The PELA Institute for Rural Development was established in 2007 to serve the Economic and Social interests of Prince Edward and Lennox & Addington Counties through sustainable economic development.

In accomplishing this goal the PELA Institute, in association with its partners, aimed to gather information, analyze trends, exchange ideas and best practices, provide policy alternatives and attract the attention of academics, researchers, and government to specific rural development issues affecting PELA Counties. Furthermore, PELA Institute was designed to assist supporting partners in the development of rural policy, and help measure and monitor the results of its implementation. It accomplished this through strategic alliances with key research institutes to assist with the collection and analysis of rural data to develop research and policy alternatives, as well as facilitate the sharing of ideas.

However, several barriers to rural economic development were identified. From a lack of relevant, recent and specific data for Rural Eastern Ontario to a lack of cooperation between communities in Eastern Ontario to a lack of attention paid to Eastern Ontario by academics, researchers and government officials. These barriers are what the PELA Institute, through such tools as the central repository of information, intends to break down, allowing for further future economic development.

Contact Information:
PELA Institute for Rural Development, Picton, Ontario, K0K 2T0, Canada
Craig Desjardine, email: info(at) This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , phone: 613.476.7901
PELA Institute for Rural Development