Friday  February 2nd, 2024

Canadians Changing the Future, One Story at a Time

One of the most innovative and competitive economies in the world, Canada is a hub for innovators, leaders and changemakers addressing global issues. And it's not only science and technology leading the charge – tourism has proved an important catalyst for economic, social and environmental regeneration, and a driving force of positive change.

People across Canada are harnessing tourism's power to be a force for good – whether a logger-turned-forest protector in BC to a winemaker devising new ways to grow grapes in Ontario. Their stories share the ways Canada's inspiring landscapes, diverse communities, and thriving urban centres nurture ideas and innovations that can improve the planet for future generations. Read on to immerse yourself in their ideas and visit the places that inspire them.

25 Ways to a Better World
Storyteller: Andy Day, conservationist.
Hometown: Vancouver, BC.
The big idea: Environmental conservation is often shrouded in a culture of shame – a doom-and-gloom attitude intended to scare people into sustainable living. Day, who works with BC Parks Foundation, takes a different approach – one rooted in gratitude, empowerment, and inclusion.

Why it matters: To reach environmental goals, people need to feel inspired to make change, no matter how big or small – after all, every contribution can lead to impactful shifts. Andy's 25x25 initiative lists 25 things people can do, both individually and collectively, to protect and enjoy 25
places in BC. Ultimately, the project endeavours to help Canada reach its target of 25 percent of land and sea protected by 2025.

Powerful words: “This is a critical decade to tackle things like climate change and biodiversity loss. We have to kick it up another level. That means setting big, hairy, audacious goals and going for it.”

Journey to experience: Visit the 25x25 website to explore ways to adventure across BC while supporting environmental conservation.

Uncommon Transformation
Storyteller: Alex Sarian, arts executive.
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta.
The big idea: The $450 million Arts Commons Transformation project is the largest cultural infrastructure project in recent Canadian history. Many of the questions the project addresses about the “future of gathering” can be adapted by cities and communities around the world, says Sarian.

Why it matters: As the world's first performing arts centre to be designed since the start of the pandemic, the new Arts Common is forcing us to
reimagine how we design arts spaces and cultural experiences. The new centre has been shaped by a local, national and international design team, as well as First Nations communities.

Powerful words: “We're making space for artists, audiences and communities in ways no arts centre has ever done before, in the most unlikeliest of cities.

"Journey to experience: The Arts Common remains open during its revitalization. Pay a visit and explore thought-provoking exhibits by local and national artists.

Drink Different
Storyteller: Gabriel Demarco, vintner.
Hometown: St. Catharines, Ontario.
The big idea: Winemaking is a centuries-old practice, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved upon. While Demarco respects the traditions of winemaking, he's also championing innovation and creative thinking – all starting at Cave Spring Vineyard, his winery in the Niagara Peninsula.

Why it matters: While wine innovation is synonymous with places like California and Italy, Canada is emerging as an equally formidable wine leader
thanks to innovators like Demarco. Boasting a long tradition of experimentation, Cave Spring has mastered the use of indigenous yeast fermentations, new formats of wine storage, and other sustainable approaches.

Powerful words: “As a nation built on immigration, we often look to the outside for validation... Through innovation, collaboration and creative thinking, we can evolve techniques and craft products in established industries that become sought after.”

Journey to experience: Pop by the tasting room at Cave Spring Vineyard to sample the product of modern-meets-traditional winemaking.

Going With the Flow
Storyteller: Allan Robert Pace, river guide.
Hometown: Norman Wells, Northwest Territories.
The big idea: Pace believes rivers have unique personalities. By experiencing the soothing qualities of their moving waters, people can boost their mental and physical health.

Why it matters: There's a reason wellness tourism is a booming business. People around the world seek ways to destress, detox, and heal physical and psychological wounds – and many are turning to nature. Pace has spent over 40 years exploring thousands of miles of rivers – including over 30 Arctic rivers – and is a firm believer that flowing water can support wellness and connection.

Powerful words: “By stepping back from our high-stress work-life balance and experiencing the soothing qualities of moving water, we can gain perspective about what is truly important in our lives.”

Journey to experience: Pace's company Canoe North Adventures leads expeditions on rivers in the Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. Join a guided adventure to experience the perspective-shifting effects of these wild blueways – there are lodging options as well.

Ways of the Water
Storyteller: Claudia Kerckhoff-Van Wijk, whitewater kayak champion.
Hometown: Forester Falls, Ontario.
The big idea: Waterways connect destinations around the world – and Kerckhoff-Van Wijk is calling attention to their crucial role to our wellbeing. A
Canadian whitewater kayak champion and Olympic bronze medalist, Kerckhoff-Van Wijk is an advocate for protecting Canada's waterways while
instilling in others an appreciation and respect for water, including where it comes from and how it connects people and place.

Why it matters: Immersion in the world of waterways can be an effective way for people to learn the importance of water, not only as a natural
resource but also as a way to support wellbeing. Through her family business OWL Rafting, Kerckhoff-Van Wijk introduces thousands of annual visitors to paddling; she also helped to create the Canadian Canoe Route passport that connects cities and waterways across Ontario.

Powerful words: “I understand the impact that being on the water can have – it's both exhilarating and revitalizing. Through tourism, anyone can experience it!”

Journey to experience: OWL Rafting offers single- and multi-day whitewater rafting trips on the Ottawa River, with options available for first-timers and families all the way to seasoned thrill-seekers.

Art Where You Least Expect It
Storyteller: Reita Beiks, guerilla artist.
Hometown: Vancouver, BC.
The big idea: Why should art be restricted to galleries and museums? Beiks, a guerilla artist and art consultant – who once worked as a public art
curator at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) – advocates for exhibiting art in social spaces, such as international airports.

Why it matters: Opening non-traditional spaces to art can help to enrich the connection between people and place. By allowing art to have a
presence in our daily lives, we can create meaningful connections wherever we go.

Powerful words: “When people can experience art in their everyday lives, it breaks down the barriers some people feel towards art and allows them to have an authentic, unedited reaction to what they are seeing, connecting them to their surroundings, others and themselves in new and sometimes profound ways.”

Journey to experience: YVR's public art program draws on themes of land, sea and sky, with an emphasis on First Nations art. Whether entering or departing Vancouver by air, spend a few extra moments appreciating the way these pieces honour BC's outdoors.

Doggie Wisdom
Storyteller: Tanya McCready, dogsledder.
Hometown: Haliburton, Ontario.
The big idea: Dogsledding is an iconic Canadian activity with a long and storied history. McCready believes people can learn important lessons from
sled dogs and their mushers – from leadership and teamwork, to resilience, trust and love.

Why it matters: Sled dogs have a longstanding connection to the Canadian wilderness and the Indigenous Peoples of the north. Tanya and
her husband have spent the past 23 years introducing visitors from around the world to sled dog culture, and have also competed in the Yukon Quest and Iditarod dogsled races. Watching these incredible dogs power through challenging circumstances can be an inspiration to anyone.

Powerful words: “To form a bond with sled dogs as you travel as a team silently together through pristine, majestic, rugged wilderness... I now speak to corporations and organizations about these stories and the timeless lessons on leadership, teamwork, resilience and love from the perspective of a dog team travelling through the Canadian north.”

Journey to experience: McCready's company Winterdance Dogsled Tours offers various dogsledding packages with purebred Siberian huskies, including a memorable moonlight tour.

Accessible Lessons
Storyteller: Trina Reid, tour guide.
Hometown: Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador.
The big idea: Reid has a son with autism. She also experienced an injury that limited her mobility for a long period. These experiences inspired Reid to found Under the Stump – an adventure and culture tour company that helps people of all abilities explore the outdoors.

Why it matters: Travel should be available to everyone. Tourism operators can take inspiration from people like Trina to make the industry more accessible. The sky's the limit – for example, Trina leads tours through the rugged landscapes of Gros Morne National Park in an accessible vehicle that journeys effortlessly across the backcountry.

Powerful words: “I see the challenges personally, know that others face the same challenges but I can offer a sense of hope, provide examples of successes and initiate change with flexibility for visitors we meet.”

Journey to experience: Under the Stump offers several tours throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, all of which are accessible, and all sharing stories from local Indigenous culture.

Modelling a Circular Economy
Storyteller: Diane Rudge, entrepreneur.
Hometown: Ucluelet, BC.
The big idea: As one of the biggest industries in Canada, the hospitality sector has the potential to make a profound environmental impact. Rudge and her business partner – owners of The Den in Ucluelet – created a “ Sustainable and Circular Accommodation Program” to help hotels across BC reduce the need for single-use plastics.

Why it matters: Using refillable products is a simple way for hotels to reduce their footprint. The Sustainable and Circular Accommodations Program provides hotels with ocean-friendly, biodegradable, refillable products to support their journey to becoming more sustainable, circular operations.

Powerful words: “We have firsthand witnessed the ripple effect of the accommodation industry implementing change first, and then inspiring others – such as guests and tourists visiting in the community – to continue the conversation around zero waste, refilling and what a circular
economy means.”

Journey to experience: Visit The Den to shop for refillable wellness and cleaning products. Extend your stay in Ucluelet by staying at a Sustainable and Circular Accommodation Program partner, such as Black Rock Oceanfront Resort or Long Beach Lodge Resort.

Past is Prologue
Storyteller: Isabelle Duchesneau, holistic wellness entrepreneur.
Hometown: Château-Richer, Quebec.
The big idea: Heritage is an important part of tourism. Duchesneau is taking this idea a step further – she's championing heritage as a way to boost wellbeing.

Why it matters: Understanding our past is an important step towards charting a sustainable and healthy future. Surfacing a nation's heritage can bring communities together and help to build a more inclusive society. These are some of the reasons Isabelle helped to open Le Monastère des Augustines, a wellness centre set within a monastery founded in 1639.

Powerful words: “Realizing that this heritage plays an essential role in a person's overall health as the basis of one's identity, beliefs and values allows us to understand that the heritage and culture of a community are fundamental elements of what gives meaning to life.”

Journey to experience: Le Monastère des Augustines merges heritage and holistic health with massage treatments, a museum, days of silence, tai chi classes and other wellness-focused activities.

Farmers to the Rescue
Storyteller: Mary Robinson, agricultural leader.
Hometown: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
The big idea: Farmers are facing formidable challenges, including geopolitical events – but there are also opportunities for agriculture to shift the dial on climate change.

Why it matters: As farmers adapt to a rapidly changing world, Robinson believes sustainable production can rise to the forefront, whether increasing the carbon stored in soil or vegetation, or employing production practices that reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions.

Powerful words: “I believe farmers can feed the world and lead in the fight against climate change.”

Journey to experience: Explore one of Prince Edward Island's most prolific crops on a Farm Tour (operating June 20 – September 14, 2024). You'll tour the Canadian Potato Museum, make potato fudge, and tuck into a potato-based lunch.

The Power of Community
Storyteller: Rochelle Ignacio, social justice leader.
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta.
The big idea: Created by a grassroots community group, Black Owned Market showcases Black businesses, promotes issues impacting the Black
community, and opens opportunities in spaces that have historically excluded Black people.

Why it matters: Yes, systemic changes are needed to effect large-scale social change – but it's not just governments and executives that can have an
impact. Case in point: Black Owned Market was conceived by ordinary people who made a choice to advocate for people in their community.

Powerful words: “I have the most intimate knowledge of the history of the market and relationships with our community which help me understand the impact the market has had on contributing to reducing the racial inequality wealth gap within the Black community.”

Journey to experience: Browse local Black vendors at the Black Owned Market – check its Instagram page for pop-up locations.

 

Nurturing Wilderness Protectors
Storyteller: Wayne Sawchuk, wilderness protector.
Hometown: Rolla, BC.
The big idea: The Muskwa-Kechika in the Rocky Mountains is a world-leading example of conservation biology in action. It was created through multi-sector, consensus-based planning processes, making it a globally applicable model for protecting large wilderness areas.

Why it matters: Formerly a logger, Sawchuk began advocating for the protection of the Northern Rockies (later the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area) in the 1990s. He believes that educating the public about this area, including rules for industrial development and tourism, is an important step towards long-term protection of its wilderness, wildlife and cultures.

Powerful words: “Ensuring rules are followed requires a knowledgeable, informed public, yet the Muskwa-Kechika remains largely unknown.”

Journey to experience: Wayne's tour company Muskwa-Kechika Adventures offers a 12-day tour that leads visitors into the mountains on a horse.

Shifting Perspectives
Storyteller: Stephen W. Tooshkenig, cultural advocate.
Hometown: Walpole Island, Ontario.
The big idea: Indigenous culture has revered nature as a healer for millennia. Tooshkenig shares stories of the extraordinary territory where he
lives, and the ways Mother Earth heals and protects locals and visitors.

Why it matters: Indigenous tourism has become a key driver of the tourism industry, with nearly every experience involving the outdoors. It's partly due to a perspective shift among travellers towards mindful, nature-based travel.

Powerful words: “Indigenous tourism is about vibrancy and spirit. It's the fire that burns inside our soul and brings warmth to our spirits.”

Journey to experience: Stay at the riverside Walpole Cottages, or take a three-hour Waterway Tour.

 

For more  about Canada as a holiday destination readers should go to www.explore-canada.co.uk

For images, Video, Story ideas please go to www.destinationcanada.com/media 

For more media information please contact Nim Singh, Media and PR Manager, Destination Canada singh.nim@destinationcanada.com (not for publication)