What do AI, housing, and startup ecosystems reveal about Canada’s future economy?

After 16 conversations across business, technology, real estate innovation, governance, media, and entrepreneurship, a deeper pattern began to emerge.

Not just how Canadian founders build —
but what actually allows innovation to grow.

In this Season 1 reflection, host Ashley Smith steps back to connect the threads that surfaced again and again throughout the first season of Canada Now.

Across industries, leaders kept returning to the same themes:

Trust.
Community.
And the systems that shape how ideas scale.

From cybersecurity and responsible AI…
to founder ecosystems and loyalty communities…
to capital markets, talent strategy, governance, and data infrastructure…

A bigger question begins to take shape:

What kind of country is Canada building right now — and what systems will determine whether Canadian innovation thrives globally?

Part 2 explores the deeper infrastructure behind innovation — the relationships, institutions, incentives, and leadership models that help ideas grow from early experimentation into lasting companies.

Because innovation rarely succeeds on talent alone.

It grows inside ecosystems.

And those ecosystems are built by people who trust each other, support each other, and design systems that allow great ideas to scale.

🎙 FEATURED VOICES IN THIS EPISODE

Builders, founders, and ecosystem leaders including:

• Brady Dahmer | Brand Strategist & Agency Founder (Ep. 10)
• Dominic Vogel | Cybersecurity Strategist (Ep. 8)
• Karen Olsson | AI Advisor & Technology Executive (Ep. 11)
• Matias Marquez | Founder & CEO, ethos (Ep. 15)
• William Johnson | Founder, Vancouver Tech Journal (Ep. 16)
• Tom Rossiter | Founder & CEO, RESAAS (Ep. 9)
• Jay Rosenzweig | Founder & CEO, Rosenzweig & Company (Ep. 7)
• Trevor Koot | CEO, British Columbia Real Estate Association (Ep. 1)
• Darlene Hyde, ICD.D | Governance Leader (Ep. 14)

🎧 Listen to the full Season 1 conversations with these builders across Canada’s innovation economy.

Subscribe to Canada Now for in-depth conversations exploring Canadian entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation ecosystems, governance, and the ideas shaping Canada’s economic future. 🍁

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After 16 conversations across housing, governance, technology, business, entrepreneurship, and media, a pattern began to emerge.

Not just innovation. Not just disruption.
But a tone.

In this solo Season 1 reflection, host Ashley Smith steps back to examine what Canadian leaders — across real estate, board governance, technology, and startups — are revealing in this moment of economic pressure, technological acceleration, and global uncertainty.

From institutional modernization and board-level foresight…
to factory-built housing and real estate innovation…
to founders rejecting growth-at-all-costs in favour of sustainable Canadian entrepreneurship…

A clear through-line appears: maturity over noise.

Is this restraint?
Or is it a competitive advantage?

Part 1 explores the pressure points shaping Canada’s next chapter — and why steady, disciplined leadership, capital discipline, and long-term thinking may be Canada’s quiet edge.

Part 2 will dive deeper into the communities and leadership models emerging to support it.

🎙 FEATURED VOICES IN THIS EPISODE

CEOs, board leaders, tech founders, and housing innovators including:

• Jeff King | Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (Ep. 4)
• Trevor Koot | British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) (Ep. 1)
• Darlene Hyde, ICD.D | Governance Leader (TransLink, CMHC, Credit Unions) (Ep. 14)
• Ross McCredie | Sutton Group (Ep. 2)
• Rohan Kulkarni & Salik Khan | Rohe Homes (Ep. 6)
• Arman Mottaghi | Properate (Ep. 12)
• Matias Marquez | Ethos (Ep. 15)
• Jess Glowacki | EH! Social (Ep. 3)

Subscribe to Canada Now for in-depth conversations exploring Canadian startups, leadership, real estate innovation, governance, and the ideas shaping Canada’s economic future. 🍁

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In this episode of Canada Now, I’m joined by William Johnson — Vice President of Strategy & Operations at Overstory Media Group and founder of Vancouver Tech Journal — for a wide-ranging conversation on what’s really shifting in Canada’s innovation ecosystem in 2026.

We unpack the current pragmatic reset in venture and startups, why Vancouver’s tech community feels both exciting and precarious, and why the next era of innovation may be defined less by hype… and more by trust, niche communities, and offline connection.

William shares a powerful thesis: as AI begins creating and distributing more of what we see online, the real moat for founders, brands, and media may be building in the real world — turning audiences into communities through meaningful convening.

If you care about Canadian tech, media, storytelling, or the future of community-driven business, this one is a must-listen.

We cover:

• Vancouver’s tech evolution since the last major growth wave
• What’s changing in venture capital and early-stage investing
• Why “community is the moat” in 2026
• The shifting media landscape in Canada (and the distribution challenge)
• AI, the “dead internet” theory, and what it means for creators
• Why micro-events and offline convening are becoming the new edge

Connect with William on LinkedIn, and follow his work through Overstory Media Group and Vancouver Tech Journal. 

Episode feature article and show notes now available (subscribe to https://canadanow.beehiiv.com for updates). 

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In this episode of Canada Now, I’m joined by Matias Marquez, founder and CEO of ethos — a modern loyalty and membership platform helping brands move beyond transactional points and discounts toward something far more powerful: community, participation, and real customer connection.

Built for Shopify merchants and modern e-commerce brands, ethos is part of a new wave of tools helping online retailers turn customers into engaged communities — not just repeat buyers.

Matias previously founded Buyatab, a global digital gift card company acquired in 2019, and he’s now deep into his second act — building tools that help brands create loyalty programs that feel more like belonging than marketing.

We talk about how loyalty is evolving into a true customer engagement operating system, why user-generated content and experience-led memberships are becoming core growth levers, and how the best brands are turning loyalty into more than retention — even into a channel for new customer acquisition.

We also zoom out to the Canadian founder landscape: what it feels like to build from Canada right now, the headwinds entrepreneurs are facing, and why sustainable, community-led growth may be one of Canada’s greatest strengths.

If you’re building a brand, running an e-commerce business, or thinking about the future of customer relationships — this one’s for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Loyalty beyond points: building brands people belong to
• Community-led customer engagement and modern membership strategy
• UGC, authenticity, and why real content outperforms traditional ads
• Loyalty as acquisition — not just retention
• Access, experiences, and the future of brand community
• How Shopify brands are using loyalty and memberships to drive growth
• Founder lessons from a second-time entrepreneur
• Building and scaling from Canada with a global mindset 

Episode feature article and show notes coming very soon (subscribe to https://canadanow.beehiiv.com for updates). 

Find Matias and Ethos:
https://linkedin.com/in/matiaspmarquez
https://heyethos.com 

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We’re living through a moment of real uncertainty — geopolitically, economically, and technologically. The old playbooks are breaking down. The rules are shifting. And leaders are being asked to make high-stakes decisions without a clear map.

In this episode, I sit down with veteran executive and board leader Darlene Hyde to explore how governance, leadership, and decision-making must evolve in times of disruption.

Drawing on decades of experience across major institutions and sectors — including housing, finance, transit, telecommunications, and public interest governance — Darlene shares practical insight on how boards and executives can move beyond traditional oversight toward foresight and insight.

We discuss:

• Why today’s leaders must “read the world,” not just the room
• Governance in a period of geopolitical and economic rupture
• How boards should think about risk when uncertainty is the baseline
• Why silence and over-compliance can create hidden danger
• The growing importance of diverse and non-homogeneous boards
• Speaking up at the board table — especially for newer directors
• Technology and AI literacy as a shared responsibility — not a specialist silo
• Calculated risk vs. inaction risk
• Housing, infrastructure, and transit as long-term economic multipliers
• Where Darlene sees opportunity — and why she remains optimistic about the next generation of leaders

This is a timely, big-picture conversation about leadership under pressure — and how organizations can stay principled, pragmatic, and forward-looking when the environment is shifting fast.

Connect with Darlene Hyde on LinkedIn (link in show notes and feature article).

If you value thoughtful, future-focused conversations about leadership and decision-making, follow and share the show.

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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
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Podcasting has changed — but it hasn’t lost its power.

In this episode of Canada Now, I’m joined by Brayden Dyczkowski, founder of Podfather Creative and the producer behind the studio where this show is recorded, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the podcast medium itself.

We explore how businesses are actually using podcasts in 2026 — what’s working, what’s changed, and why podcasting continues to deliver real ROI when done with intention. From audio vs. video and discoverability on platforms like YouTube, to networking, thought leadership, and trust-building, this episode pulls back the curtain on what Brayden sees every day working with founders, CEOs, and teams across industries.

We also talk about the rise of professional podcast production, the tools lowering the barrier to entry, and why there’s still plenty of room for new voices — especially in the Canadian business landscape.

Whether you’re thinking about launching a podcast, refining an existing one, or simply curious about where this medium is headed, this episode offers a practical, grounded look at why podcasting still matters. 

Episode deep dive & full show notes coming very soon. Subscribe to Canada Now (newsletter) for an update! 

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In this episode of Canada Now, host Ashley Smith sits down with Arman Mottaghi, founder and CEO of Properate, to explore what it really takes to build companies that last — in climate tech and beyond.

Arman shares how Properate grew into one of Canada’s leading home energy assessment platforms by focusing on long-term value, real revenue, and system-level thinking — rather than chasing Silicon Valley hype cycles.

The conversation spans:
* Why homes are one of the most underestimated climate levers
* Why indoor air quality may be a trillion-dollar industry hiding in plain sight
* How Canadian founders may need a different innovation and funding model
* Why bootstrapping, cash flow, and trust matter more than pitch decks
* What Canada risks losing by importing U.S. startup playbooks wholesale

This episode is a thoughtful look at climate innovation — and a compelling case for a distinctly Canadian approach to entrepreneurship.

(all links available in show notes - coming soon, see Canada Now at https://canadanow.beehiiv.com to subscribe)

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AI is everywhere — but leadership hasn’t always caught up.

In this episode of Canada Now, host Ashley Smith is joined by Karen Olsson, tech entrepreneur, fractional CEO, and principal at Atomic47, for a grounded conversation about what the AI moment actually demands of leaders — beyond hype, tools, and experimentation.

Karen brings a rare, on-the-ground perspective from working with organizations across highly regulated and operationally complex sectors, including healthcare, energy, and government. Together, they unpack why AI isn’t a speculative bubble, but an operational shift already reshaping how work gets done — and why governance, adoption, and leadership matter just as much as the technology itself.

This conversation explores:

• Why AI should be viewed as infrastructure, not novelty
• How organizations can “lose the tedium” without losing people
• What responsible AI governance looks like in practice — not theory
• Why leadership alignment matters more than pilots and point solutions
• Canada’s opportunity to lead through adoption, sovereignty, and trust
• How founders, workers, and executives can prepare for what’s next

Rather than focusing on flashy use cases, this episode centers on the unsexy — but essential — questions that determine whether AI actually creates value: accountability, data integrity, decision-making, and human judgment.

If you’re a founder, executive, board member, policymaker, or operator trying to make sense of AI in a real-world context, this episode is for you.

🔗 Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Atomic47 Labs
• Karen Olsson’s Substack
• Innovation Governance Program (Council of Canadian Innovators)
• Canadian AI Sovereignty & Innovation Cluster

(All links available in show notes - see Canada Now to subscribe!)

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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
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In a world flooded with AI-generated content, endless platforms, and “perfect” branding, what actually builds trust?

In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley is joined by Brady Dahmer — brand strategist, author of Blind Spots, and founder of Tropoly — for a wide-ranging conversation about brand, trust, community, and why human connection matters more than ever.

Brady has spent over 25 years working at the intersection of design, storytelling, and strategy, supporting everyone from early-stage startups to global brands. He’s also played a major role in shaping Vancouver’s creative and innovation culture, as the former Marketing Director of TEDx Vancouver and co-founder of the Projecting Change Film Festival.

Together, we explore:

• Why “perfect” branding is starting to backfire
• How trust is really built in the age of AI
• The blind spots that quietly cost founders time and money
• The rise of fractional leadership and the future of agency work
• Why in-person events and real community still matter
• What Canada — and Canadian businesses — should be paying attention to next

This conversation moves beyond logos and taglines to ask a bigger question:
How do brands, leaders, and communities stay focused — and human — in a distracted world?

📚 Blind Spots by Brady Dahmer linked in the show notes 

Check the show notes for a full breakdown and guest info:
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈 

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How does a Canadian tech company go public before it has a finished product — and then scale to more than 160 countries?

In this episode, Tom Rossiter, Co-Founder and CEO of RESAAS, shares the remarkable story behind building a global technology platform from Vancouver and navigating the uniquely Canadian path to going public pre-product.

Ashley and Tom dive into:
- The unconventional route RESAAS took to become a public company before revenue
- Why this was possible only in Canada — and what that reveals about our innovation ecosystem
- The reality of running two companies at once: the business and the public market entity
- How RESAAS scaled its reach to 160+ countries
- What global data patterns reveal about real estate before headlines catch up
- The mindset required to build (and survive) as a Canadian founder
- Leadership lessons from scaling through multiple market cycles
- What Canada must do next to compete globally in technology and innovation

Tom brings clarity, candor, and a uniquely global perspective on what it really takes to lead a Canadian tech company from prototype to public markets — and to build a platform used around the world.

Near the end of the episode — Tom and Ashley dive into some real estate market banter, exploring where the industry is heading, how data is reshaping decision-making, and what realtors, agents, brokers, and consumers should expect from the next cycle. It’s a fun add-on for listeners curious about proptech, global housing trends, or the intersection of real estate and innovation.

A must-listen for founders, innovators, investors, and anyone curious about Canada’s place in the global tech landscape.

Check the show notes for a full breakdown and guest info:
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

00:43 – Who is Tom Rossiter? (RESAAS, global proptech)
05:19 – What RESAAS is today – global network, 700k agents
07:18 – Private-label platform
08:50 – Why RESAAS went public early – the Canadian “venture” mindset
11:17 – Public vs private – liquidity, everyday investors & access to capital
15:10 – Running the business vs the public company
17:31 – Hiring, talent & advisory: building the team in Vancouver
20:21 – Remote work, productivity and early AI efficiency gains
22:00 – Going global – scaling to very different markets
25:23 – Product market fit, feedback loops & using data/AI to decide what to build
29:59 – Where AI fits – picking lanes, committing, and quality-checks
33:47 – Industry readiness, breakout year & commercial real estate
35:55 – Saying no (and yes) – how RESAAS found new growth
40:32 – Why Canada is a powerful base for tech... SR&ED/SHRED, talent, incentives
44:05 – Making Canadian stock globally accessible
47:14 – Strategy in uncertain times – removing barriers 
49:57 – Bonus real estate segment – what RESAAS data reveals about trends
1:04:05 – The AI era, innovation in downturns & why Ashley created Can

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Cyber attacks aren’t just rising — they’re transforming. And most Canadian companies aren’t even close to ready.

In this eye-opening conversation, cybersecurity expert Dominic Vogel breaks down the new reality facing Canadian organizations as we head into 2026. From AI-powered attacks to skyrocketing ransomware incidents to the shocking fragility of our digital systems, Dominic explains why cyber risk is no longer a technical issue — it’s a leadership issue.

We cover:

• Why attackers don’t need your data to be valuable — only valuable to you
• How AI is supercharging cybercrime at a scale we’ve never seen before
• Why Canadian SMEs and SMBs are now prime targets
• The truth about cyber insurance (and why claims are increasingly denied)
• The confidence gap between what leaders think they’re protected from and what’s actually happening
• The three moves every organization should make before 2026
• Why “one wrong click” can bring a business to its knees
• How to build cyber-resilient culture without fear or overwhelm

This is a must-listen episode for founders, executives, boards, public-sector leaders, and anyone building or leading an organization in Canada.

Cybersecurity isn’t optional anymore. And after this conversation, you’ll understand why. 

Want to explore this more deeply?
Check the show notes for a helpful breakdown & to learn more about the guest!
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

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The future of work is changing fast — and few people have a better vantage point on global leadership, talent, and purpose than Jay Rosenzweig.

Jay Rosenzweig is a successful investor and internationally renowned social impact entrepreneur, humanitarian, and CEO of Rosenzweig & Company. Across North America and beyond, he advises global corporations, high-growth founders, and purpose-driven organizations on building world-class leadership teams. He also chairs the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and is the creator of the annual Rosenzweig Report on women in leadership.

In this wide-ranging and deeply thoughtful conversation, Jay and Ashley explore:

• The future of work, talent and leadership
• AI’s impact on creativity, ethics and global security
• The rise of fractional and portfolio leadership
• Why wellness is becoming a strategic imperative
• Canada’s opportunity in AI, clean energy, and global scale-ups
• DEI backlash, ESG maturity, and what boards need to understand in 2026
• How young leaders can find purpose in an uncertain world
• The difference between legacy and ego — and what truly endures

A grounded, meaningful episode for anyone thinking about the future of work, Canada’s innovation economy, and leadership in a world that’s changing faster than ever.

What is ESG?

This episode touches on ESG — a framework that helps companies evaluate their Environmental, Social, and Governance responsibilities. In practice, it’s about long-term resilience, ethical leadership, transparency, and how organizations navigate risk in a fast-changing world.

Want to explore this more deeply?
Check the show notes for a helpful breakdown & to learn more about the guest!
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)

Factory-built homes are back in the spotlight in Canada — but are today’s modular homes actually good enough to help fix the housing crisis and be places people truly want to live?

In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley sits down with Rohan Kulkarni (Co-Founder & CEO, Rohe Homes) and Salik Z. Khan (Co-Founder & Chief Experience Officer) to unpack how factory-built, modular homes can speed up construction, cut costs, and still deliver beautiful, high-quality spaces.

They get into:

• Why modular ≠ “mobile home,” and how Rohe’s building envelopes unfold on-site in 4–6 hours
• How laneway homes, multiplexes, and “missing middle” infill can unlock intergenerational living and wealth
• The real “cost of chaos” in traditional construction: delays, weather, labour shortages, and hidden expenses
• How an AI lot-feasibility tool helps homeowners understand what they can build on their property in minutes
• Rural and disaster-rebuild use cases — including rebuilding after wildfires in B.C.

Whether you’re a homeowner, builder, policymaker, or just curious about the future of housing in Canada, this conversation demystifies prefab and modular construction — and shows how factory-built homes can be more affordable, more convenient, and genuinely beautiful.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between manufactured, prefab, and modular homes
• How Rohe’s foldable building system works — from factory to finished home
• Why modular can save up to 30–40% in time and reduce hidden costs
• How multiplexes and small-scale infill can help solve Canada’s “missing middle”
• Where factory-built housing fits into rural, remote, and disaster-affected communities
• How Canadian homeowners can start thinking like micro-developers on their own lots

Guest links:
Rohe Homes → rohehomes.com 

Want to explore this more deeply?
Check the show notes for a helpful breakdown & to learn more about the guests!
canadanow.beehiiv.com 👈

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Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
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What if a major housing unlock is hiding in plain sight?

This week, Ashley sits down with Laura Fortey — co-founder & COO of Reitium — to unpack how churches, hospitals, and other nonprofits can raise capital (donations, debt, or equity) to build affordable housing while keeping ownership of their land. No bulldozers-for-condos script. Instead: preserve the community anchor, add the homes, and make the math work with modern crowdfunding infrastructure.

They also dive into founder realities — burnout and reset, when to pivot vs. persist, what accelerators actually provide, and why the next era of building in Canada is more human, more in-person, and more collaborative.

In this episode:

• The “sleeping land” opportunity: why church & nonprofit sites matter
• How Reitium structures community-owned development (donations / debt / equity)
• Keeping the land vs. selling out: long-term income for nonprofits
• Policy, mayors, and moving faster by working with (not against) regulation
• Founder lessons: first-mover advantages, timing markets, and agile pivots
• Burnout, boundaries, and the rise of fractional/portfolio careers
• Why IRL rooms still beat DMs — and how serendipity changes outcomes

Topics: housing innovation · community-owned development · crowdfunding · founder resilience · fractional leadership · Canada’s next-gen builders

Find the full episode show notes — with Laura’s podcast and accelerator program mentions — at Canada Now HERE! 👈👈

Also, subscribe to the Canada Now newsletter for updates (and vip perks)!

🎧 Timestamps:

01:15 — Laura Fortey joins: A founder’s journey from burnout to purpose
03:30 — What is Reitium? Crowdfunding affordable housing through community ownership
05:45 — The church land model: keeping ownership while creating homes
08:20 — How donations, debt, and equity fuel nonprofit-led development
10:40 — Tokenization, regulation, and why timing the market matters
13:15 — Lessons in agility: pivoting while staying true to your mission
15:40 — Accelerators, mentorship, and learning from ecosystems abroad
18:20 — Why in-person connection still beats remote networking
21:30 — The rise of fractional and portfolio careers for founders
24:00 — Building sustainable companies without losing yourself
27:10 — Generational shifts: younger builders, new priorities
30:05 — Real-world optimism: the future of housing and impact in Canada
33:00 — Networking events and building Canada’s tech ecosystem
36:00 — Women founders, capital gaps, and fundraising realities
39:30 — Advice for new builders and lessons from global accelerators
43:00 — The future of work, balance, and purpose-driven leadership
46:15 — Outro: hope, communi

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When disruption hits your industry, will you adapt — or get left behind?

Jeff King, CEO of Greater Vancouver REALTORS® and former COO of SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada), joins Canada Now to unpack how disruption unfolds — and what every Canadian leader can learn from the industries facing it head-on.

From the collapse of CD retailers to the digital transformation of real estate, Jeff shares how embracing change, recognizing that the consumer always wins, and thinking across sectors can help Canadians — and Canadian businesses — lead the next wave of innovation.

Topics: disruption · innovation culture · real estate modernization · AI · leadership · Canada’s digital future

→ Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦

Find the full episode show notes — including Jeff’s podcast and peer-network recommendations — at Canada Now HERE! 

SUBSCRIBE to the Canada Now newsletter for insights, updates, and new episodes.

🎧 In this episode:
• 00:00 – “Disrupt yourself before you’re disrupted.”
• 05:30 – Why industries deny change until it’s too late
• 10:31 – The consumer is undefeated: Napster → Apple → Spotify
• 16:49 – Building trust: Canada’s privacy advantage
• 21:07 – What slows innovation in real estate and beyond
• 25:30 – Creating a culture of innovation
• 30:31 – AI and the next evolution of search
• 49:20 – The Silver Tsunami & Canada’s opportunity window

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Can social media feel human again? 🇨🇦
After two decades of algorithms, outrage, and endless scroll, Jess Glowacki is rebuilding social — the Canadian way.

As the founder of EH!, a proudly Canadian social network that puts community, privacy, and connection first, Jess is flipping the script on how we connect online. No algorithms. No bots. Just real people, local discovery, and a mission-driven model built around respect and belonging.

In this conversation, we unpack:

• How social media lost its way — and what it takes to fix it
• Why EH! keeps your data in Canada (and your feed chronological)
• How AI can protect, not exploit, users
• Why mission-first startups might define the next era of tech
• The early-user advantage for creators, small businesses & communities
• What it means to build a kinder internet — one city at a time
• How young founders can think about tech innovation over the next two years

👋 Learn about & try EH!: https://ehnow.ca

PS: Full show notes available! 

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Real estate is having its travel-agent moment — but the higher calling is stewardship. Serial Entrepreneur, investor, and Sutton Group CEO, Ross McCredie explains how verified identity and accurate data can protect families from financial abuse and turn brokerages into true homeowner wealth platforms.

In this episode:

• The “travel agent → advisor” shift and what it means for REALTORS®
• From one-off deals to long-term asset/portfolio management
• Verified IDs, digitized property portfolios, and cleaner data for AI
• How transparency helps prevent elder & financial abuse
• Canada lens: policy, infrastructure, and why build here now
• What pros must do in the next 5 years; what consumers should ask

Guest: Ross McCredie — CEO, Sutton Group

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All links in one place: canadanow.beehiiv.com/links 

Full Show Notes: Available Now!

[00:00] Elder abuse & fraud: why it matters
[00:20] Show open
[00:44] Host intro & setup
[01:20] Who is Ross McCredie (bio)
[02:13] Travel → real estate: the disruption analogy
[03:28] Has the industry really changed?
[04:17] From transactions to homeowner-centric “wealth” model
[06:09] Affordability, options & fiduciary collaboration
[08:03] “Who’s we?”—Sutton + Cornerstone platform
[09:31] Web3 roots & platform distribution
[10:26] Digitizing/verification: people, pros, and property
[12:15] Partners & rollout (Interac, BC/ON)
[13:15] Example: verified data across an owner’s lifecycle
[15:17] Raising the bar: standardizing top-agent practices
[17:16] The next 5 years: attrition, liability, professionalism
[20:16] AI in real estate: data quality over hype
[24:41] For consumers: true cost of ownership & planning
[27:09] Elder abuse deep dive: prevention by design
[34:21] Canada vs US: transparency, lawsuits, incentives
[38:06] Adoption, teams & community advocacy
[41:19] Why build in Canada? Talent, infrastructure, urgency
[46:07] Proptech community, collaboration & close

Keywords: Canada housing, real estate innovation, verified data, digital identity, elder financial abuse, MLS accuracy, AI in real estate, homeowner wealth management, proptech, Vancouver

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→ Subscribe, Review, and Share 🍁

Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦
→ All Links (including socials)
→ YouTube
→ Canada Now Newsletter (subscriber perks coming soon!)

Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)

What does a smarter, more resilient housing system look like in Canada? BCREA CEO Trevor Koot joins Ashley to zoom out: climate shocks, immigration, Indigenous title and UNDRIP, red tape vs. development, and why data — not vibes — should steer policy. We dig into the evolving role of REALTORS as small-business owners in an AI era, how 30 years of MLS history could inform better decisions, and why the (still) paper-heavy real estate transaction stack is overdue for digitization. Also: the case for real consultation between government and industry, and Trevor’s “purpose before profit” through-line from 50+ founder interviews. Pragmatic, non-partisan, and Canada-wide.

—
Guest: Trevor Koot, CEO, British Columbia Real Estate Association; Host of Business Is F**king Hard Podcast 

More info/show note links available now!

Love the show? Help it grow!
→ Subscribe, Review, and Share 🍁

Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦
→ All Links (including socials)
→ YouTube
→ Canada Now Newsletter (subscriber perks coming soon!)

Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)

Welcome to Canada Now where we highlight the voices, ideas, and bold moves shaping Canada's next chapter through an unapologetically Canadian lens. 🇨🇦 

Canada’s story is still being written — and it’s not happening in boardrooms or press releases. It’s unfolding in conversations between builders, thinkers, and change makers across the country.

This is a series of sharp, honest, future-facing conversations with the people driving progress across business, innovation, housing, leadership, tech, and more.

From quiet revolutions in small towns to bold ideas shaking up national systems, this podcast will bring you the real talk behind what’s next — and the people making it happen. 

Look for @canadanowmedia on all social channels and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter! 

Hosted by: Ashley Smith 

Love the show? Help it grow!
→ Subscribe, Review, and Share 🍁

Follow Canada Now for bold ideas and real conversations shaping what’s next in Canada. 🇨🇦
→ All Links (including socials)
→ YouTube
→ Canada Now Newsletter (subscriber perks coming soon!)

Meet the host, Ashley Smith! 🙋‍♀️
→ Ashley's links (social, website, + more)