News

Congratulations to two University of Guelph teams for taking first and second place in Ryerson's "Expand Your Empire" Case Competition.

The Darkhorse Developments team which consisted of five University of Guelph students from real estate and housing (BComm) and landscape architecture (BLA) took home top place finishes, including First Place Overall ($10,000 grand prize) as well as Best Financial Analysis ($1,000 prize) at this years Ryerson “Expand your Empire” Case Competition in Toronto Monday February 26, 2018 

Rana Telfah and Ashleigh Weeden, doctoral students in the Rural Studies program in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, were recently profiled as emerging rural researchers by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (www.crrf.ca). Each year, the Foundation devotes their winter newsletter to showcasing new and emerging rural researchers from across Canada and internationally.

Throughout Ontario, communities of all size struggle with how to effectively engage in economic development to advance the sustainability of their community and regions. On February 7, Rural Planning and Development graduate students received a first-hand opportunity to engage in the discussions impacting the future of rural economic development with practitioners, policy makers, and elected officials.

On Monday, February 12th, Professor Caldwell participated in a panel discussion "A Northern and Rural Appeal to Newcomers" on The Agenda with Steve Paikin. Late last year, the Canadian government pledged to welcome one million immigrants over the next three years. The areas of rural and northern Ontario, with aging populations and large gaps in labour forces, are desperate for newcomers, but if trends continue, only a small number of these immigrants will choose to live in these areas. The panel addressed how best to attract new Canadians to settle outside of Ontario's urban centres.

The University of Guelph, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture "Rising Up” student team submission will be presenting their public art installation at the Winter Stations opening gala night in Toronto on Thursday, February 15, 2018.

The main public event is opening on Family Day, Monday, February 19th at noon in the heart of the Toronto Beach community.

The public unveiling information and location map can be found on the Winter Stations website.   The exhibition is to run from February 19 until April 1, 2018.

A group of Rural Planning and Development students enrolled in Professor Longboat’s Indigenous Community Planning course participated in a 1-day field trip to the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory to learn first-hand about First Nations community planning and development. The students were greeted by Chief Ava Hill who talked about the role of Chief and Band Council within the community and as part of external political advocacy. Senior Administrative Officer Dayle Bomberry presented on community successes, overcoming challenges, and current and future development projects.

Kathleen Corey, a Master of Landscape Architecture graduate from the University of Guelph, is a Public Space Design Engineer with the City of Vancouver Street Activities Branch, and also currently manager of the Parklet Program, as well as design lead for pavement to plazas.

Congratulations to the recent Landscape Architecture student recipients for the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation's André Schwabenbauer and Peter Klynstra awards which were presented by Eha Naylor, LACF board member on November 16, 2017.

André Schwabenbauer Award:

Congratulations to landscape architecture students Katherine Xie in the Master of landscape architecture program; and Lindsey McCain in the Bachelor of landscape architecture program who are the recipients of the André Schwabenbauer award for 2017. 

Congratulations to Rachana Devkota, a Rural Studies PhD candidate in SEDRD, who has won The David and Ruth Hopper and Ramesh and Pilar Bhatia Canada Research Fellowship.  This prestigious award is given to the top female candidate from among the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Doctoral Research Awardees for 2017. The $20,000 award supports Rachana's field research project entitled Gender Transformative Approach to Agriculture Innovation System in Nepal. Rachana's academic advisors are Dr. Helen Hambly (School of Environmental Design and Rural Development) and Dr.

On January 18, 2018, Rural Studies PhD Candidate Valencia Gaspard delivered a panel presentation at the Dufferin County Community Poverty Reduction Summit in Orangeville, Ontario. The summit, centered around strategies for poverty reduction, was an opportunity for approximately 75 human service providers, practitioners, community members, as well as municipal, county, and provincial politicians, to discuss new opportunities related to mitigating poverty in Dufferin County.