1. 1 Association of Canadian Community Colleges(ACCC) Colleges Serving Rural and Remote Communities Partners of Choice April 16, 2003

2. 2 Presentation Outline Who we are Definition of Rural Rural contribution to Canada’s prosperity Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Canada Key Public Policy Objectives Colleges’ contribution to Rural Canada Strengths and Assets of Colleges, Institutes and Cégeps ACCC Advocacy Issues and Task Group National Task Group (SRRC) National Awareness Strategy and Engagement Tools (SRRC) Task Group Accomplishments Future Plans

3. 3 Who we are ACCC is the national and international voice of Canada’s 150 public colleges, institutes of technology, cégeps, university colleges. Their primary mandate is to respond to labour market and skills development. They are leading providers of human resource development of the workplace, and other technical, professional, vocational and academic programs.

4. 4 Who we are (Cont’d) ACCC members represent a student population of 2.5 million full- and part-time learners and employ more than 60,000 staff/faculty. Colleges are the primary community vehicle for adult education and employee upgrading. Collectively serving over 90 percent of Canada’s landmass, colleges have a remarkable reach and access to over 900 communities across the country.

5. 5 Our Colleges 31a 49b 46a 42a 42c 31a 58c 58a 58d 58e 58f 58y 58o 58p 58t 58b 58u 58v 58x 63a 63b 87b 87c 66b 66a 66 66c 69a 69c 69e 78a 64 64b 64d64e 64a64c 64f 68 68a 68c 70 70a 70b 70c 72 73a 77 85a 85f 85h 85i 85k 86 86a 86b 71f 73 68d 72c 71 71a 71c 71d 71e 27 30 27b 27a 28 30a 30b 30c 30d 30f 30g 31a 66d 69 69b 69d 72b 72e 75b 75c 81 82a 82b 82 82c 75a 75 71b 61d 61e 63 63c 80a 80b 71g 90 93b 97 97a 101 104b 105 110 116 116b 116c 120 120a 122 123 129 95a 92 103 106a 95 108 111 111a 111b 112 118 31a 26b 26e 26f 26j 26l 26m 26o 30e 9 44c 44b 18g 18i 18c 17c 18b 18 18f 18a 58z 67 67d 67e 1g 1l 1n 1 1m 1a 1b 17a 53b 58g 58k 67a 67b 67c 67f 34a 34 38 36g 26g 26h 26i 26k 32 36e 33 36k 39 40 9 93b 98 104c 109 109a 109b 104a 113 119 21 21a 21b 21c 21d 22d 22 22e 22a 22c 19j 6b 6h 6i 9c 9e 19i 19g 19f 19e 19h 19a 3i 3n 19 19c 6f 6j 6c 6g 6d 6e 15a 15b 15c 15 19d 20c 6 20d 20j 20k 22hj 31a 58i 58 58j 58l 58n 58q 58r 58s 58w 132 137 135 140 139 138 145 144h 144d 143a 144g 144k 144c 144j 144b 144m 143 143d 144a144e 144f 144 27c 31 36h 36i 36j 36l 14 6a 14b 14d 20h 31a 26n 43a 43 42 43b 46b 50a 50b 49d 50e 45a 48d 50c 51g 46 17e 17d 17 14c 14a 14e 17b 17f 17g 144i 144l 146 143b 143c 143f 141g 141h 141k 141c 141b 141d 141i 141j 141 141l 49c 51a 51b 42d 42b 51f 47c 52b 59 74 60d 60e 83 83b 76 72a 78 87a 87 87d 72d 78b 78c 78d 79b 79a 85b 85c 85d 85e 85g 85j 71h 79 85 64g 68b 60 60a 60b 60c 60f 65 106c 1c 31a 147h 147a 147e 147c 147i 147j 147l 147 44 51 49e 49a 50 50d 45 44a 45b 45d 45c 48 48a 48b 48c 136 133 143d 142 141a 130 131 134 141e 141f 18e 18d 18h 16d 16f 16l 5a 5b 3e 3k 3j 3l 3o 8b 9a 9b 9 9d 9f 11a 4a 4 13 13a 13b 13c 16 16a 16b 16c 16e 16g 16h 16m 16n 16o 2 3a 3c 3b 3d 3f 3g 3m 3p 3h 3q 5 7 12 8a 11b 11 11c 10 8 3 20a 20b 20 20e 20g 20f 20i 23 23a 52c 52d 52 54 54c 54a 54b 54d 54e 55 56a 56 57 1i 1k 1j 1f 1e 1d 1h 61 61a 61b 61c 61f 80 62 62a 62b 80c 80d 84 47a 47b 47 47e 50f 47d 51d 47f 47g 51c 51e 46c 43c 52a 53 53c 53d 53a 53e 58h 58m 147g 149 147k 147m 147f 147n 147o 147b 147p 148a 147d 148

6. 6 Definition of Rural Rural and small town refers to individuals in towns or municipalities outside the commuting zone of larger urban centers (with 10,000 or more population). These individuals may be disaggregated into zones according to the degree of influence of a larger urban center called census metropolitan area and census agglomeration influenced zones (MIZ). “Valerie du Plessis, Roland Beshiri and Ray D. Bollman, Statistic Canada and Heather Clemenson, Rural Secretariat, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada”

7. 7 Some facts about “Rural” contribution to Canada’s prosperity The resource sector accounts for 25% of the GDP, and 40% of Canadian export The resource-based sector’s productivity is 33% higher than the Canadian average and 60% of SME start-ups are in rural communities 95% of our natural and environmental resources are located in rural Canada Income gap between many rural and urban areas widened during the 1990s There are 40% fewer household and property crimes and 30% fewer crimes against persons in rural Canada While 31% of Canadians live in rural communities, their share of total employment is 26% and their contribution to the GDP is 24%

8. 8 New challenges and opportunities throughout Rural Canada Rural communities, whether located in northern or remote areas or near major cities, face issues that are of particular concern to them, such as: Rural Canada is still largely based on the resource sector Innovation is an imperative which has brought more prosperity to Canada, but less employment to rural Canada The resultant out-migration and slow economic growth have left a shortage of skills needed for transition to the knowledge- based economy Rural communities find themselves unable to attract skilled workers, lacking infrastructure necessary for the knowledge- based economy, and eroding services

9. 9 Key Public Policy Objectives To meet these challenges and raise the quality of life in rural Canada, government decision-makers must recognize and engage colleges and institutes as partners of choice in addressing the following key public policy objectives: Productive and skilled resource industries Healthy and literate communities Enhanced participation of aboriginal communities in education and economic activity Sound environmental stewardship Enhanced regional economic and community development

10. 10 How Do Colleges Contribute? Colleges have the coverage, capacity and mandate to work strategically with governments to ensure that Canada has a healthy, vibrant and progressive rural economy. They encompass virtually all of Canada’s Aboriginal/First Nations communities. They work with agricultural and resource-based industries, high-technology centers, applied research and product development as well as innovative small-medium-sized business incubation. Colleges have integral links to their communities and are partners of choice in community economic development

11. 11 Strengths and Assets of Colleges, Institutes and Cégeps Vehicles for community development Can address local, regional and national issues quickly and effectively Respond to community needs and issues Agents of local development for all four levels of government Agencies of life-long learning Provide and create local leadership and capacity for community development Easy access for adult learners Learning styles match needs of adult learners Multi-campus and close to home for learning opportunities Successful partnerships with industry/SMEs

12. 12 ACCC Advocacy Issues and Task Group ACCC members identify issues of national importance Task Group usually established to work with ACCC staff to: -implement activities and initiatives -identify appropriate linkages with government and public sector -establish partnerships and sustainable activities

13. 13 National Task Group on Colleges Serving Rural and Remote Communities Goal To increase the profile of rural and remote colleges and to demonstrate how rural community colleges are pivotal in the social and economic development of rural communities. Purpose of the Task Group To put forward recommendations to the ACCC Secretariat on how it can better serve their rural and remote colleges and advocate on their behalf

14. 14 Task Group Members Brent Mills - Chair of the Task Group and President, Assiniboine Community College, Manitoba Richard Doiron - Director, CCNB-Edmunston, New Brunswick Suzanne Drouin - Executive Vice President, University College of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia Lou Dryden - President, North Island College, British Columbia Michael Hill - President, Northern College, Ontario Fay Myers - CEO, Parkland Regional College, Saskatchewan Bruce Rigby - Executive Director, Nunavut Arctic College, Nunavut Tom Thompson - President, Olds College, Alberta Louise Trudel - Director General, Collège Shawinigan, Québec Terry Weninger - President, College of New Caledonia, British Columbia Art Whetstone - President, Keyano College, Alberta Lynden Johnson - Special Advisor, ACCC Secretariat Brian Bender - Senior Program Officer, ACCC Secretariat

15. 15 Critical Issues of Colleges, Institutes and Cégeps Rural and remote colleges are not visible on the radar screen (at all levels of government) Need to define role within community development Need to share our success stories and lessons learned Distance from “power centers” Distance from the policy makers to the implementers Policy makers don’t understand the issues of rural and remote communities and the role of community colleges Need common dialogue amongst institutions Training is seen as a cost not as an investment Managing client expectation Geographic distance scale affects all aspects Need to promote/advocate with all levels of government - Federal, Provincial/Territorial, Municipal and First Nations

16. 16 National Awareness Strategy and Engagement Tools for Colleges Serving Rural and Remote Communities Develop a Strategy that: Recognizes the uniqueness of rural and remote communities Is based on a well-designed advocacy strategy Includes identification of how the strategy will be implemented Supports the Throne Speech’s commitment to promoting innovation, growth and development in rural, northern and remote communities, and ensures that the college are part of the government’s policies and programs Identifies what rural and remote colleges are all about, their capacity and how they can be a partner in community socio-economic development Will encourage rural and remote colleges to advocate and position themselves with governments and alternative funding agents (e.g WED, DFO, EC, DIAND etc.) using generic tools developed by the Task Group It will also promote the ACCC Rural and Remote Colleges Initiative to the wider college system, other public sector groups and the general public

17. 17 National Advocacy Strategy Audience /Target Group Primarily colleges themselves, as they are the vehicles that will take the mandate of the Task Group and the Serving Rural and Remote Communities Initiative to the community (local, municipal and provincial government bodies) Second audience consists of government officials and decision-makers at both the federal and provincial levels Objectives: Make all levels of government more aware of the college’s current and future contribution to community development Raise awareness amongst colleges of their important role in engaging and influencing government agendas Raise awareness among the four levels of government with respect to the challenges and capacity of rural and remote colleges in addressing the five public policy objectives

18. 18 National Advocacy Strategy: Engagement Tool Kit Brochure common to all levels of governments emphasizes rural focus and content highlights key words that explain the role of rural and remote colleges in meeting the five public policy objectives emphasizes serving resource industries of Canada (mining, forestry, etc.) reflects importance of rural Canada to all Canadians Web Site Strategy and Engagement Tools available in web-based format with launch at the ACCC annual conference Engagement Tools Distinguishing characteristics of rural colleges Key college capacities Checklist for meeting preparation Overview of federal government structure and functions Key contacts Federal rural policy priorities

19. 19 Task Group Accomplishments Meetings with senior government officials Meetings with Ministers and Rural Caucus Chair Participation at 2nd National Rural Conference Participation at sessions with the Rural Regional Teams (Québec, Ontario, etc.) Presentation on Approaches by Colleges to Community Development Objectives - May 2002 ACCC Conference Rural and Remote Colleges Symposium (May 25, 2002) Inventory of Exemplary Practices on-line (63) ACCC College Canada publication for Colleges and Rural and Remote Communities (Challenge and Opportunity) Awareness Strategy and Engagement Tools The work of the Task Group has raised the profile of rural and remote communities, leading to focussed interest on Aboriginal and Northern issues

20. 20 Future Plans Proposed by Task Group Prepare inventory of federal policy issues most relevant nationally or regionally to rural and remote communities and colleges/institutes Host Second Rural Symposium, May 24, 2003 Host Rural and Remote Francophone Symposium Adopt National Awareness Strategy and Engagement Tools Facilitate provincial and territorial awareness and engagement Develop provincial/territorial-based advocacy strategies National Advisory or Action Committee comprised of provincial and territorial members who are leading province/territory-wide rural advocacy strategies Shift our customer focus from just the federal government to the public, industry, non-profit and all levels of government

21. 21 Future Plans (cont’d) Develop a ‘rural lens’ as a core element of ACCC’s ongoing advocacy agenda, to be applied to all government policies and ACCC interventions Outline a multi-year strategy to continue ‘rural and remote’ focus, including another issue of College Canada Influence all four levels of government to achieve increased awareness of the unique needs of rural and remote communities, across a multiplicity of sectors and government funders Obtain new revenue sources to enable colleges to deliver custom programming to meet local industry needs and community development opportunities Provide advocacy and awareness tools to enable small colleges to advance their own advocacy agenda and role in local community development

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