Canada Now

Ashley Smith

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

  1. Oct 28

    Who Gets a Say in Canada's AI Future? — with Kris Krüg

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 Who gets to decide how artificial intelligence shapes our jobs, creativity, communities, and future — and what role should Canadians play in those decisions? AI is advancing quickly. But the future isn't inevitable, and the decisions about how we develop, adopt, regulate, and sometimes refuse this technology shouldn't belong to just a handful of companies or governments. In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley Smith sits down with Kris Krüg, a Vancouver-based creative technologist, photographer, and founder of the BC + AI Ecosystem Association. Kris has spent decades working at the intersection of technology, creativity, and community-building. Now, he's bringing together an international conversation through Futureproof Festival of AI, taking place in Vancouver from October 28–30, 2026. Together, they explore why AI needs more voices at the table, how Canadians can participate in shaping the technology's future, and why it's possible to be both excited about AI's potential and deeply concerned about its consequences. Kris also shares his experience discovering that approximately 1,800 of his photographs appeared in an AI training dataset — raising difficult questions about consent, creative ownership, and trust. From youth resistance to AI and the importance of community-led dialogue to Canada's approach to innovation, this conversation explores what it means to help shape the future rather than simply accept it. In this conversation... Who should have a say in Canada's AI future?Why Kris founded BC + AI and what makes its community differentBalancing AI optimism with legitimate concerns about its impactWhy young people may be resisting artificial intelligenceAI governance, public trust, and the role of community organizationsThe ethics of AI training data, photography, and creative ownershipWays to engage with AI while maintaining personal and professional valuesWhy meaningful innovation requires community and collaborationThe vision behind Futureproof Festival of AI in VancouverCanada's innovation strategy and the choices shaping its futureAbout Kris Krüg Kris Krüg is a creative technologist, photographer, speaker, and community builder. He is the founder and executive director of BC + AI and the founder of Futureproof Festival of AI. Website: https://kriskrug.co BC + AI: https://bc-ai.ca Futureproof Festival: https://futureproof.website Episode Deep Dive & Extra Resources: https://canadanow.beehiiv.com Episode Chapters: 00:00 AI Optimism vs. Concern 00:13 Introducing Kris Krüg 02:21 Kris's Background in Technology and Community 04:41 Building Vancouver's Technology Ecosystem 07:21 Why Kris Founded BC + AI 09:53 Who Gets to Shape AI's Future? 12:38 AI Enthusiasm, Resistance, and the Right to Refuse 16:23 Why Community Connections Matter 19:24 Public Participation in AI Decisions 22:00 Trust and Community-Led AI Education 24:34 Building Meaningful AI Conversations 27:24 Why Young People Resist AI 31:08 Helping the Next Generation Navigate AI 33:23 Photography and Creative Ownership 36:46 The AI Training Data Consent Dilemma 39:01 Ethical AI and Personal Boundaries 41:50 The Futureproof Festival of AI 46:30 Canada's Role in Innovation 48:20 Canadian Identity and Difficult Questions 52:03 Final Thoughts and Resources Canada Now is hosted by Ashley Smith — sparking bold ideas to help shape what's next through an unapologetically Canadian lens. 🍁 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. Oct 15

    What It Really Takes to Scale a Canadian Business — with Hoochy ’Booch

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 What does it really take to build and scale a Canadian business — especially when you're competing with established brands, navigating retail distribution, and growing without a big investment behind you? For more than a decade, Kristin Zerbin and Liam Moore have been building Hoochy ’Booch, a Vancouver-based kombucha company that started with home brewing, farmers' markets, and a strong connection to its community. In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley Smith sits down with the husband-and-wife founders to explore what they've learned about building a consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand, surviving setbacks, growing through relationships, and preparing for the next stage of business. From the early days of bootstrapping to finding the right distribution partner, they share the practical challenges of scaling a physical product business in Canada — including navigating provincial regulations, securing production space, and balancing entrepreneurship with family life. Plus, an October 2026 update: Seven months after the original recording, Ashley reconnects with Kristin as Hoochy ’Booch prepares to launch in Whole Foods stores in British Columbia. They explore the realities of expanding into larger grocery stores, why growth can create serious cash-flow pressure, and why Kristin is returning to the grassroots community-building that helped launch the company. In this conversation... Building a Canadian business without major outside investmentHow Hoochy ’Booch grew through community and word of mouthSurviving COVID and finding the right retail distribution partnerCompeting through product quality rather than chasing trendsThe practical challenges of manufacturing and expanding across CanadaBuilding a business with your spouse while raising a familyWhy growth requires more than increasing salesThe hidden financial pressures of supplying major grocery retailersRedefining success and what comes next for the foundersAbout Hoochy ’Booch: Website: https://hoochybooch.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/hoochybooch Where to buy the kombucha: https://hoochybooch.com/pages/locations Episode Deep Dive & Extra Resources: https://canadanow.beehiiv.com (subscribe for an update!) The original conversation was recorded in March 2026, with a follow-up recorded in October 2026. Episode Chapters: 00:00 Surviving vs. Scaling a Business  00:47 Building a Canadian Business: Beyond Startup Hype  03:31 How Hoochy ’Booch Got Started  05:37 Bootstrapping a Business Together  07:28 From Local Cafés to Grocery Stores  08:30 Surviving COVID and Building Through Community  10:34 Scaling Production from the Ground Up  12:39 Craft vs. Hype: Building a Consumer Brand  14:00 The Struggle to Secure Retail Distribution  17:09 What Makes Traditionally Brewed Kombucha Different?  19:11 Community, Marketing and Customer Relationships  23:33 The Challenges of Expanding Across Canada  27:17 Running a Business as a Couple  30:33 Moving Beyond Survival Mode  35:52 Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs  38:39 Permits, Red Tape and the Cost of Doing Business  43:21 Growth, Family and the Buy Canadian Movement  48:25 October Update: Seven Months Later  50:37 Whole Foods, Retail Expansion and Cash Flow  53:47 Redefining the Role of Founder 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. Sep 23

    Inside the Policy and Investment Decisions Shaping Canada's Housing Supply — with Cynthia Jagger

    Send a text to Canada Now! 💬 Canada needs more housing. So why is it so difficult to get new homes built — even when the need is clear? In this episode of Canada Now, Ashley Smith sits down with Cynthia Jagger, Executive Vice President of Capital Markets with CBRE’s National Investment Team in Vancouver. Cynthia has spent more than two decades working in commercial real estate, with particular expertise in multifamily housing and development sites. She also serves on the executive committee of the Urban Development Institute’s board and as vice chair of its Rental Housing Issues Committee. Together, they look inside the decisions that shape housing in BC: what makes a rental project financially feasible, how changing rents and costs affect plans for future construction, and why long approval timelines change the picture. They also discuss the people who own Vancouver’s existing rental buildings, tenant protections, the movement of investment capital, and what it might take to keep building homes that work for the people who need them. IN THIS CONVERSATION • Why the housing we see today reflects decisions made years earlier • How land prices, financing, development charges and operating costs affect a project • Who owns Vancouver’s older rental buildings — and what shapes decisions to sell or redevelop • How uncertainty influences where large-scale commercial investors put their money • The potential role of federal funding, partnerships, and factory-built housing • Cynthia’s hopes for housing, jobs, and family life in B.C. over the next decade CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA JAGGER Website: https://cynthiajagger.com National Investment Team (NIT) Vancouver: https://nitvancouver.com Cynthia’s CBRE profile: https://cbre.ca/people/cynthia-jagger Find Cynthia on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-jagger-0979178 LEARN MORE Urban Development Institute: https://udi.bc.ca ⏰ EPISODE CHAPTERS 0:00 Why housing decisions take years to show results 0:13 Episode intro and meet Cynthia Jagger 2:22 What makes building more housing difficult? 3:27 Investment decisions and the changing rental market 5:58 Why lower rents are welcome—and what happens next 7:48 Development costs, incentives and project feasibility 10:03 Who owns Vancouver’s existing rental buildings? 14:08 How the real estate market has changed 18:30 The role of retail, office and industrial space in communities 21:41 Could Build Canada Homes help move projects forward? 23:28 Factory-built housing and differing building codes 24:42 Why certainty matters to housing investment 27:20 Finding common ground on getting homes built 29:00 Building homes that fit people’s needs 31:11 Cynthia’s hopes for Vancouver and B.C. CANADA NOW 🍁 For episode deep dives, articles, resources and updates, subscribe to the Canada Now newsletter: https://canadanow.beehiiv.com If this conversation helped you see a part of the housing system differently, share it with someone who cares about what gets built next. Subscribe to Canada Now for more grounded conversations about Canada’s future. #CanadaNow #HousingCanada #RentalHousing 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. Sep 18

    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)

  5. 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)

  6. 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)

  7. 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)

  8. 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)

See All (24)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Ashley Smith
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Canada Now
  • Show Website
    Canada Now

You Might Also Like