Rural Investment

Basic Aspects of the Issue

The report by Cole (et al) (see below) found an interesting investment statistic about Rural Manitoba: only 25% had trouble getting investment capital in a five year period. Investment for startups and growth operations varies in its needs and timing for both agriculture and business. The following reports bring some perspective on the investment issues in Western Manitoba.

Rural Development Institute Research Studies

• "An Analysis of the Perceptions of Rural Investors in Manitoba" - Michael Hall, Wayne Cole, and Richard Rounds.
  In 1997 Michael Hall, Wayne Cole and Dick Rounds did a study : "An analysis of the perceptions of investors in rural Manitoba" in order to develop a profile of the "investment personality of rural Manitoba:
  • motives and objectives
  • decision making process
  • key factors involved
  • opportunities and barriers

  There is an excellent summary of rural factors on the intro page as well

• "Local Development in Quebec" - Ray Bollman and Richard Rounds
  These three articles are from an international forum on perspectives on Rural Employment. The three papers deal with local development, local investment, and local industrial systems in Quebec. The church - clergy connection plays a significant part in these papers. The third of the three papers in this report from Quebec deals with the agri-forest industry co-operation of three towns as an economically unified system.

• "Manitoba in the Central North American Trade Corridor: a Strategic Plan" - Wes Barrette and Richard Rounds
  This report is a strategic plan for the Manitoba chapter of the corridor. It presents both patterns and potentials for all Manitoba, but particularly in regards to Western Manitoba. Owing to such a diverse group involved, most people could only relate to parts of the plan. The organization lacks an overall sense of direction especially between local and bigger organizations. The corridor started in Minot as a route from Mexico to Alaska with a Churchill spur.

• "Issues Relating to the Value Added Processing of Agriculture Products in Manitoba" - Thomas J. McEwan and Richard Rounds
  This study was to tease out the impediments to the development of value added processing of agricultural raw materials, owing to the slow pace of development in Manitoba. 11 cross-disciplinary meetings were held of twelve sectors, with representatives of field people in industry. The results are noted as being suggestive rather than exhaustive. Impediments were thought to be:
  • marketing boards (negative)
  • The crow rate (negative)
  • Foreign Trade Sanctions (negative) and the need for capital.
  • Manitoba farmers were felt to be OK at the farm gate
  • Reductions in technical and resource support
  • Unity needed

• "Stimulatin g Rural Investment ways and means- Rural Business Attitudes on RRSP Investing" - C.T.Cole, Lance Roberts, R.E. Mitchell and Richard Rounds. (48p) The idea was to check out of a policy change allowing RRSP investments in local businesses would be thought a good idea in rural areas. Only 25% thought so , and therefore no action was taken. A wealth of data was collected which adds to the Rural Manitoba profile.

• "stimulating Rural Investment Ways and Means: Community Development Corporations" - Michael Hall, Wayne Cole, and Richard Rounds (48p)
  This very practical report is to identify factors useful to CDC's to stimulate community economic development. It is a joint project. It is to increase the CDC leadership role (ways and means). It was to outline a successful business development process. Investment in small business is a focus of this report.

• "Stimulating Rural Economy for the 2000's" - Peter Apedaile and Richard Rounds
  This is a summary of a 1991 Conference. Some people find this sort of report of limited value as it falls somewhere between the liveliness of the original live presentation and the liveliness of a piece of literature written for a specific purpose.

Other Resources