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Recent
Publications
Drs. Newman and Dale have had a recent article
accepted for publication by
Futures Journal.
"Limits to Growth Rates in an
Ethereal Economy" explores what the future of economic growth might
look like once population and resource extraction levels off.
They argue that while continued
growth is possible in an innovative knowledge-based economy, it will not
necessarily be the exponential growth that we have come to rely upon. The
article is available in pre-print form from the journal site.
Dr. Dale and the team have completed the final report for the
year-long "Sustainable Infrastructure: Implications for Canada's
Future" project.
Innovative examples
of sustainable infrastructure are flourishing in Canada, but that there
are significant barriers to the spread of such innovations.
The report recommends that governments at all levels
encourage innovation through public private partnerships, incentive
grants, and the removal of restrictive zonings and regulation.
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Call for Submission
Manifestation: Journal of Community
Engaged Research and Learning Partnerships
Seeking contributions on the theory, practice, art,
governance, management, and spirit that supports strong and resilient
community partnerships.
Staff are not only seeking "success stories" but
also examples of conflict and where plans did not quite happen as
intended.
Dates
Submission: Dec 1, 2007
Publication: May 1, 2008
Contact Information
Editor-in-Chief:
editor@manifestationjournal.org
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Share your story!
Have a story about sustainability in your community and
want to share?
Leave us an audio story on our website by calling
1-888-654-2278.
When prompted for the 10-digit phone number with which you
registered, enter 222-333-2222.
4-digit PIN = 2222.
Click for details.
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 Welcome to
Community Research Connections Issue #3
I am pleased to announce our new
research portal into sustainable community development, bringing
together critical work on other aspects such as community engagement
strategies through on-line real time e-Dialogues on critical public
policy issues, and the publication of 12 new case studies examining
various aspects of sustainable community development across Canada.
I would like to draw your attention to
two critical case studies, one describing the Quest Food Exchange, and
its demonstration of the integration of the three imperatives of
sustainable development--ecological, social and economic. The
other is the United We Can case study, one of the most important
success stories for this country, where enlightened political
leadership in partnership with community leader Ken Lyotier, founder of
United We Can, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, is recovering
recycables which would not otherwise be recovered, employing 33 street
people, and generating over 1.5 million dollars in revenues which stay
in the community to continue to develop critical economic and social
development.
Happy autumn.
Ann Dale
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NEW WEBSITE
GOES LIVE
I am pleased to
announce the launch of one of our deliverables under my Canada Research
Chair program, a portal that brings together all of my previous
research in one site, that is now completely searchable, including
seven years of experimenting with on-line real-time e-Dialogues. Please
visit us at www.crcresearch.org
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COMMUNITY SURVEY
UPDATE
Our community liveability survey is
beginning to illustrate some interesting facts. The survey explores the
links between people, the places where they live and the degree to
which they are involved in their community.
For example, while the majority of respondents
felt their community was safe, 4% disagreed. Of these people 64% did
not feel connected to their community; compared with 34% for the survey
respondents as a whole. What are the reasons why this might by the
case? A possible clue is that, of those that did not feel safe only 1
in 5 people often met friends while shopping, of those that felt safe
in their communities 1 in 2 often met their friends while shopping.
This suggests that places with more spaces in which people can connect
with one another are happier places to live.
If you haven't already done so, please
add your perspective and complete the survey at http://www.crcresearch.org/survey.htm . Your responses could well help shape the world
you leave to your children and grandchildren.
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NEW web site
features CRC Case Studies
Check out our 12 new case studies
examining various aspects of sustainable development, and the impact
that communities can have when engaged in issues of sustainable
development in different contexts. For example a stakeholder group in
Quesnel, BC produced a consensus based Airshed Management Plan that considered ways to improve air
quality in the city. On Saltspring Island, BC the community came together to
protest against the management practices of a logging company, with
various interest groups acting in their own ways towards a successfully
achieved common goal. At a different scale the National Round Table on the
Environment and the Economy brought together senior executives
from business and non-profit groups with senior representatives from
Government to debate and reach consensus on ways to move the country
towards sustainability.
These case studies have raised a number of issues about
community involvement in sustainable development within
Canada. Research in Whistler identified that by involving
community leaders in planning processes it increased the support for
the initiatives that resulted from the process. The cases also show
that small groups of committed people are capable of achieving advances
in sustainability such as occurred on Saltspring, and in Vancouver
with the Quest Food Exchange Program.
The cases illustrate the power of
social agency in mobilizing communities and achieving lasting and
positive change in societies from small towns through to the national
stage. More cases are to follow.
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 SONDAGE SUR LA VIE EN COLLECTIVITÉ
Si vous demeurez au Canada et avez un peu de temps
libre, nous aimerions lire vos réponses au Sondage sur la
vie en collectivité.
Vous pouvez le compléter en ligne à l'adresse suivante: http://www.crcresearch.org/sondage.htm
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Discussion
Paper Series Launches
We are pleased to announce the launch
of this series, which again is aimed at novel research dissemination
as widely as possible to communities. The first paper considers
different direct
marketing strategies employed by thirteen different farms from across
Canada. Direct marketing strategies considered include cooperative
marketing, market stands, agri-tourism, farmer's markets, community
supported agriculture, restaurant sales, and e-commerce. These case
studies are evaluated qualitatively through the lens of sustainable
development.
This series brings a different kind of
research publication to the Canada Research Chair, reflecting the
diversity of expertise and experience resident in so many communities
across Canada. We trust you find these documents relevant and
timely, and offer it as a compliment to traditional academic journal
publishing. If you would like to publish your community experience with
us and share your lessons learned, please do not hesitate to contact
Chris Ling at chris.ling@royalroads.ca.
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Research Team speaks out
The CRC Research Team presented a
panel at the Environmental Studies Association of Canada conference at
this year's Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in
Saskatoon. Drs. Lenore Newman, Levi Waldron and Chris
Ling discussed the results of the project "Sustainable Infrastructure:
Implications for Canada" funded
by Infrastructure Canada and SSHRC. Lenore presented the case
study on deep water cooling as an example of the niche implementation
of energy technologies, Levi discussed the various sustainable
transportation options explored during the project, and
Chris presented on the sustainable infrastructure templates
developed during the project.
Dr. Ann Dale participated in a gathering of national
community leaders in Whistler, BC, September 19-21, 2007, to discuss
Advancing the Canadian Communities Agenda, Toward National Strategic
Actions, convened by the Hon. Mike Harcourt, Paul Born, The Tamarack
Institute, Sheldon Tetreault, National Centre for First Nations
Governance and William Roberts, The Whistler Forum.
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Interviews and Publications
Visit our web site to check out our
growing list of Interviews and
Publications on a wide variety of topics including sustainable
community development, the meaning of community, governance and civil
society, and direct farm marketing.
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 Linking Industry and Ecology A Question of Design
It might, at first glance, seem to many
that industry and ecology make strange bedfellows. For proponents of
sustainable development, however, such a union is crucial. How else are
we to make the industries that are so central to modern societies
consistent with our visions of a sustainable future?
Order online.
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A Dynamic
Balance Social Capital and Sustainable Community Development 
Sustainable development is often viewed
as having three imperatives: ecological,
economic, and social. A Dynamic Balance
illuminates the importance of understanding the social dimension as it
examines the links between social capital and sustainable development
within the overall context of local community development.
Order online.
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e-Dialogues
Please visit our
e-Dialogues web site for complete details on how you can join us as we
push the boundaries on internet communications technology.
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Waddington Resource
Management | Combermere | Ontario | Canada
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