Outdoor Recreation Council of BC launches practical new resource for building resilient rural recreation economies.

From Cumberland to Valemount, rural communities in B.C. are harnessing outdoor recreation as a powerful catalyst for community development and economic diversification.

The industry is already worth an estimated $15-billion in economic benefits to British Columbians annually. The launch of a new guidebook published by the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC (ORCBC) aims to grow that impact even further, while supporting healthier, more resilient rural communities.

Outdoor Recreation for Community and Economic Development: A Guidebook for Rural British Columbia Communities is a new interactive resource designed to help rural communities identify, plan, and develop sustainable outdoor recreation.

“We often hear from rural communities that they’re interested in developing outdoor recreation but aren’t sure where to start,” said Louise Pedersen, Executive Director of ORCBC. “We wanted to create something both practical and inspiring. A tool that helps communities see outdoor recreation not just as a nice-to-have, but as a real driver of economic and community resilience.”

Researchers Sarah Breen and Lauren Rethoret, from Selkirk Innovates at Selkirk College, created the 98-page guidebook with guidance from an advisory committee and drawing on interviews and focus groups with 50 outdoor recreation and community development experts. The guidebook includes useful tips for local governments, First Nations,  economic development professionals, recreation groups and other nonprofit organizations.

“Every community brings a unique mix of assets and capacities to outdoor recreation development, and every community is at a different stage in their work,” says Breen, BC Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development at Selkirk Innovates. “As a result, no two communities will use this guidebook in the same way.”

It was designed with that bespoke nature in mind. The guidebook opens with definitions, background information, links to resources and readings, and a questionnaire that helps orient users.

The heart of the guide is 10 core “elements” for outdoor recreation-based development:

1. Build a core team
2. Understand your context
3. Work toward reconciliation
4. Build relationships and partnerships
5. Fund outdoor recreation
6. Define a vision, goals, and actions
7. Protect the environment
8. Develop and maintain experiences and assets
9. Get the word out
10. Measure progress

“We framed these as elements, rather than steps, because they apply at any stage of a community’s outdoor recreation journey,” said Rethoret.

Each element includes practical tips, links to more information, and case studies. For example, the first element, Building a Core Team, outlines the key traits of an effective group and offers guidance on leadership and succession planning.

A case study highlights the Tumbler Ridge Outdoor Recreation Association (TRORA), an umbrella group of four outdoor recreation clubs in Tumbler Ridge, in the province’s northeast. The clubs realized that working together gave them a louder voice for advocating for outdoor recreation in the community, said Jessie Olsen, the director of economic and community development for the District of Tumbler Ridge. That’s going to be increasingly important as the community implements a more recreation-focused economic development strategy.

“We’re making a plan for the inevitable resource sector downturn,” said Olsen. “The key focus is diversification, and outdoor recreation is a huge part of that plan. It will take a group of people with the same vision and goals, all working together, to get it done.”

With the Outdoor Recreation for Community and Economic Development guidebook, rural communities like Tumbler Ridge are no longer on their own navigating an outdoor recreation-focused diversification effort. That’s especially important as rural communities across the province face mounting economic and social pressures, says Pedersen.

“We believe the guidebook is a timely resource,” she said. “It provides clear, practical guidance for supporting the many benefits outdoor recreation can bring to a community.”

Outdoor Recreation Council of BC

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