REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Regional Economic Development is a "bottom up" approach to community development. The Report of the Committee on Manitoba's Economic Future, released in 1963 recommended the formation of a Regional Development Corporation as one means to further the economic and social development of rural Manitoba. The report suggested that development in rural areas might best be encouraged by local people themselves, working together to resolve common problems, satisfy common needs and take advantage of regional opportunities.

• Pools limited resources
• Provides a network of information between communities
• Communities can leverage Provincial Government funding to hire full-time qualified resource people
• Ability of independent RDCs to access all levels of government programs and services
• Provides communities with access to information from several sources
• Ability to focus on the strengths of the region in tourism, industry, agriculture, or forestry
• Regional strength to lobby Federal and Provincial Governments on issues affecting local development.