Second Growth: Community Economic Development in Rural British Columbia

This book is drawn from a three-year participatory research project with four communities in British Columbia: two municipalities and two Aboriginal communities. It examines historical and contemporary forces of restructuring, linking the development of rural communities with the legacy of resource development and Aboriginal marginalization across the province. The book then presents the theoretical and practical dynamics of the community economic development (CED) process and outlines a variety of strategies communities can initiate to diversify their local economies. Second Growth shows that sound theoretical frameworks and tested best practices are important tools in facilitating the prospects for a second growth in rural and small-town communities.