Rural Spark

This week we spoke with Dr. Felicity Kelliher to learn about how Ireland fosters rural innovation. Kelliher is a co-chair of the RIKON research group from the South East of Ireland that explores and nurtures growth for small businesses.

New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

Many rural communities lack quality childcare options, and it's holding back families and communities. But whose job is it to solve the problem? This is something Sociology Professor Susan Prentice studies and this week she tells us why we should look at child care as an economic driver in our communities.

New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

The greater Petite Rivière area in Nova Scotia mobilized to save their elementary school, and thank goodness they did! Hear how they did it, and what an outstanding little school it is. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

This week our guests are Stacey and Geoff, professional DJs who traded in the Big Smoke for the Cape Breton Highlands in Nova Scotia. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

Peter Smith is the Project Director at the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity. On today's episode, Peter shares the story of revitalization through the arts in Blythe, Ont., and plans to take it national. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

A new college campus can transform a rural community, but it takes leadership and a strong case to make it happen. This week we talk with Jamie Bramburger of Algonquin's Waterfront Campus in Pembroke about the journey to success in the Ottawa Valley. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

Is the carbon tax fair to rural Canada? We discuss this and other pressing issues with Ray Orb, Federation of Canadian Municipalities Chair of Rural Forum and President of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

Rob McMahon, co-founder of the First Mile Connectivity Consortium, tells us how some Indigenous communities are finding their own connectivity solutions. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

Modern coworking spaces can help meet the needs of remote workers and entrepreneurs in rural communities. But how does it differ from urban coworking models? Can coworking help attract new rural residents? Andrew Button shares his insights with us. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!

People experiencing hopelessness in rural communities will go to great lengths to hide it. That invisibility hinders awareness of the problem, and the action needed to find solutions. This week we talk to Terrilee Kelford of Cornerstone Landing in Lanark County, Ont., about rural homelessness and some innovative responses in her community. New to the pod? Every week Helen Murphy, a rural newspaper editor and entrepreneur, invites guests to share fresh thinking, success stories and lessons learned. Be sure to subscribe to stay up-to-date on all things rural innovation! Thanks for listening!