Ottawa-The upcoming federal budget should pay special attention to helping rural Canada boost the country’s international competitiveness, says the Rural Prosperity Group (RPG)

Rural Canada holds what the world needs-energy, food, critical minerals, clean technology capacity and the infrastructure to connect it all, RPG said. “It is the source of nearly 60 per cent of Canada’s exports, drives 30 per cent of national GDP and powers our supply chains across every province and territory.

“From trade corridors and energy grids to AI-powered agriculture and data centres, rural regions are critical to the prosperity and sovereignty of our country. Rural Canada is more than a backdrop-it’s at the core of Canadian industries and the values we represent.”

Rural communities face the ongoing pressures of trade uncertainty, declining population, aging infrastructure, climate risk and gaps in access to transportation, education, health care and even financial services.

A report from the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation notes that rural, remote and northern communities face population decline, unique vulnerabilities to climate risk such as wildfires, floods and droughts, aging infrastructure and limited access to transportation, education, health care and more.

“Yet, these communities are the jewels of our nation, integral to the well-being of our entire country.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promise to create a strong national economy cannot be realized without unlocking the full potential of rural regions, treating rural communities as equal partners in growth and ensuring that national decisions reflect rural realities.

Applying a rural lens to all future policy, program and regulatory decisions, trade negotiations and agreements should be included the upcoming budget to ensure that no future federal regulation, program or policy harms rural Canada.

“This requires the institutional and consistent application of a rural lens at all stages of federal decision-making, ensuring that new programs or initiatives account for rural needs, challenges and opportunities.”

The government should launch an early and comprehensive review of existing policies and regulations to determine how they impact rural communities and how they can be retooled on a priority basis to support rural economic success and thriving communities.

The review should consider how rural residents access every policy, program or service, what tangible benefits they deliver to rural communities and whether supply chain or ecosystem capacities are considered.

The review should also examine whether rural assets are being maximized and their prospects realized. “If structural challenges cannot be addressed, how will rural Canada be supported through innovative, alternative measures?”

Do federal programs genuinely reflect rural needs or are they top-down solutions that do not work locally also needs to be considered.

The rural lens approach “will yield a significant return on investment. It ensures every dollar the government spends-from infrastructure to innovation and more-works for all Canadians, regardless of postal code.”

This news report prepared for National Newswatch