Beginning in Spring 2022, Thrive PEC initiated a Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) process that engaged the community in a series of asset-mapping sessions.

The data from those sessions was collated and analyzed by Jamal and Gordon, and interviews were conducted with key community informants. An initial report was presented back to the community in October 2022 and identified 9 emerging themes and strategic priorities for the community.

Now, the paper, Grappling with governance: Emerging approaches to build community economies, by Audrey C. Jamal and Rebecca Gordon, is published in the April 2024 issue of the Journal of Rural Studies.

Highlights include:

🌱 New approaches to economic development are more inclusive of community voices.
🌱 Emerging governing structures create spaces for experimentation.
🌱 Community led governance structures benefit from cross-sector collaboration.
🌱 Rural communities are innovating with new approaches to economic development.
🌱 A community wealth building approach to economic development keeps wealth circulating locally.

Warm thanks are extended to the local community for participation in this project, and gratitude to the Shorefast Foundation, the Canadian Urban Institute and Community Foundations Canada for supporting the community economies pilot.