I just read a very interesting story in the Toronto Star (sorry requires a password so no link here). Here’s an excerpt:
South of the Canada-American border, there is serious talk about a “New Homestead Act” that would sell houses — or perhaps even farmland — at low prices to those willing to settle in, or around, small plains towns.
In Kansas, there are rural action co-operatives whose members don’t just complain about declining population, but actively seek out people who might be interested in moving there, then energetically write, email and call them.
Now, call me crazy but wouldn’t that be neat if folks in rural New Brunswick were actually calling folks on the phone and inviting them to move to rural NB. Wouldn’t it be neat if the government would provide incentives and get interested in attracting folks to rural NB.
But, I suspect that after 20 years of doing something innovative in Kansas, it might actually take hold here.