Living Here is an online publication that highlights the positive solutions coming out of your rural community around healthy living, clean energy, land stewardship, and strong rural economies.

People living in rural areas and small towns are as varied as their different perspectives and as alike as their shared experiences. This diversity is good; it’s one of our strengths. Sometimes, though, our different perspectives overshadow our shared values, and that affects our decision making and problem solving. It’s that polarization that we want to tackle head on with this project.

The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that our ruggedness and self-reliance give us a unique opportunity to help others. Even in the internet-connected world, we live outside of the urban metropolis where wilderness is our backyard and helping your neighbours is part of daily life.

From volunteering for fire departments to pulling a neighbour out of a ditch, lending a hand is a way of life in a place where the mountain passes can close, power can go out, or flood waters can rise.

Living Here builds on our common values to show how we are all in this together. We want to show what we’re already doing, what we can do, and what is possible.

We’re going deep into the stories from your communities to find common ground and hope in this polarized and partisan time. We focus on positive solutions to build on. Local folks have more in common than not. Your community values of opportunity, togetherness and the outdoor way of life are what bring us together.

Living Here works with local media to share our stories in other online, print and audio publications to reach you, your neighbours and your neighbours’ neighbours. To find out how to republish one of our stories on your site or in your newspaper or magazine, contact editor@livinghere.ca.