News & Blog

On May 20, 2026, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) had a special visitor when Mrs. Lucia Slack, a psychiatric nurse from Cumbria, England, visited the Gateway CERH office for a presentation and conversation.

Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) is excited to welcome a new group of students to its Summer 2026 team. These talented students bring diverse experiences, innovative ideas, and a strong commitment to advancing health and well-being in rural communities. In addition, Gateway CERH is pleased to officially welcome Alexa Hugill as Marketing and Communications Coordinator, who joined Gateway CERH in November.

Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) and the Goderich Royal Canadian Legion Branch 109 are excited to invite seniors to drop in June 3rd, 2026 between 9AM-12PM for another year of “Senior Summer Camp” featuring one-on-one tech help and a free BBQ lunch.

An increasing number of people are turning towards their devices for mindfulness, meditation, or mood tracking. These applications are also being used to manage serious conditions ranging from substance use to PTSD. Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) is excited to announce an upcoming webinar series event on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026, from 12 – 1 PM ET via ZOOM. The topic is “Can Smartphone Apps Impact Substance Use and Mental Health? A Look at the Evidence.”

On Monday, April 27, 2025, the BRAVE-F team kicked off a new year of screenings with a visit to the Zurich Firehall. This event marked both the first screening of the year and the 12th since the program began, as a part of our organizations commitment to screen firehalls throughout Huron County.

The University of Guelph hosted the 12th annual Rural Research Symposium on April 1st, bringing together students, faculty, community practitioners, government, and non-governmental organizations to share research on emerging rural themes. The event featured a series of insightful presentations, posters, and networking opportunities, with the goal of fostering collaboration and innovation in rural research.

The National Farmer Mental Health Alliance invites you to participate in an in-person testing session for the Be Farm Well app.

Five counties in Ontario, Bruce, Dufferin, Grey, Perth, and Wellington are leading the way towards sustainable transportation. On Tuesday, May 5th, 2026, from 12 - 1 PM via ZOOM, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health will explore the complex relationships between “Climate Change, Planning for EV’s and Community Health.”

Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health awarded $100,000 to scale cancer screening access for rural and remote communities across Canada.

On Friday, March 27, 2026, Karissa Overholt officially transitioned to Operations Manager with Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH).

On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) presented at the Goderich Legion on “Travel and Technology,” exploring how digital tools are transforming the way we plan, navigate, and experience travel.

On Friday, February 20, 2026, the Huron Perth Chicken Farmers visited the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) office to present a donation of two thousand seven hundred dollars, in support of the Farmers’ Safety and Well-Being program.

On Thursday, February 19, 2026, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) attended the Southwestern Ontario Dairy Symposium in Woodstock, ON. Gateway CERH proudly participated as an exhibitor and delivered a brief presentation, discussing the Farmer’s Safety and Well-Being Program.

On Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, from 12 - 1 PM via ZOOM, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health is featuring a collaborative conversation on transportation networks and the connection to rural health.

On Friday, February 6, 2026, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) and the Maitland Valley Family Health Team (MVFHT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a collaborative partnership aimed at advancing rural health through research, education, communication, and innovation.

Gateway CERH invites Peter Smith, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity, to discuss rural health, water and creativity.

On Friday, January 9, 2026, Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) hosted a volunteer appreciation lunch to recognize the incredible individuals who generously contribute their time, skills, and passion to advancing our mission.

My name is Sage Milne, and I am an MSc student working under the supervision of Dr. Leith Deacon at the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph. I am also a research assistant at Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) and have worked on various projects such as the Lecture Series and more. I am writing this post as I was hoping for support in promoting the dissemination of a research survey. This survey is concerned with

Left to Right: Dr. Aaron Daters, Dr. Matt Gray, Dr. Grant Dawson, Dr. Hilary Watson, Dr. Mohmeet Brar, Dr. Jeff McAuley, Dr. Ales Radan, Dr. Mike Dawson, Dr. Tiffaney Kittmer, Dr. Dan Noel, Dr. Tamra Steinmann At a time when rural communities across Ontario are facing unprecedented physician and nursing shortages, Goderich has something truly worth celebrating. On December 4, hospital leaders, local officials, and community members gathered to recognize nine physicians who ha

(L-R) Gateway CERH Volunteer Tom Melady & Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma On November 26, members of the Huron & Perth community gathered at Mayor Martin Ritsma’s barn in Stratford for the latest S.H.E.D. Talk: Celebrating the Fall Harvest , an event hosted by Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (Gateway CERH) in partnership with Mayor Ritsma. The gathering brought together farmers, neighbours, and community members from across Huron and Perth County to reflect on the