This branch is responsible for directing activities that advance the work of nine Rural Secretariat Regional Councils and one Provincial Council. Specifically, it supports regional staff to assist Regional Councils to identify sustainability challenges and opportunities, engage citizens on issues deemed to be important to rural and regional sustainability, conduct community-based research, and ultimately to develop and submit policy- and/or program development advice to government.
This branch also works to support regional staff to develop, support, and/or facilitate appropriate multi-stakeholder collaborative processes within and across the Rural Secretariat regions, and which typically engage all sectors including government.
Finally, the branch director provides senior provincial government officials with information about and analysis of rural issues which informs the development of their policy and program initiatives.