N.B. must revive rural communities, expert says

Next government must address jobs, infrastructure, food security in rural areas

Last Updated: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 | 2:32 PM ET

By Daniel McHardie, CBC News

Susan Machum is the Canada research chair in rural social justice at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. She says the next New Brunswick government must overhaul the policies aimed at rural communities to help them thrive rather than simply amalgamating them into large urban centres. (Courtesy St. Thomas University)

Rural communities are at risk of being pushed farther to the periphery of New Brunswick society unless the next government adopts policies to support them, says an expert on rural areas.

The province goes to the polls to elect a new government on Sept. 27.

For far too long, governments have been creating policies that work against rural parts of the province, writes Susan Machum, the Canada research chair in rural social justice at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, in an analysis for CBC News.

"If we do not act to protect rural New Brunswick's natural resources and the knowledge to live from our own land, our future will be bleak," Machum writes.

"Whereas in the 20th century, we assumed that the developing world economy and food system would assure us security and prosperity, in the 21st century, they are more precarious."

New Brunswick's population is still divided about evenly between urban and rural centres, but the trend in recent years has been for people to leave rural areas for jobs in urban centres, particularly, Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John.

Machum cites the Liberal government's decision to cancel several rural cable ferries in its 2009 budget as an example of the government's shortsightedness when it comes to rural companies. (The ferry decision was mostly abandoned after a large public outcry.)

But, she says, the Liberals are merely following in the footsteps of a string of New Brunswick governments that have not championed policies that allow rural areas to grow and prosper.

Amalgamation not the answer

Too often, talk of incorporating rural areas into larger municipalities overtakes the debate on how to preserve small, rural communities.

If this policy deficit is not addressed soon, Machum argues, the exodus from rural areas will continue.

'Emphasizing the bottom line and cost-accounting leads to the belief that amalgamation and centralization will deliver more bang for the buck.'— Susan Machum

"Emphasizing the bottom line and cost-accounting leads to the belief that amalgamation and centralization will deliver more bang for the buck," Machum writes.

"However, the long-lasting effects of such economic and social policies promote urban growth and expansion at the expense of rural communities.

"The rural becomes the periphery, and the urban core grows in power and might. If such policies persist, the imbalance will only intensify."

The problems facing rural areas are many. The traditional sectors — forestry, fishing and farming — have reached a point where they are no longer stable sources of long-term employment, especially for young people.

Rural communities need equal infrastructure

Coupled with the lack of jobs, rural areas are struggling with aging and inadequate social infrastructure.

Machum believes rural and small-town life has been hollowed out in recent generations in favour of policies that have allowed urban areas to thrive.

Rural communities, she says, need have access to the same type of infrastructure that is found in urban centres if they are going to retain and attract people.

"This means building and sustaining local and provincial infrastructures that support the life of rural and small town communities," Machum writes.

"Educational facilities, arts programs, recreation and community centres, medical services, banking and retail access need to be part of the rural fabric — or people are not going to stay."

In urban areas, people can walk to stores or banks or community centres. But in rural areas, people need a vehicle because of the dearth of public transportation.

Food sovereignty

New Brunswick is also starting to lose the ability to produce its own food because of the decline in the traditional farming industry. At the same time, global economic pressures are pushing up the cost of food.

Rising food costs will lead to added political and economic insecurity, which is why the next provincial government must take steps to secure the province's "food sovereignty," says Machum.

The right policy decisions will enable New Brunswickers to be producers rather than just consumers, the rural expert says.

"The spin-offs of a policy investing in the local economy would be substantial,'" Machum writes. "Producing our own food, clothing and shelter is, after all, the bedrock of being able to 'buy local.'

"It is also necessary for the transition to a sustainable future."

Premier Shawn Graham announced on Aug. 29 that he would introduce a province-wide version of the 100-mile diet challenge that would encourage people to eat food sourced from local producers.

Graham said he'd work with the restaurant industry and stores to put local food in their stores and on their menus.

"Local food tastes better," Graham said on Sunday. "It's fresher and healthier. It is better for the environment because it means less shipping, and it improves our economy by helping local farmers."