Minister Hutchings shares Rural Economic Development, What We Heard report

On November 12th, 2024, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, released a What We Heard report as a follow up to the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministerial Meeting on Rural Economic Development held in May 2024:

The second annual federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministerial meeting on rural economic
development took place in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario from May 29-31, 2024. It was co-hosted by the
Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Canada’s Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister
responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs, the Honourable Lisa Thompson (now Ontario’s Minister of Rural Affairs).
The event brought together FPT ministers and delegates from eight jurisdictions, who were joined by
Indigenous leaders, expert guest speakers and on-the-ground practitioners. Ministers and delegates
shared best practices, heard on-the-ground experiences, and discussed ways to advance economic
development throughout rural Canada by identifying and seizing on their assets.
This “What We Heard” report is intended to summarize the wide-ranging discussions and perspectives
shared by meeting participants. This report is not intended to express the Government of Canada’s
perspective nor the official position of a particular jurisdiction, nor can it be considered a detailed record
of the event’s proceedings.
The aim of this meeting was to spark multi-jurisdictional dialogue on how to effectively support rural
economic development across Canada and galvanize coordinated action in support of rural
communities.

Click here to read a copy of the What We Heard report.