THE RURBAN FRINGE

Budget 09 – Where’s the Rural Stimulus?

Posted on | February 2, 2009 | No Comments

Stimulus, stimulus, stimulus.

After finally reviewing the government’s ”economic action plan” for 2009, I’ve decided that broadband has become the catch-all project when rural economic development is discussed these days.

And why not?  Broadband is easily defined, not agricultural and seems something that everyone agrees would revitalize rural and rurban areas.

Broadband connection, in comparison with dial-up, speeds access to the internet and makes it possible to send and receive a much wider range of media such as photographs, music, video, large data sets, etc.

The Government of Canada recognizes that gaps exist in rural broadband access, and has committed …

” … 225 million over three years to Industry Canada to develop and implement a strategy on extending broadband coverage to all currently unserved communities beginning in 2009-10.”

And while I believe rural and rurban communities deserve to be connected when it comes to broadband… where is the evidence that universal broadband access will significantly change rural economies?

This simply raises the chicken and the egg paradox … is broadband in places that are already vibrant?  Or does improved access to technology bring vibrancy to rural communities?

Is this what rural stimulus looks like to the government?

While it’s been proven time and again that rural people are willing to invest in their own communities for the creation of jobs and wealth, it’s hard to fathom how this is possible when resources aren’t appropriately identified or allocated.

After all, more than stimulus payments are at stake here.

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