Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The uniqueness of Canada’s rural communities is often overlooked, subsuming it under the perceived cultural hegemonies of their local urban centers.
This presentation explores Canadian rural cultures to discuss ways that the identities they produce shape Canada’s cultural mosaic and in turn reshape our ongoing relationship with the land. Because the vast majority of Canada’s landscape is rural or remote, we will examine connections between place and culture to understand how this placeness is shaped by Canada’s geography. While most Canadians have at best an arm’s length relationship with the land, we will then address how rural and remote Canadians and their communities, especially those involved in primary industries such as agriculture and forestry, are instead deeply shaped by and in turn shape the land’s future.
Featuring:
Jeff Reichheld
Jeff Reichheld is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, focusing on the relationship between Canada’s farming cultures and sustainability. Jeff’s approaches include Intercultural Communications, Environmental Sustainability, Canadian Studies and Rural Studies, which he uses to understand how knowledge of differences between Canada’s farming and urban cultures could support farmers in transitioning to more sustainable farm practices. Jeff has taught at Brock University since 2003, currently serves on the Board for the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, represents CRRF on the Canadian Rural Collaborative, and is newly a member of the Common Grounds research network.
Brought to you by:
Center for Canadian-American Studies, The Foundation for WWU & Alumni
The uniqueness of Canada’s rural communities is often overlooked, subsuming it under the perceived cultural hegemonies of their local urban centers.
This presentation explores Canadian rural cultures to discuss ways that the identities they produce shape Canada’s cultural mosaic and in turn reshape our ongoing relationship with the land. Because the vast majority of Canada’s landscape is rural or remote, we will examine connections between place and culture to understand how this placeness is shaped by Canada’s geography. While most Canadians have at best an arm’s length relationship with the land, we will then address how rural and remote Canadians and their communities, especially those involved in primary industries such as agriculture and forestry, are instead deeply shaped by and in turn shape the land’s future.
Featuring:
Jeff Reichheld
Jeff Reichheld is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, focusing on the relationship between Canada’s farming cultures and sustainability. Jeff’s approaches include Intercultural Communications, Environmental Sustainability, Canadian Studies and Rural Studies, which he uses to understand how knowledge of differences between Canada’s farming and urban cultures could support farmers in transitioning to more sustainable farm practices. Jeff has taught at Brock University since 2003, currently serves on the Board for the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, represents CRRF on the Canadian Rural Collaborative, and is newly a member of the Common Grounds research network.
Brought to you by:
Center for Canadian-American Studies, The Foundation for WWU & Alumni
