Heather Hall honoured with Minister's Award of Excellence

Hall, a leading researcher on Northern and rural economic development was recognized for her noteworthy contributions and inspiring work in the early stages of the pandemic and the 2020/2021 school year.

She grew up in Northern Ontario, where much of her personal and professional interest focuses. Her research interests include innovation and economic development policy, planning and practice in rural and northern regions and the impacts of new technologies in the mining and agricultural sectors.

Hall has dedicated her career to working with the communities and businesses to build resiliency and thrive in a changing global economy.

She recently led a project in partnership with the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation examining Rural Canada & COVID-19 to understand the impacts and responses for economic recovery.

She is a member of the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation and the Chair of the Research Advisory Board for the Northern Policy Institute.

Her work has been recognized nationally and internationally, and has informed government policy in Canada, Northern Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Sweden.

She is also the co-author of Planning Canadian Regions, 2^nd Edition.