Alvinston may be a teeny, tiny town, but it is big enough to host a conference about developing Ontario’s rural communities.

That’s according to Brooke-Alvinston Councillor and member of the Alvinston Community Group Jeannette Douglas.

The community group works to improve the village of Alvinston and earlier this year, Douglas heard about a conference offered by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs called the Teeny Tiny Towns Conference in Eastern Ontario. Members of the group planned to go to see what they could learn about stimulating economic development, but it was booked solid.

So after talking to OMAFRA representatives, Douglas says the community group plans to host its own conference, likely in October.

Douglas says the one-day event will feature Doug Griffiths, the author of 13 Ways to Kill Your Community. It’s a book about how towns can succeed and grow.

She expects up to 140 people will come to the Brooke-Alvinston-Inwood Community Centre for the conference from all over southwestern Ontario. While OMFRA uses the term “Teeny Tiny” for communities under 1,000, Douglas says anyone will be welcome to come.

She also hopes to have a trade show during the all-day event.