Canada Now

Ashley Smith
  • 1.0 (1)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Sparking bold ideas to help shape what’s next — through an unapologetically Canadian lens.

  1. 2d ago

    How Tech Ecosystems Compound: Lessons from Vancouver — with Dennis Pilarinos

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 What makes a technology ecosystem stronger over time? It isn’t one company, one funding announcement, or one breakthrough. Ecosystems compound as people gain experience, talent moves between companies, founders reinvest their capital and knowledge, and organizations take chances on the builders around them. Dennis Pilarinos has experienced that process from almost every angle. After studying computer science and business at Simon Fraser University, Dennis held senior roles at Microsoft and Amazon — becoming the first AWS employee in Vancouver and helping establish what would grow into a major local technology centre. He later founded Vancouver-based Buddybuild, which was acquired by Apple in 2018. Today, he is the founder and CEO of Unblocked, helping engineering teams and AI agents access the organizational context behind their code. In this conversation, Dennis and Ashley explore how Vancouver’s technology ecosystem has evolved, why the arrival of major global companies can strengthen a local startup community, and what happens when experienced builders choose to stay, reinvest and build again. IN THIS CONVERSATION: • Why Canadian founders may need to think bigger • How attitudes toward failure affect the next generation of builders • The role of founder networks, global capital and experienced talent • Why Canadian organizations need to take more chances on Canadian technology • Whether Canada is moving quickly enough to adopt new tools • How AI is lowering the barrier to creating software — without removing the harder work of building a durable business • What Canada can do to retain more talent, experience and intellectual property It’s a conversation about how technology ecosystems become more than the sum of their parts — and what lessons Vancouver may offer other emerging technology hubs. Learn more about Dennis Pilarinos: https://linkedin.com/in/dennispi Explore Unblocked: https://getunblocked.com CANADA NOW Canada Now companion article and show notes with full episode resources (coming soon): 🍁 https://canadanow.beehiiv.com TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Why AWS strengthens Vancouver’s tech ecosystem 00:25 Dennis Pilarinos and Vancouver’s technology story 02:10 From Simon Fraser University to Microsoft 04:17 Building Microsoft’s Vancouver development centre 06:28 Why Buddybuild was built in Vancouver 08:26 Canadian startups and global venture capital 09:43 Buddybuild’s Apple acquisition and local reinvestment 12:43 Canadian founders, ambition and global scale 15:01 Canadian and U.S. attitudes toward founder failure 16:51 Vancouver’s startup community and founder networks 19:31 How AWS and big tech develop local talent 22:02 Unblocked: Organizational context for AI agents 24:05 Navigating the early stages of AI adoption 26:59 AI adoption in Canada versus global technology hubs 29:33 Trust, visibility and choosing Canadian technology 32:35 How AI is changing software development 35:12 Evaluating AI tools by business outcomes 37:15 The future of Canada’s AI talent and technology ecosystem #CanadaNow #CanadianTech #VancouverTech 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)

  2. Sep 3

    Prostate Cancer in Canada: The Conversation That Could Save a Life — with Eric McCormack & Mark Mahl

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 Canada Now returns for SEASON 2 with a special episode marking Prostate Cancer Awareness Month — and a conversation that could genuinely change someone’s life. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in Canada (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). Yet silence, discomfort, and the tendency to put off difficult health conversations can prevent men from taking proactive steps. In this episode, host Ashley Smith — an Impact Ambassador for Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada — is joined by Mark Mahl, Executive Director of the Foundation, and Emmy Award-winning Canadian actor Eric McCormack, an Impact Ambassador and longtime cancer awareness advocate. For both Mark and Eric, the cause is deeply personal: each lost his father to prostate cancer. Together, they explore why vulnerability remains such a barrier in men’s health, why early detection matters, and how families and friends can help initiate conversations that men may not start themselves. But this episode isn’t only about raising awareness. It also examines how awareness and fundraising are changing in a world of fragmented attention. What helps an important cause break through? What role can personal stories, public figures, digital platforms, and community ambassadors play? And how can organizations turn a brief moment of attention into meaningful action and lasting support? IN THIS CONVERSATION: • Why men often avoid talking about their health • The importance of early detection and understanding family history • How loved ones can help start an uncomfortable but necessary conversation • Why prostate cancer affects entire families — not only the person diagnosed • How storytelling and public advocacy can help important messages reach new audiences • The changing nature of nonprofit awareness, fundraising, and community participation • How Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada supports education, advocacy, research, and people navigating life after diagnosis If this episode makes you think of a man in your life, send it to him — or use it to start a conversation of your own. The conversation may be uncomfortable. It may also matter more than you know. 💙 JOIN LIGHT UP IN BLUE for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month 💙 https://prostatecanada.ca/get-involved/find-an-event/light-up-in-blue-for-prostate-cancer-awareness-month 💙 WEAR BLUE, share a photo, and help start the conversation using: 💙 #LightUpInBlue #ShowYourBlue #ProstateCancerAwarenessMonth RESOURCES & SUPPORT Learn more about Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada: https://prostatecanada.ca Find a prostate cancer support group: https://prostatecanada.ca/get-support/support-groups/find-a-group Support the work of Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada: https://prostatecanada.ca/ways-to-give/donate Follow Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada on Instagram: https://instagram.com/prostatecanada CONNECT WITH THE GUESTS Eric McCormack: https://instagram.com/eric_mccormack Mark Mahl: https://linkedin.com/in/mark-mahl-56552b21 The information shared in this episode is intended for general awareness and education and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Speak with a qualified healthcare provider about your individual risk, symptoms, screening, or care. CANADA NOW Canada Now companion article and show notes with full episode resources: 🍁 https://canadanow.beehiiv.com/p/from-awareness-to-action-why-canadians-need-to-talk-about-prostate-cancer ⏰ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 The Conversation That Could Save a Life 2:04 Why Men Avoid Talking About Prostate Cancer 4:04 Eric McCormack’s Personal Connection to Prostate Cancer 7:07 Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in Canada 9:31 Early Detection, Family History & Men’s Health 11:26 How Storytelling and Public Figures Create Awareness 15:43 Rethinking Cancer Awareness and Fundraising 21:25 How to Turn Awareness Into Action 26:39 What Does Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada Do? 29:39 Support After a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis 31:54 PSA Testing in Canada & Mark Mahl’s Personal Scare 35:04 Prostate Cancer Signs, Symptoms & Screening 37:56 Start the Conversation: A Call to Action Clarification: During the episode, prostate cancer is described as the number one cancer killer among men in Canada and North America. More accurately, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, and the second-leading cause of cancer death among Canadian men. 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)

  3. Mar 9

    What 16 Conversations Revealed About Business & Innovation in Canada | Season 1 Reflection (Part 2)

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 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. 🍁 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)

  4. Feb 27

    Canada’s Quiet Advantage: Maturity Over Noise | Season 1 Reflection (Part 1)

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 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. 🍁 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)

  5. Feb 14

    Community Is the Moat: Vancouver Tech, Canadian Media, and the Offline Reset — with William Johnson

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 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 waveWhat’s changing in venture capital and early-stage investingWhy “community is the moat” in 2026The shifting media landscape in Canada (and the distribution challenge)AI, the “dead internet” theory, and what it means for creatorsWhy micro-events and offline convening are becoming the new edgeConnect 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).  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)

  6. Feb 7

    Loyalty Beyond Points: Building Community-Led Brands — with Matias Marquez

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 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 toCommunity-led customer engagement and modern membership strategyUGC, authenticity, and why real content outperforms traditional adsLoyalty as acquisition — not just retentionAccess, experiences, and the future of brand communityHow Shopify brands are using loyalty and memberships to drive growthFounder lessons from a second-time entrepreneurBuilding 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  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)

  7. Jan 29

    Leading Without a Map: Governance, Risk & Decision-Making in Uncertain Times — with Darlene Hyde

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 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. 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)

  8. Jan 22

    Podcasting in 2026: What Still Works, What’s Changed, and Why ROI Matters — with Brayden Dyczkowski

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 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!  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)

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About

Sparking bold ideas to help shape what’s next — through an unapologetically Canadian lens.

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Smith
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Canada Now
  • Show Website
    Canada Now

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