The Centre for Local Prosperity recognizes that we are in the midst of an ongoing collapse of interconnected systems, which necessitates transformative approaches to address root causes. The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, leaving individuals and communities with a sense of uncertainty. At CLP, we have seen how these large system crises are impacting rural communities and economies.

Over the past decades, rural communities have been hollowed-out; loss of employment, closure of local businesses, landscapes disrupted by industry, and youth migration have all impacted these communities. Rural communities are facing an affordability crisis, as concentrated ownership, attacks on labour, the climate crisis, and racial and economic injustice ramp up. We are seeing our key food, energy, and housing systems being consolidated by for-profit corporations. Many people are losing faith in democratic institutions, and we are becoming increasingly isolated from each other and promising local initiatives often lack the time and resources to thrive. We are left grappling with the questions of how to respond to this rapidly changing world? How can we strengthen our local agency and our social, economic, and ecological resilience?