Since 1989, CRRF has hosted or co-hosted an annual rural policy conference. The theme of these policy conferences varies from year to year, as does the conference location.

For conference proceedings from recent years, visit the CRRF Archives through the University of Guelph. 

Rural Conferences and Workshops

2025: Foundations for the Future of Rural, September 23 – 26 in Brandon Manitoba with Brandon University

2024: Northern Dialogues, May 21-24 in Whitehorse, Yukon with Yukon University.

2023: Moving In, Moving On, and Moving Up: Living Well in Rural Canada, June 20-23 in Lethbridge, Alberta, co-hosted in partnership with the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy at the University of Lethbridge.

2022: Northern Directions, 16-18 November in North Bay, Ontario. Co-hosted with the Northern Policy Institute.

2021: Creating Inclusive Economies: Building Bridges between Public-Private-Civil Society Sectors, was hosted virtually from 28-29 September, followed up by an in-person conference in Rimouski, Québec from 25-27 May, 2022. The conference was co-hosted in partnership with CEDEC.

2020: Supporting Rural Recovery and Resilience, 1-2 October 2020 hosted online.

2019: Sustainable Communities Conference, 1-5 October 2019 in St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Co-hosted with the North Atlantic Forum and Memorial University.

2018: Health and Shared Prosperity, 10-12 October 2018 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Co-hosted with the University of Saskatchewan.

2017: Different by Design: Exploring Innovation for Rural Prosperity, 20-24 September 2017 in Nelson, British Columbia. Co-hosted with Selkirk College.

2016: Building Vibrant Rural Futures, October 12-15, 2016 in Guelph, Ontario. Co-hosted with the Rural Policy Learning Commons. 

2015: Building Resilient Communities: Innovation, Culture and Governance in Place, September 16-19, 2015 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Co-hosted with the North Atlantic Forum and the Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island.

2014: New Realities, New Relationships (Prince George, British Columbia). Co-hosted with the Community Development Institute, University of Northern British Columbia. 

2013: Rural Canada: Ready to Grow, October 24-27, 2013 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Co-hosted by Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association,  Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Economic and Resource Development Unit, and Lakehead University.

2012: Creating Rural Connections (Olds, Alberta). Co-hosted with the Alberta Rural Development Network

2011: Culture, Place, and Identity at the Heart of Regional Development (St. John’s, Newfoundland). Co-hosted with the North Atlantic Forum, Small Islands Culture Research Initiative, and the Leslie Harris Centre for Regional Policy and Development at Memorial University. 

2011: From Policy to Research and Back (Ottawa, Ontario). Co-hosted with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Rural and Co-operatives Secretariat (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada).

2010: On the Bright Side: Rural Works (Brandon, Manitoba). Co-hosted with the Rural Development Institute, Brandon University

2009: From Rural Recession to Revitalization (Quebec, Quebec)

2008: Boom Bust Economies: Impact on Rural and Northern Communities (Inuvik, Northwest Territories)

2008: CRRF-NRRN Northern Dialogue Session (Whitehorse, Yukon)

2007: CRRF Annual Conference (Vermilion, Alberta)

2006: A Rural Canada: Meeting of the Minds (Gatineau, Québec and Lankark, Ontario)

2005: CRRF Annual Conference (Twillingate, Newfoundland)

2005: National Rural Think Tank on Immigration in Rural Canada – Research and Practice (Brandon, Manitoba)

2004: Local Governance of Rural-Urban Interaction (Prince George, British Columbia)

2003: New Economy Brainstorm (Ferintosh, Alberta)

2002: CRRF Rural University (Miramichi City, New Brunswick)

2002: NRE Spring Workshop (Altona, Manitoba)

2001: The NRE: From Challenge to Action (Muenster, Saskatchewan)

2001: Workshop: The NRE: From Challenge to Action (Sackville, New Brunswick)

2000: The New Rural Economy (Alfred, Ontario)

2000: The New Rural Economy Workshop (Nanaimo, British Columbia)

1999: FCRR Universite Rurale Quebecoise, Entreprendre Chez-nous (Trois Pistoles, Québec)

1999: NRE Research Vision Workshop (Newtown, Newfoundland)

1998: National Conference on Rural Marginalization (Nelson, British Columbia)

1998: Workshop on Rural Marginalization (St Donat, Québec)

1997: The New Rural Economy: Rural Revitalization (West Prince County, Prince Edward Island)

1997: The New Rural Economy Workshop (North Bay, Ontario)

1996: National Conference on NAFTA and the New Rural Economy (Gimli, Manitoba)

1996: Workshop on NAFTA and the New Rural Economy (Quesnel, British Columbia)

1995: National Conference on International Perspectives on Rural Employment (Coaticook, Québec)

1995: Workshop on International Perspectives on Rural Employment (Corner Brook, Newfoundland)

1994: National Conference on Rural Institutional Restructuring (Grande Prairie, Alberta)

1994: Workshop on Social Networks and Institutional Restructuring (St Clement, Québec)

1993: National Conference on Development Strategies for Rural Canada: Evaluating Partnerships, Jobs, and Communities (Wolfville, Nova Scotia)

1993: Workshop on Progress and Partnerships for Local Initiative Programs for Rural Development (Merrickville, Ontario)

1992: National Conference on Manufacturing and the Service Sector in Rural Development Strategy (Goderich, Ontario)

1992: Workshop – The Potential for Manufacturing in Rural Economic Diversification (Brandon, Manitoba)

1991: National Conference on Stimulating Rural Economies for the 2000s (Camrose, Alberta)

1991: Workshop on Development in Resource-Dependent and Single Industry Rural Places (Coaticook, Québec)

1990: National Conference on The Databases for Monitoring and Researching Rural Restructuring (Ottawa, Ontario). Co-hosted with Statistics Canada.

1990: Workshop on Globalization and Agricultural Restructuring (Ottawa, Ontario)

1989: National Conference on Sustainable Rural Communities in Canada (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)

1989: Sustain Rural Development (Ottawa, Ontario)