Gold River, British Columbia
Shaping the Future of a Rural Community through Improved Access to Technology
Project Lead: Kat Eddy, Campbell River Literacy Association
The Campbell River Literacy Association’s “Shaping the Future of a Rural Community through Improved Access to Technology” beta-test project was delivered in Gold River, a remote community of 1500 located on Vancouver Island, 88 km northwest of Campbell River.
While Gold River was traditionally a resource community, it has been transitioning to become a tourism destination for 20 years. Gold River has limited capacity and a lack of training opportunities for those workers who need to pivot their employment to be able to continue to live there. The town recently received access to high-speed internet, which has opened opportunities and allowed local service providers to deliver online programming. Training included basic digital literacy training, essential and workplace skills training, and targeted short-term skills training for employment and entrepreneurship.
These programs were delivered with local partners, including a new partnership with the local First Nation.
Read the beta-test report.