Community Development Journal Advance Access published online on July 27, 2007
Community Development Journal, doi:10.1093/cdj/bsm027
Contradictions in hinterland development: challenging the local development ideal in Northern British Columbia
Address for correspondence: Sean Markey, Centre for Sustainable Community Development, Simon Fraser University, 14th Floor, Central City Tower, 13450 102 Avenue, Surrey, BC, Canada V3T 5X3; email: spmarkey{at}sfu.ca
Northern British Columbia, Canada, has undergone a considerable economic, social, and cultural transformation over recent decades. Specifically, economic and political restructuring processes have destabilized commitments to community infrastructure and exacerbated the variability of boom and bust patterns across the north. This paper, drawn from ongoing regional research, provides a critique of emerging arguments that advocate for greater levels of local control over northern development to address these development challenges. Our research reveals strong sentiments from northern people and agencies to construct made in the north solutions. Findings illustrate, however, that the assumptions inherent within such calls for local and regional development require critical review.