SCHEDULE, DAY 2: May 10, 2022
Workshops and Roundtable Discussions

CLICK HERE FOR DAY 1

DAY 2: TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022

MORNING SESSIONS

10:30 a.m. to 12 noon

Businesses in Transition: A Unique Approach for Rural Communities

Quebec Room

BC Business Match helps entrepreneurs and their families to find the right business for their skills and interests, and relocate from large urban centres. Learn more about how this Community Futures BC initiative connects business buyers and sellers, helping to sustain and grow the local economies of non-metropolitan communities. Presenter: Darrell Goertzen, Business Advisor, CF Alberni-Clayoquot (Port Alberni, British Columbia)

Rebooting a Rural Economy

Provinces I Room

Case Study: Answering the call of a growing global consumer trend. How a devitalized rural region in Québec found new success by reviving a long-forgotten production; resulting not only in a boost to the economy and increase in business creation, but also branding the region as top producers in the province. Presenter: Rhonda Perry, SADC Pontiac (Pontiac, Québec)

Risk & Resiliency: Rural Portfolio Pulse Check

Provinces II Room

Interactive workshop for attendees utilizing SME case studies illustrating key finance optimization strategies to maximize security and mitigate risk while leveraging commercial finance partnerships. Participants will gain tools to assess risk for SMEs throughout the loan process including a one-page Portfolio Pulse Health-Check providing key performance metrics for Board governance. Presenter: Eileen Brown, Barb Wilson, Amber Darling, Trenval Business Development Corporation (Belleville, Ontario)

Rural and Remote Housing: Community Futures' Role in Addressing the Problem

Les Saisons Room

Rural communities are attracting newcomers to address the labour shortages, but with lack of housing in rural and remote areas, where will they live? Is there a role for CFs to play in addressing rural and remote housing issues? Roundtable Discussion

Rural Renewal: Building Sustainability for the Community Futures Program with For-Profit Businesses

Governor General II Room

Coombs Country Candy is a chocolate and sweets shop located in Port Alberni, British Columbia, recently purchased by Community Futures Alberni-Clayoquot as a for-profit business and operated as a Social Enterprise. Explore the potential for Community Futures’ sustainability and ability to offer more and new initiatives for its rural and remote communities through the opportunity of Social Enterprises. Presenter: Lori Camire, CF Alberni-Clayoquot (Port Alberni, British Columbia)

The Community Futures Business Model: Is it time for Change?

Ontario Room

The Community Futures not-for-profit business model with four lines of service delivery has existed in its current form for decades. Is it still working or is it time for change? Roundtable Discussion

Top 10 Board Governance Mistakes That Will Get You or Your Organization Sued

Governor General I Room

From the tasks of recruiting board members to the responsibilities of conflict management, make sure your organization is running smoothly and not making mistakes that might get you sued. Outdated bylaws, actions outside the boardroom, avoidance - a crucial mistake might be closer than you think. This session will present the top ten. Presenter: Troy Dungate, Lawyer, Dungate & Company (Prince George, British Columbia)

Untapped: Activating Entrepreneurial Talent in Rural Places

Governor General III Room

Rural communities face significant economic challenges. However, growth from our existing companies alone won’t cut it; we need to activate the untapped entrepreneurial talent sitting on the sidelines. Andrew will share how Mashup Lab has helped entrepreneurs in more than 100 communities throughout rural Canada and rural America launch 200+ businesses in just the last 36 months. Presenter: Andrew Button, Founder and CEO, Mashup Lab (Wilevile, Nova Scotia)

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

CFLI Module 15: Volunteer Attraction, Retention and Succession

Newfoundland/Nova Scotia Room

This session will discuss the importance of strategic board succession planning and its linkage to volunteer attraction, retention, training, development, and assessment. Additionally, it will teach board and director assessment as an opportunity to strengthen the organization. Presenter: Community Futures Leadership Institute (CFLI)

Co-operative Conversions: Helping to Save Jobs and Troubled Businesses

Provinces II Room

Business Conversions to Co-operatives (BCCs) take place when private, public, or non-profit entities transition for a variety of possible reasons into a co-operative corporation. This can prevent the closure of locally based businesses and the elimination of economic drivers, including many in small and rural communities. Presenter: Daniel Brunette, Director, Strategic Alliances and Initiatives, Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (Gatineau, Québec)

Leading Lenders: Supporting Rural Women Entrepreneurs Towards Success

Provinces I Room

This national project collaborates with Canadian credit unions, banks, the BDC, and Community Futures offices to provide rich online content for lenders who want to break down barriers for women entrepreneurs. Learn strategies you can implement to increase your number of successful women clients. Presenter: CBDC Restigouche (Campbellton, New Brunswick)

Rural Change: Post-COVID-19 Staff Management

Ontario Room

With transitions to hybrid and virtual workplaces, increased pressure on already fragile mental health, lingering struggles of a global pandemic, new methods of operation and living, and constant change, staff will continue needing added support even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. How can CFs best support their staff in a new normal post-COVID-19 world? Roundtable Discussion

Rural Realities: Managing the RRRF Portfolio

Les Saisons Room

There is finally a visible future beyond COVID-19. Loan repayments are deafeningly close; some clients have thrived through the global pandemic and others have struggled. How are CFs preparing their RRRF clients for the inevitable repayment options? Roundtable Discussion

Rural Recovery and Reconciliation: Healing and Strengthening Relationships

Governor General II Room

Many of us understand the importance of Truth and Reconciliation, but we don't really understand how to apply the spirit of the T&R's Calls to Action in our work within our respective communities. If you want real-world examples and hard takeaways that will allow you to build better relationships with Indigenous stakeholders, this session is for you. Presenter: Greg Pietersma, ACCFutures (Cornwall, Ontario)

Social Capital and Social Enterprise the Rural Way

Governor General I Room

Social enterprises can offer much-needed goods or services for a community, sometimes reversing the underlying causes of community distress and decline. However, social enterprises also need to attract and sustain investment. Institutional investors are increasingly looking to invest in organizations that can demonstrate a positive social impact. This talk looks at good practices in social enterprise funding, social capital and the applicability to CFDCs. Presenter: Thomas Cooper, Faculty of Business Administration, Memorial University (St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador)

The Popsilos Circuit: A Marriage of Urban Art and Agriculture to Support Economic, Tourism, and Community Development 

Governor General III Room

A presentation of the intersection of two worlds (urban art and agriculture) to promote rural communities. We will discuss how to tell the story of a rural community in a unique way with the aim of becoming a tourist destination product, how to involve the community in a project of scale, and how to fundraise and measure the impact of a community project. Presenter: Jennifer Larocque, Popsilos (Ottawa, Ontario)

CLICK HERE FOR DAY 1