As one drives the highways of Canada, often we see what remains of a village that “once was.” These were, at one time, municipalities with hopes to thrive, but through various circumstances failed to grow and prosper. Many of these villages slowly disappeared or are disappearing, often because the leaders in those communities failed to lead. The leaders of the day in those villages or towns did not advocate, did not recruit business and did not create the environment to have the schools, community halls, arenas, churches or roads built to help make the community viable.
There is a saying that “the world is run by those who show up.” The viability of a community relies on this principle. The municipal mayors, reeves and councillors must travel, lobby, advocate, recruit and sell their community to others. This means attending conventions, being members of business associations, being members of economic development groups, and even travelling to other parts of Canada to demonstrate commitment to helping grow their community. Those who stay at home (at times to save the travel costs) do so to the long-term detriment of their own community. Many of these small towns of the day had very few advocates lobbying for what their town needed to grow and prosper.
Parallel to those out selling their community are those who are applauded by some in their community for saving a dollar and not travelling. These leaders played the short game. Meanwhile, other communities are reaping the benefits of being front and centre at trade shows, symposiums and conventions. They sell their community so that their community may benefit one day. These leaders play the long game.
One simply needs to drive east of Edmonton, down Highway 14 toward the Saskatchewan border. We see the remnants of communities that existed once upon a time and now barely exist. Jarrow, Kinsella and Fabyan along that highway did not have the leadership in place when they were attempting to grow. The leadership did not or were not able to play the long game to ensure their communities became prosperous to stand alone. Instead, their leaders likely stayed home and did not spend the time and money to advocate for their own communities. As a result, their communities did not grow and, in fact, declined.
The Rural Municipalities Association (RMA) is to be commended for their role in building Alberta. The members of RMA always “hunt in a pack,” travelling in large contingents to trade shows and conventions They advocate together, have each other’s backs and simply have demonstrated for decades that “a rising tide lifts all ships.” Their influence grows, their industrial base grows, their political capital grows and their municipalities reap the benefits and often results in a lower tax/mill rate.
Approximately 100 villages and small towns in Alberta have dissolved over the past 100 years. Few counties have. That trend will likely continue. And while one may wonder why one community grows and flourishes, while a community five kilometres away does not, the answer is “it takes leadership.”
Showing up to advocate for your community costs money.
Showing up to advocate for your community takes time.
Showing up to advocate for your community matters.
Withdrawing from regional entities that are working to grow the economy does not grow your community.
So, while staying at home might be convenient, meeting on Zoom might be convenient, or not being part of a bigger picture might be convenient, convenience does not grow a community.
Leadership matters and those “once-upon-a-time” villages along our highways are testaments to the fact that some communities had leaders who saw the big picture and played the long game and that some communities did not. They “showed up.”
And that folks, is how it really works.
