University of Guelph hosted OJS journals
Not a member yet
4317 research outputs found
Sort by
Remote Controlled: Technology and the Canadian Mining Sector - Part 2: Systematic Review Findings
No full textThis presentation will present findings of a systematic scoping review focused on understanding current trends in mining innovation over the past five years. More specifically, our team reviewed articles in the Canadian Mining Journal to assess the main drivers, barriers, and opportunities for technology adoption in the Canadian context. Through this research, we have discovered that multiple drivers exist in the adoption of new technologies such as increasing productivity, sustainability, reducing costs, and improving safety. There are also several barriers to adopting new technologies such as technical limitations, lack of skilled workforce, and market volatility. Overall, our research demonstrates that each technology has its own set of drivers and barriers in its adoption that must be fully examined to capture the extent of disruption in the mining sector and examine the potential impacts on communities, as well as the future of work and regional development across Canad
Entrepreneurship from a Community Perspective: A Workshop on Visual Storytelling as a Pathway to Engage Community Leaders and Inform Policy and Practice
No full text  
Home is “Here”; The Impact of (Im)migration, and Rural versus Urban Locale on One’s Sense of Community Belonging in Canada
No full text  
Social Enterprise: A strategy for enhancing social networks and activating a labour force in ageing rural communities
No full text  
Public Trust as Infrastructure: Reframing the Role of Institutions in Canada’s Food and Rural Systems
No full textThis presentation introduces the work of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), a national nonprofit that conducts longitudinal public trust research and provides insights back to the food system. Drawing from its 2024 data and looking ahead to upcoming 2025 results, CCFI presents evidence that trust in Canada’s food system is declining across nearly all sectors—especially among younger Canadians—and that it cannot be rebuilt through communication alone. Instead, this session argues that trust must be treated as infrastructure: a measurable, strategic asset that underpins advisory services, policy implementation, and institutional resilience. The session will explore how trust-building can be embedded in rural and agri-food institutions, not as a marketing goal, but as a core function that guides engagement, accountability, and public value. The insights are based on one of Canada’s most comprehensive national studies of public perceptions related to food safety, regulation, animal welfare, sustainability, and innovation, with implications for rural organizations, extension agents, and institutional leaders working to serve a skeptical and rapidly changing public
Sustainable Energy Solutions for Greenhouse Agriculture: The Role of Ag Energy Co-operative to Producers of Ontario’s Vegetable Sector
No full textThe Canadian greenhouse vegetable industry has taken nearly 100 years to develop its current strong position. The industry began in two (2) cities, namely Leamington and Brampton in Ontario, around 1910-1920. Growing vegetables such as cucumber, tomatoes, and peppers in greenhouses in Ontario uses much energy, and the practice is becoming difficult because of how expensive it is in terms of costs. This research analyzes the strategy used by AG Energy Co-operative to assist greenhouse vegetable producers in Ontario in their efforts to use sustainable energy. While agricultural energy cooperatives are becoming increasingly significant, there has been little research conducted in this area. The study employs a SWOT analysis to identify the strengths of an AEC, potential areas for improvement, and its effects on external opportunities and threats. Information for the research is gathered by studying AECs, discussing essential topics in semi-structured interviews with staff, cooperative members, and energy policy experts, and examining related documents and policies. The study will employ purposive sampling to ensure that those with relevant knowledge and experience of AEC’s operation and the broader energy experts are included. A selection of 20-15 individuals from various stakeholder categories will be used to capture a broad range of perspectives. Data will be coded and categorized into SWOT themes to assess how the cooperative operates, identify the problems it faces, and determine opportunities for innovation. The research is meant to provide relevant insights into AEC’s achievements in energy efficiency, cost control, policy support, and sustainability in greenhouse farming. The results will offer useful advice to policymakers, producers, and cooperative leaders who want to increase the use of sustainable energy in agriculture
Including Rural Youth Perspectives in Sustainable Development and Academic Research
No full textExisting literature on rural youth largely focuses on labour and economic opportunities. Usually, rural youth studies focus on finding the right incentives for youth to have a life-course in farming and food production. However, this approach narrows rural youth aspirations to their economic role and. Few studies explore other factors that influence youth decision-making, such as role models, family networks, community relationships, and social norms—all of which shape their agency and capacity to pursue alternative life trajectories. Moreover, little research includes the perspective, ideas and experience of rural youth in their design. My study uses a participatory photovoice method grounded in Possible Selves theory, agency, and intersectionality to examine the aspirations and life courses of rural youth in La India, Colombia from the perspective of rural youth themselves. Conducted with 36 students aged 13–20, the research engaged participants through photography workshops, discussions, and community activities. The findings reveal a profound tension between youth aspirations and the structural realities of their context, where economic practices and illicit economic systems, coupled with a history of armed conflict, marginalize youth, undermine agency, and limit opportunities for meaningful participation. This context fosters aspirations focused on survival rather than transformative change, reinforcing cycles of poverty and exclusion
Policy Recommendations for BMP adoption in Ontario\u27s Potato Sector
No full textPotato producers in Ontario face individual and structural challenges impacting their operations. Adopting Best Management Practices (BMPs) can improve productivity, profitability, and sustainability of producers in Ontario’s potato sector, but depending on their size and market participation, they have different capacity and willingness to adopt certain BMPs. To support the increased use and adoption of BMPs by farmers throughout the sector this study aimed to understand key drivers and barriers to BMP adoption, and construct a Theory of Change outlining pathways to increase adoption for diverse producers in the sector. Quantitative survey data was triangulated with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, participant observation and Focus Group Discussion to understand the context, key challenges, and key differences facing farmers. A systems thinking approach was then used to understand key drivers and barriers of BMP use. A Theory of Change workshop was conducted with policy-makers, researchers and practitioners to collaboratively identify the main changes that need to take place to increase the adoption of BMPs in the sector. This study identified that small, medium and large-scale farmers experience different drivers and barriers impacting their operations and BMP use. Different access to resources, market participation, production styles and social networks require that different approaches are required when considering their BMP adoption. This study found that willingness to adopt BMPs largely depends on whether farmers have the capacity and the incentives to adopt and that distinct approaches are required to address the different barriers experienced by small, medium and large-scale producers