Social Innovation Lab

Connect with us for:

Applied social science research on rural community resilience and well-being.
Community-driven innovation to strengthen local capacity.
Evidence-based insights, helping you gather, interpret and share credible data to inform action.
Expertise you can trust, powered by researchers and students.

Subjective Well-being Survey

If you received an invitation to the take the Subjective Well-being Survey, please complete the questionnaire. Survey will remain open until further notice due to Canada Post service disruptions.

Take the Survey!

Local Insights, Lasting Impact

The Social Innovation Lab hosts diverse research, reflecting our unique local communities, their strengths and challenges, and the people who call this place home.

We work with individuals, organizations and communities to create actionable solutions that strengthen well-being and drive positive change across our rural region.

Community-Centred Collaboration

Our approach to research reflects the conditions of rapid change in the world we live in today.

Interdisciplinary: Blending social, environmental, cultural and economic perspectives with new technologies and different worldviews
Collaborative: Partnering with individuals, organizations, communities and institutions to co-create solutions
Participatory: Engaging community members, including those with diverse lived experiences, as active partners in shaping research and driving action
Action-oriented: Delivering practical tools, resources and strategies that can be applied locally and transferred beyond
Future-focused: Anticipating trends and challenges to build long-term resilience

Featured Projects

From research in climate adaptation to rural economic development, rural homelessness to social inclusion and cohesion, and the regional cannabis sector, we bring research to life through community-centred collaboration, developing practical solutions that strengthen rural regions and support inclusive, sustainable growth.