RIEP is six months into Communities Talking, a pilot project studying the economies of BC’s rural islands. We want to update you on what it is, why we’re doing it, and where we’re going.
Funded by the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth through their REDIP grant, Communities Talking pulls together both traditional, research-based data, and real-time, community-sourced information, to form a picture of island-level economic health and activity.
Why? Working with the provincial government, Community Futures Central Island, and the NGOs and First Nations communities based in our pilot communities Cortes, Gabriola and Quadra, we believe island-sourced data — including conversations and stories about island-based business — is better suited to supporting local decision-making, job creation and investment attraction than many of the tools and data we have access to today.
RIEP’s purpose is to empower communities to build stronger, more informed, and more self-determined local economies, and doing so requires information tailored to each island’s unique context. Ideally, this data would also be accessible and shareable with neighbouring islands and coastal communities — achieved in part by simplifying and streamlining how we collect and present economic information that can otherwise feel complex or difficult to interpret.
Where will this information come from? The data will come from multiple streams. Many island businesses and community organizations already conduct their own research, and rich narratives exist about local economies — including perspectives from Indigenous communities. We also draw on regional, provincial, and federal sources such as BC Stats, BC Labour Market Analytics, and Statistics Canada. The real work lies in synthesizing all of this into analysis that is both accessible and genuinely meaningful for each island.
Communities Talking will also include collaborative a ‘matchmaking’ feature, providing local businesses information that is relevant to their day-to-day needs, that can identify priorities for economic decision-making, and that can also provide evidence of need for further resources, such as governmental funding, better transportation, more housing, and more.
This is the challenge, and the opportunity, with Communities Talking. And we’re on track! Local engagement is currently underway in our first three participant communities, including with local economic development organizations and chambers of commerce and First Nations partners.
Communities Talking is expected to have a “beta” version of our data and ideas exchange platform ready by end of year.
We will keep you updated on our progress!
