Rural Planning and Development - University of Guelph

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Rural Planning and Development - University of Guelph

The Rural Planning and Development Program offers M.Sc.(Planning) and Master of Planning degrees

The Rural Planning and Development program is the only accredited program in Canada offering a graduate degree in planning for rural and remote communities. The University of Guelph is internationally recognized for its high quality professional programs in rural planning and development and attracts students from all over the world, including the United States, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and

the European Union. Entering students come from a wide range of undergraduate programs and can expect to establish their own academic agenda for their continuing intellectual and professional development. The RPD program focuses on the interacting systems of rural people, institutions, activities, structures, natural resources, environments, politics and social processes. We are concerned with rural and remote communities, their problems, strengths, future, and interactions within the larger regional, national and global political and economic settings. Graduates of our program contribute to the generation of knowledge and the development of plans to advance the welfare, sustainability and integrity of rural communities. As a graduate you will be able to work globally in the public and private sectors for national and international NGOs’, as planners, researchers and project managers.

06/12/2026

Congratulations to MSc (Planning) and Master of Planning graduates who participated in yesterday's convocation ceremony!

06/11/2026

Check out Ourlaine Pashley's MSc (Planning) thesis: The Becoming of an Ontario Shared Rural Vision: A New Narrative from Rural Ontarians

https://twp.ai/9OViFd

06/10/2026

Could the streets of Tokyo hold lessons for how Ontario protects its farmland?

A University of Guelph thesis takes a close look at how small-scale agriculture survives within peri-urban Tokyo and what zoning rules, tax policies and community values make it possible. With Ontario facing growing pressure to develop agricultural land, the comparisons are striking and the questions are urgent.

Read the summary at https://rural.uoguelph.ca/research-summaries/

06/10/2026

New research by Chris Van D**e explores how government land leasing affects housing in the Northwest Territories. This journal articles highlights an often-overlooked link between land policy and housing outcomes.

Take a read: https://twp.ai/9OXW9B

06/10/2026

Reconnect with fellow RPD students and alumni at Sonnen Hills Brewery on June 18, 2026, from 5–7 PM! Enjoy a casual evening with light snacks provided. Reconnect and celebrate the start of summer.

Please register at https://twp.ai/9OXMxq

06/09/2026

How is the housing crisis affecting rural Ontario? Aubree Erickson's MSc (Planning) Major Research Paper examines the unique housing challenges facing rural communities across the province.

Learn more: https://twp.ai/9OXW6a

06/09/2026

Congratulations to everyone who participated in yesterday's graduation ceremonies and received their Master of Planning, Master of Science (Planning), or PhD in Rural Studies!

Guelph

06/04/2026

Sage Milne shares her research at

Is this the New Normal? Exploring Emergency Department Closures in Ontario

Learn more https://twp.ai/9OUsee

06/04/2026

Check out Natalya Garrod's MSc (Planning) thesis: Local Water Collaboration to Enhance Community Source Water Protection at Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Ontario

https://twp.ai/9OViBE

06/04/2026

Daniel Layden shares their research at

Leaving the Margins: A Systematic Review of Belonging Economies and Rural Migration Among Equity-Deserving Groups

Learn more https://twp.ai/9OUseZ

Address

50 Stone Road East
Guelph, ON
N1G2W1

Website

https://www.uoguelph.ca/sedrd/

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