Title: Upcoming Webinar: Rural Ontario’s Population Growth During COVID-19: Fad or Trend?Join other Ontario economic development and planning professionals on Wednesday October 27th, 2021 from 1pm to 3pm for a webinar to discuss the rural economic development impacts of the pandemic with a focus on population and housing trends.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in rural migration, demand for rural housing and rural house prices. The trend is not unique to Ontario and there are reports of similar trends occurring across Canada and the United States. While this migration has resulted in population growth and new economic development opportunities, it has also created pressures for existing rural infrastructure, housing affordability and municipal service delivery with the long-term outcomes of this migration unclear. This workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss and better understand these trends and their economic development implications.
John Anania, Manager of the Economic Analysis Unit, Economic Development Policy Branch at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Mitchell Davidson, Executive Director of the StrategyCorp Institute of Public Policy and Economy and Cody Joudry, Director of Development and Tourism, Dufferin County will kick-off the webinar with presentations on the economic development impacts of the pandemic, with a focus on population and housing trends.
A facilitated discussion with participants will follow to explore and share details on how these trends are impacting different rural areas, including but not limited to housing affordability/housing adequacy, human capital attraction/retention, business development, infrastructure development and municipal service delivery, etc.
For more information on the Webinar, please visit the Rural Ontario Institute Website