Mike N. Patriquin

Measuring Community Forest-Sector Dependence: Does Method Matter?

This study compares four community forest-sector dependence indices available to identify the degree of forest-sector dependence: proportions of employment and income earned in the sector, and economic base calculations that use employment and total income measures. For all four approaches, we use the most recent census data for all census subdivisions in Canada. The findings suggest that the choice of methodology matters in terms of the communities that each index identifies as dependent (based on size, region, and sector differences). The choice of methodology thus has important implications for those studying the well-being of resource-dependent places, as any conclusions drawn about the relationship between forest reliance and well-being are to a degree method dependent.

Dependence, diversity, and the well-being of rural community: building on the Freudenburg legacy

This paper offers a tribute to William Freudenburg’s legacy of work on the well-being of resource-dependent communities. In it, we review Bill’s work on the well-being of resource-dependent communities, and social impact assessment more generally. Key elements of this program of work, especially his emphasis on subjective indicators of well-being and his emphasis on the need for “mid-range” theory informed research conducted by the Canadian Forest Service that addressed the relationship between forest dependence and well-being. Especially crucial in this vein were analyses that explored variation in outcomes over time, space, and definitions of well-being and dependence. Finally, we demonstrate that these analyses served as a foundation for our emerging work in the area of community diversity and resource dependence.

Incorporating Natural Capital into Economy-Wide Impact Analysis: A Case Study from Alberta

Traditionally, decision-makers have relied on economic impactestimates derived from conventional economy-wide models. Conventional models lack the environmental linkages necessary for examining environmental stewardship and economic sustainability, and in particular the ability to assess the impact of policies on natural capital. This study investigatesenvironmentally extended economic impact estimation on a regionalscale using a case study region in the province of Alberta knownas the Foothills Model Forest (FMF). Conventional economic impactmodels are environmentally extended in pursuit of enhancingpolicy analysis and local decision-making. It is found that theflexibility of the computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelingapproach offers potential for environmental extension, with a solid grounding in economic theory. The CGE approach may be the tool of the future for more complete integrated environment andeconomic impact assessment.

Nonemployment Income and Natural Resource Dependence in Rural Canada

Income derived from nonemployment sources (i.e., investment income and government transfers) is of increasing importance in rural areas. Knowing the extent and characteristics of a communitys nonemployment income dependence can guide regional economic development and diversification strategies. This article explores nonemployment income dependence in Canada and compares social and economic characteristics of these communities to communities dependent on natural resources. Our findings suggest that the number of highly nonemployment income-dependent communities in rural Canada is relatively large, ranking second only to the number of highly agriculture-dependent communities. The prevalence of nonemployment income dependence in Canada varies by region, and social and economic characteristics in nonemployment income-dependent places are mixed. Nevertheless, a goal to attract private pension- and investment income-dependent households may be a sound economic diversification strategy for single-resource-dependent communities.