Tax dollars paid my rural residents does not equate to services available. Rural residents do not receive adequate services for the level of taxes paid. The limited tax base in rural communities contributes to the inability of rural communities to offer a broader range of services. Inequitable and inadequate funding of some government agencies. The lack of personal and community financial resources was identified as a key factor holding communities back.
Rural communities have a limited ability to attract professionals to rural area, especially doctors.
Residents in rural communities incur a high cost of post secondary education because individuals have to relocate or commute to larger centres. Lack of perceived or real economic stability in rural communities makes it difficult to attract businesses and new residents. More businesses are needed outside the agricultural sector to stabilize the economy. Federal cutbacks and downloading of responsibilities to other levels of government significantly impacts the rural economy. Participants attributed this to the government's lack of communication and promotion of programs.