natural features as promotional tools for attracting tourist. Canada has been using these strategies for years and it has brought immense economic productivity into the country. So why not use it in these small hidden gems? I definitely think that Terrace Bay looks like a beautiful place to encourage eco-tourism and open the town up to different forms of productivity that they aren’t use to relying on. Tourism is a strategy that many towns have begun to depend on, and like you hinted at, this can be good and bad. We must be careful with this because encouraging too much tourism may steer small rural communities to loose their traditions and uniqueness that made them special in the first place. It’s definitely hard to find a balance between over-exposure but ensuring the sustainability of these beautiful towns.

Demographic Shifts of Rural Canada

Many Canadian rural communities are experiencing a major demographic shift. However, each town is experiencing these changes in a unique way. Some populations are getting smaller and older, while others are getting larger and younger. The main determining factor is location. For the past several decades towns around the GTA have been growing to accommodate for the growing urban populations. Towns that were once rural and now completely overcome by subdivisions and commuters. 

The opposite has held true for the town of Terrace Bay in Northern Ontario. This town was established as a result of the forestry industry and it all started with a pulp and paper mill. The industry flourished and many people moved there for work, causing a massive population boom. Unfortunately, after many financial struggles, the pulp and paper industry is not as dominant as it once was, and citizens of Terrace Bay have decided to move to new places. The population in 1991 was 2,477 and 20 years later the population had dropped to 1,471. This decrease can often be quite detrimental to a community. 

https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3558054&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=Terrace%20Bay&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=3558054&TABID=1

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Terrace+Bay,+ON/@48.7691178,-87.0863085,12.31z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x4d4353d4424ee84d:0xcdd649ede015c15a!8m2!3d48.783999!4d-87.0966258

Since Terrace Bay is no longer being supported by the pulp and paper industry, it must look for new ways to boost their economy and bring in new residents. The first step, however, is showcasing the town to whoever is interested to prove that it is a quality place to live. This is mainly being done through tourism. 

Terrace Bay is home to many beautiful features including waterfalls, hiking trails, and beaches. These images have now become the promotional tools to advertise this town to the rest of the country with the hopes of attracting tourists. It also offers many recreational opportunities such as a golf course, canoe rentals, and Slate Islands Provincial Park. 

http://www.terracebay.ca/visiting/attractions/aguasabonfalls/

Even their website seems to be more directed to visitors than to the residents. “Visiting” is the second heading at the top of the page, and I find this unusual compared to other town websites that I have seen in the past. The website also highlights their most popular features and attractions in a very obvious way, which proves their reliance on tourism. 

http://www.terracebay.ca/visiting/attractions/

I believe that Terrace Bay will be successful as a tourist destination because it is a very beautiful part of Northern Ontario and offers a lot of recreation activities. However, I find it disappointing that this town, along with many other Canadian rural towns, has suffered from urbanization leading to their ultimate reliance on tourism. This shift away from primary industries has been very detrimental to rural towns across the country and many have not been able to recover. Fortunately, I do believe that Terrace Bay will be able to attract new residents through the current use of tourism, however that might not be for many years. 

[tdgeog4390-19]

Rough Seas Ahead

In the summer of 2017 I toured around Newfoundland for about 2 weeks. We had a car and drove for a few hours everyday and would stay at a new location every night. Within these hours of driving there would be a lot of nothingness, just the road ahead. But in between those pockets of nothingness, tiny towns would appear once in a while. One of these tiny, rural towns was Greenspond. Below is a picture I took from above the town, looking down at the majority of homes. 

It really is a beautiful spot, and like most of the small towns in Newfoundland, there are many small motorboats to get around and help them with fishing activities. I have never seen so many crab traps, abandon fishing huts and boats, and rows of drying salted cod in my life. Visiting Newfoundland, it is very clear that many traditional practices come from the reliance on the sea. Another thing that these rural towns have in common is that they are struggling. More than 200 towns have fewer residents in 2016 than they did in 2011, according to Statistics Canada. Specifically, Greenspond’s population decreased by 9.9% from 1996 to 2001, and went from 383 in 2001 to 266 in 2016. The elder people are slowly fading out, and the younger ones are deciding to move away, usually without returning. Some say these towns will end up disappearing and that there is nothing they can do about it, which is quite sad. A large reason for these populations shifts are things such as decrease in jobs (fishing industry has become unreliable), closure of services in small communities, and other threats such as concern of clean drinking water, which came to surface in 2018. It’s a viscous cycle where people start to leave because there are fewer services, then that causes more businesses to shut down, therefore more people want to leave! Communities across the province are suffering with loss of jobs in industrial work- especially with the collapse of iron ore mines, which has trickled down to affect smaller local businesses as well.

Greenspond is one of the oldest out ports in Newfoundland with a continuous community who relied on it as a trading centre. This coastal community still continues to survive despite the unpredictable fishing economy.  I think that this is due to their ability to serve as a tourist spot for its beautiful scenery, introductions of new infrastructure and quaint bed and breakfasts. But there is no denying that their population is aging and decreasing. In 2017 Newfoundland and Labrador actually starting paying people to leave communities such as these to deal with the dwindling of tiny towns. This ‘resettlement’ strategy was an approach to move residents from their crumbling towns into larger centers with better healthcare, jobs and education. Many rural citizens did not take this well, of course, these are their family homes and traditions. Rather than just giving up on these coastal rural towns, I think that in order to support Greenspond’s sustainability they should increase tourist attraction and push to add more services. I definitely saw opportunity in that town. Perhaps they could try more branding techniques, such as the town Tirau, in New Zealand that John Smither presented to us in class. Here they started forming buildings into giant tin animals (sheep and dog) and figures, which created a huge tourist attraction and completely transformed this fading small rural town into a lively and thriving community. Perhaps a similar concept we learned in class could be applied here, but in a way that is more tailored to Newfoundland’s culture.  

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/blogs/how-do-you-deal-with-dwindling-tiny-towns-newfoundland-and-labrador-will-pay-you-to-leave-1.4466157

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/census-data-population-change-growth-decline-1.3971917

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/newfoundlands-economic-woes/article29297377/

[tdgeog4390-19]

I enjoyed reading your post Beacher! It was a unique perspective for you to watch this Canadian film and connect it to this week’s ‘theme’. I also mentioned in my own post how there is both the good and bad in rural Canada (and in all rural communities around the world). There is definitely more than just beautiful lakes, trees, prairies and mountains within these rural landscapes. It’s important how different forms of art can capture and portray those stories and make people feel something about rural life. 

You mentioned how assumptions can be made when there is a lack of information about the subject. This reminded me of when we first walked into the Art Gallery last Thursday. At first when I was looking at some of the artwork I was trying to think about what they meant, and some of the pieces I thought looked dark in a sense. But once our tour guide explained the artist’s story behind those collections, my perspective changed. I think that this was  because I was now learning about that person’s experience and meaning rather than just what I was looking at. Using art to portray rural Canada can be tricky in this sense, because everyone has their own experiences and relations with nature. I’m sure you can relate to this as well, coming from such a different place in the world! It would be interesting to compare and contrast artistic representations of Singapore vs Canada. 

Short Movie Review with a hint of Rural Visualisation in the Contemporary Society

Rural Canada is often associated with natural landscapes such as mountains, coastlines and the picturesque countryside. Films, in this case, have done so with the portrayal of rural Canada on the big screen from as early as 1985.  For instance, film One Week (2008) by Michael McGowan encompasses various backdrops featuring rural Canada. After looking at online reviews for this movie, I decided to take the leap of faith and procrastinate my Friday afternoon (rip assignments) to watch it. Upon reaching the end credits, I am happy to report that One Week indeed incorporates some excellent cinematography techniques to support the plot. From Carman, Manitoba to Minden, Ontario, the film showcased many scenic spots which may be familiar to many Canadians. Personally, I feel that the film almost seems to provide some form of refuge from my usual azoic habitat in the city. Without myself realizing it, I feel the urge to travel to these spots to see them in real life.  

Keep reading

[tdgeog4390-19]

The Art of Contemporary Geography

I think that we can all agree that the contemporary arts rely heavily on wilderness and nature. The environment is used for many artist’s inspirations, whether it be for scenery in a film, photography, paintings and drawings, writing or music. In return I think that those who observe these art forms also become inspired, as it’s in our nature to feel this comforting, and sometimes healing connection with the natural. Rural Canada is such a beautiful and diverse space; it’s filled with art and many people who perceive it just as well. It’s safe to say that great artists come from Canada, and they portray our rural communities in many diverse ways; whether that is peace, power, beauty, sadness… the list of emotions and stories goes on. I was reminded of this on our class visit to the Art Gallery of Guelph listening to the meanings behind the pieces apart of “The Curse of Geography” exhibition. I really enjoyed all of the stories and messages associated with each creation and forgot just how powerful artwork can be. Specifically how many socio-economic issues arise from the biophysical environment. This was represented by this collection, telling hardships of working with natural resources, social injustice, drug cultures and the struggles that come with living in rural societies around the world. In addition to this collection, I enjoyed looking at the paintings of the north and how the artists used such bright colors to show that there is so much life and diversity in these arctic climates, which some people don’t get to see. While living in the Yukon as a baby, my mother collected a number of pieces by one of Canada’s popular artist, Ted Harrison. He’s known for his colourful paintings of Yukon’s landscapes. Below is one of his paintings that I have up here in Guelph with me; I love how it portrays Whitehorse.

Discussing contemporary geography this week also reminded me how influential and expressive music can be. Some of you may know the band “A Tribe Called Red”, a Canadian electronic group known for their evolutionary, politically empowered indigenous music. This is the music video to their song, “Stadium Pow Wow”.

This song is described to “capture Indigenous communities at the intersection of urban, reserve, and rural life, from pipeline protests to the preservation of Indigenous culture and the empowerment of Indigenous youth. Along with Tagaq, the group is using their music to define what life looks like for the next generation of Canada’s Indigenous peoples”. After I listened and watched this, I thought it was pretty powerful, and it actually made me rethink my vision of rural Canada, that its not all just beautiful scenery, there’s also some ugly. It made me think about how the decisions we make about Canada’s environment must be taken with serious caution and respect for not only those fragile ecosystems, but also the groups of people who reside within them.