Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development Minister Neil LeClair today announced the provincial government’s rural development strategy for Prince Edward Island. The announcement was made at Royal Star Foods in Tignish during a news conference attended by representatives of a number of community and industry organizations.
“The Rural Action Plan reflects the commitment of the provincial government to our rural communities and to the people who live and work in those communities,” said Minister LeClair. “Beyond that, it reflects the confidence of your government in the future of those communities and in the people who will help shape that future.”
Minister LeClair said the Rural Action Plan sets forward a vision of a prosperous, vibrant and healthy rural Prince Edward Island, able to adapt to a changing world and to offer diverse opportunities and a high quality of life to all its citizens. The plan is built around seven goals aimed at economic and community development, protection of the environment and human resource development. It identifies 40 different actions, which flow from the goals, some of which are already underway.
Among the new initiatives identified in the strategy is the establishment of three Rural Action Centres as a single source of information and resources for businesses, a community economic development investment fund and support for regional tourism associations. Minister LeClair said that other initiatives are already underway, including rural broadband, the development of a five-point lobster plan and new directions for the agriculture industry.
The rural development strategy was formulated following extensive consultations with more than 1,200 Islanders representing all sectors of the rural economy. A Rural Economic Development Advisory Council has provided advice in the development and ongoing implementation of the strategy.
In the coming year, more than $10 million has been allocated to the Rural Action Plan. Minister LeClair said that in addition, spending by other provincial government departments has been targeted to address the goals of the strategy.
Deputy Premier and Agriculture Minister George Webster said that one of the underlying principles of the Rural Action Plan is that all government initiatives will be examined through a rural lens. “That means everything government does, everything government considers, will take into account the impact on rural communities,” he said.
Minister Webster said that a number of government departments will share in the responsibility for implementing the strategy.
The rural development strategy was announced in the 2008 Speech from the Throne.
“I know that the spirit of hard work and enterprise that has characterized generations of rural Islanders will help bring about a renewal and revitalization of rural communities across this province,” said Minister LeClair.
The Rural Action Plan and background documents are available online at www.gov.pe.ca/fard/ruraldevelopment.