Rural Ontario Institute using technology to connect community leaders with agri-food sector

GUELPH – The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) wants to provide more ways for rural communities and the agriculture sector to connect and access information about issues that matter.

“Rural community businesses, organizations and municipalities will have a need to adapt and seize opportunities as Ontario changes in the next decade,” ROI chair Suzanne Trivers said.

ROI’s transformation project, funded through the province’s Grassroots Growth Initiative, identified tools to engage rural leaders to prepare for rural community development.

The institute will be introducing online spaces for dialogue surrounding issues and case study workshops enabling rural leaders with particular concerns and passions to connect, share success stories and choose solutions suitable for their own communities.

“We saw with our COVID-19 Rural Rebound initiative that posting stories to a website may be worthwhile but that people also want the opportunity to learn by connecting with peers and hearing from those in other sectors,” ROI executive director Norm Ragetlie said.

For more information contact: nragetlie@ruralontarioinstitute.ca or call 519-826-4204.

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The Rural Ontario Institute is a non-profit organization committed to developing leaders and facilitating collaboration on issues and opportunities facing rural and northern Ontario communities.