In recent years the socio-economic and political climate of rural Alberta has changed. Communities are no longer independent operating units locked in competition with each other. Instead they are becoming increasingly interdependent. Public demand, government deficits and recessionary economic times have resulted in the downloading of responsibility to local governments. Local governments are facing these responsibilities with less funds and human resources to meet them. All emerging response to these trends is multi-community collaboration.The Wild Rose Community Futures Association, consisting of 14 communities in East Central Alberta, is one such experiment. It was created and continues to operate as part of a federal government funded program aimed at facilitating community economic development with the goal of regional development. The Wild Rose CFA area was selected by the national Community Futures program because it exhibits symptoms of development distress, including low income levels and dependence on agricultural production.This Masters Degree Project reviews the evolution of rural development policy in Canada and Alberta. It examines the concepts of multi-community collaboration and community economic development. Through the study of the Wild Rose CFA, a synopsis of the lessons learned about multi-community collaboration are provided. These lessons are translated into policy recommendations for federal, provincial and municipal levels of government and local organizations. Conclusions are then drawn about multi-community collaboration as a strategy for rural development.