The Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and three member institutions are developing, adapting and implementing a Rural Knowledge Cluster Model within each of the region serviced by these institutions. The implementation of the rural knowledge cluster Model will serve to determine how colleges and institutes can be catalysts for the development of community capacity building through the transfer of knowledge utilizing a rural cluster Model for three different rural communities that have specific economic comparative advantage:

		Value-Added Forest Products Cluster Collège Boréal North Eastern Ontario Contacts
		Geomatics Innovation Cluster Nova Scotia Community College, Annapolis Digby Counties and District of Clare, Nova Scotia Contacts
		Tourism Knowledge Cluster College of the Rockies East Kootenay region, British Columbia Contacts

Rural knowledge clusters foster the creation and renewal of the local knowledge base through participating institutions, creating competitive advantage for local business by developing a rich base of skilled workers and local entrepreneurship culture. This project will enable ACCC and the three participating colleges to demonstrate to the Rural Secretariat how a rural knowledge cluster model can contribute to rural community capacity building and rural development. This model will be tested at three pilot project sites in different rural regions of Canada: Northern Ontario, the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia and the East Kootenays in B.C. The clusters will be established using participatory and partnership approaches to ensure the involvement of community stakeholders.

Canadian colleges and institutes have a pivotal role within their communities to provide skills upgrading, training, business and entrepreneurship development support services, and applied research and commercialization services. Rural-based colleges and institutes have great community impact because they are the most accessible and often the only post-secondary institution in the region. It is important to understand the extensive partnerships colleges and institutes have with business, industry and community groups. Community partnerships is at the heart of how colleges and institutes deliver programs and services, beginning at the governance level with community representatives on the boards of colleges and institutes, and moving down to the operational level with community employer representatives on program advisory committees which are responsible for the development and updating of college/institute curriculum. As a result of this pivotal role, rural colleges and institutes are well positioned to act as leaders within rural knowledge clusters.