Usually places like that have only one kind of major industry that the town relies on in order to survive. Mining, logging, farming, smuggling refueling and repair depot... So many options. They're likely to be owned by the Megas in Shadowrun, and have that small a population as it's not worth having too many people in town if there's only so many jobs. Same as real life, no jobs or opportunities, people move on (I'm an example of that. The mines aren't hiring at all in any way, so I moved. Amongst other reasons.).
Raw materials that are needed/wanted are not always in the most convenient places, especially magical items which must come from as virgin a source as possible. So the more remote the place, the higher the cost to support it unless it can support itself. I grew up in Northern Ontario, we had some farms, but there was no way in hell enough food could be grown on bare rock and muskeg, a thick type of swamp, to feed everyone. Nor was there much in the way of manufacturing other than piecework done by hand, so all that stuff had to be shipped up.
In one township, the major industry was the copper mine, in another it was the silver/nickle one, in another it was the smelter (Which had people from all over work there, actually), some logging was done, and one town used to be a railroad maintenance depot, but that got pretty near to shut down in my youth.
Small towns in 2070 are going to be pretty much like small towns in 1970. Not much changes there. Less pay phones, more CommLinks. Cars will be newer(ish). Outsiders will be looked on with great amounts of scorn (Especially if they're a hated minority in the community. Some places don't have that, but...). There's likely one grocery store, two or three bars, a barber shop... The Anytown, USA idea. Works for Canada as well, just with thicker walls and more space between neighbors.
