A town in Saskatchewan that adopted a long-term sustainable development strategy several years ago is already demonstrating impressive results.
The town seems to have at least stalled imminent ruin by its adoption of the green municipal plan and the enthusiasm generated could spill over into a thriving future.
At the turn of the millennium, Craik was badly depressed, suffering from the same syndrome experienced by hundreds of prairie towns... declining rural populations, centralized service centres, lack of opportunity for youth and so forth.
A joint effort of the Town of Craik and the Rural Municipality of Craik to seek a community project that could offer hope for the future was presented the concept of creating an eco village by Dr. Lynn Oliphant of the Prairie Institute for Human Ecology and formerly the University of Saskatchewan.
Craik is located roughly halfway between Regina and Saskatchewan and the town has a population of about 400.