Joshua Barrett

Path dependency, often coinciding with the downloading of various responsibilities with reduced funding from higher levels of governments during the neoliberal era, has led to capacity challenges for rural local governments to pursue sector diversification activities. Despite these challenges, research has indicated that, through entrepreneurial efforts, breaking path dependency is possible. Drawing from Staples Theory, Evolutionary Economic Geography, New Public Management and New Localism as well as primary data from key informant interviews, this paper identifies five factors that influence the capacity of rural local governments to break path dependency. In doing so, it identifies a relationship between New Localism and local governments, and its potential as a bridge for rural economic development. These findings are important, as they contribute to the limited but growing literature related to New Localism and its potential applications for rural local governments in Canada to facilitate economic development.

Rural local governments across Canada, including those in Newfoundland and Labrador, struggle with many of their day‐to‐day operational activities, including providing appropriate drinking water, wastewater, and garbage collection services, among other essential services, and rarely have capacity to facilitate local economic development activities. In recent times, entrepreneurialism has been noted as having potential for rural local governments, yet little research has been completed to determine its presence and relevance for municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador. In response, we examined eight case study local governments in Newfoundland and Labrador to determine if, and how, entrepreneurialism was present in municipal efforts to increase economic prosperity in their communities. Findings suggest that while rural local governments continue to face challenges due to declining support for rural development from provincial and federal governments and increased downloading of responsibilities, some communities have established ways to remain resilient through partnerships and building on place‐based assets. This exploratory study provides a basis for further in‐depth research to determine the extent and approaches to entrepreneurialism in local government in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

In theory and practice, it has been noted that the length of daily commutes range from under 15 minutes to over one hour each way, often involving distances greater than 50 km. Both rural and urban residents make the decision to engage in extended daily commutes rather than relocate closer to their place of work. Using the Newfoundland and Labrador nickel processing sector as a case study, this paper identifies the factors that influence them to commute extended periods on a daily basis, including economic considerations, amenities, sense of belonging, and the nature of the commute. Mobile workers are more inclined to travel greater distances for work if the salary is an improvement from their current employment and if there are no opportunities available for work for their spouse. Further, an individual’s source community, or the community where they permanent reside, provides greater accessibility to location-based capital while off work. These factors influence the worker to engage in extended daily commuting despite the stress and the longer workdays associated with labour mobility.