Project B1 - Understanding the role of the social economy in advancing rural revitalization and development.

Abstract

This project will build upon the broad literature review currently being conducted for SERC II, and will focus on the role that social enterprises in specific resource sectors play in sustaining and revitalizing rural communities. This project will consist of two scoping studies – one in each province. Two graduate level students (one from each province), will work with four identified project leads for an initial term of 4 months and, provided their initial work is satisfactory, followed by a further 8 months to complete the scoping studies. Recognizing that we will be researching different sectors over the period of the project, these first studies will look specifically at the following areas: • non-timber forest products; • local and organic food systems; • eco-tourism; • fisheries; and • renewable energy (including biofuels from agricultural crops, forestry and industrial and household waste, wind, small-scale hydro, solar, tidal).