Saskatchewan, long known for feeding the world, is now leading a revolution in ag-tech. With automation, machine learning, and AI-powered quality control, the province is redefining how food moves from field to port. Agriculture is more than Canada’s heritage - it’s our future advantage. In this episode of Disruptors: The Canada Project, John Stackhouse speaks with Kyle Folk, founder and CEO of Ground Truth Ag, whose technology automates grain grading — a process that once took hours, now done in minutes. He’s joined by Murad Al-Katib, CEO of AGT Food and Ingredients. It’s a story about turning information into prosperity, and about how Saskatchewan’s innovators are helping Canada feed a growing world while building a more resilient, sovereign economy.

At the edge of Hudson Bay, the Port of Churchill is being revitalized — reconnecting the Prairies to global markets and strengthening Canada’s northern gateway to the world. In this episode of Disruptors: The Canada Project, John Stackhouse speaks with Premier Wab Kinew, Chris Avery of Arctic Gateway Group, and Grant Barkman of Decision Works about how Indigenous ownership, modern rail infrastructure, and drone-powered innovation are reconnecting the Prairies to global markets. As climate shifts open new Arctic passages and global trade routes are redefined, Manitoba is positioning itself as a northern link between the Prairies and the world — redefining how Canada moves goods, builds partnerships, and prepares for the future.

Canada’s prosperity depends on how efficiently it can move goods to market — yet its largest ports have fallen behind the world’s best. With global trade accelerating and supply chains under pressure, Roberts Bank Terminal 2 represents a generational investment in Canada’s competitiveness. In this episode, Peter Xotta, CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Devan Fitch, the project’s Program Director, and Tamara Vrooman, CEO of Vancouver International Airport, join John Stackhouse to discuss how this long-planned expansion will bring new automation, capacity, and environmental innovation to Canada’s Pacific Gateway. Together, they explore how smart infrastructure and strong partnerships can secure Canada’s trade future — sustainably and sovereignty.

For over two centuries, Atlantic Canada has been the launch point for Canada’s ventures into the unknown — from the Grand Banks to global trade routes. Today, that pioneering spirit is looking skyward. In this episode, Stephen Matier of Maritime Launch Services and Rahul Goel of NordSpace join host John Stackhouse to explore how Canada — the only G7 nation without domestic launch capacity — is closing that gap. Together with Chris Hadfield, they unpack what sovereign access to space means for national security, climate resilience, and technological leadership — and how Nova Scotia and Newfoundland’s emerging space sectors are helping bring Canada into the new space age. Because if Canada can’t launch its own ideas, it can’t lead its own future.

Canada’s future security doesn’t just lie in the skies or across its borders — it lies beneath the waves. Newfoundland and Labrador, long defined by its connection to the North Atlantic, is emerging as the front line in Canada’s underwater defence and surveillance revolution. In this episode, Kraken Robotics’ David Shea reveals how cutting-edge sonar and subsea intelligence are giving Canada new eyes and ears in the ocean depths — technology once reserved for superpowers, now developed and deployed from St. John’s. And General Rick Hillier, former Chief of Defence Staff, joins host John Stackhouse to explore why control of our underwater domain is critical to national sovereignty, Arctic readiness, and alliance security in an age of rising global tension.

For this season of Disruptors, hosted by John Stackhouse, we're crisscrossing the country to showcase their groundbreaking work. Canada stands at a crossroads. Become a leader or continue to ride shotgun. The choice is obvious. But global political and economic uncertainty demands we act decisively. We need to close the productivity gap with our peer nations and build bigger, better and bolder. Visionary leaders across the country are seizing this moment, harnessing technology to take on Canada's most-urgent challenges. For this season of Disruptors, we're crisscrossing the country to showcase their groundbreaking work. From robotics that safeguard Arctic sovereignty and AI that rewrites how we grow food to critical minerals powering the clean transition and housing innovations reshaping our cities. In every sector we explore, technical ingenuity meets national purpose. These are not just stories of invention-they provide a blueprint for a stronger, more competitive Canada.

AI is evolving. Agentic AI systems can now reason, plan, and act independently, taking AI beyond passive tools and into the realm of autonomous decision-makers. Join John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik as they explore what this next generation of AI means for business, featuring insights from Adel El Hallak of NVIDIA and Jacomo Corbo of PhysicsX. They dive into real-world applications, security risks, and how companies can prepare to adopt AI that acts—with purpose.

With a growing global population and climate challenges reshaping food production, Canada has a golden opportunity to lead the ag-tech revolution. But are we ready? In this episode of Disruptors x CDL, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik dive into the future of agriculture with industry experts Evan Fraser (Director, Arrell Food Institute) and Alison Sunstrum (CEO, CNSRV-X Inc.). From AI and robotics to climate-resilient farming, they explore how Canada can harness cutting-edge technology to feed the world. Tune in to learn why the farmer of the future might not be behind the wheel of a tractor—but in a lab, developing the next agricultural breakthrough.

What does it take to power the intelligence economy of the future? In this episode of Disruptors x CDL: The Innovation Era, hosts John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik explore Canada’s role in balancing AI’s surging energy demands with sustainable innovation. Featuring Alberta’s Minister of Technology and Innovation, Nate Glubish, and Doug Beach of Eavor Technologies, the conversation highlights bold initiatives like the Wonder Valley project and the potential of advanced geothermal energy. Tune in to discover how Canada is leading the charge in the global data economy.

In this episode of Disruptors x CDL: The Innovation Era, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik explore how Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries and Canada’s economy. Joined by AI leaders Sheldon Fernandez (Darwin AI), Kory Mathewson (Google DeepMind), and Gillian Hadfield (Schmidt Sciences AI2050 Senior Fellow), they discuss Canada's strengths in AI research, the challenges in adoption, and the creative applications of AI. Tune in to learn how AI can drive innovation and reshape the future.

Recorded live from Creative Destruction Lab’s Super Session with Minister Evan Solomon, Canada’s first Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik explore how Canada can close its AI Imagination Gap to compete globally. Minister Solomon speaks candidly about the four key pillars of Canada’s AI strategy: scaling champions, adoption, trust, and sovereignty, and offers tangible insights into how SMEs, researchers, and public institutions can all benefit from AI’s abundance, if the right supports are in place. This wide-ranging conversation dives into Canada's AI spine, the importance of protecting national culture through digital sovereignty, and how government, startups, and citizens alike must embrace this pivotal moment with urgency, collaboration, and creativity.

From Arctic sovereignty to wildfire response, Canada’s challenges are increasingly being solved by the low earth orbital satellites less than 1000km from the earth’s surface. In this episode, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik explore how Canada’s space sector is reshaping defense, communications, and economic opportunity - with guests Mike Greenley (CEO, MDA Space), Dan Goldberg (CEO, Telesat), and planetary scientist Dr. Margarita Marinova.

What does it take to transform a startup into Canada’s second-largest company in just a decade? Sonia Sennik and John Stackhouse discuss his conversation with Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, live from C2 Montreal, as they unpack the entrepreneurial mindset, Shopify’s journey of anti-fragility, and why now is Canada's moment to build global giants.

AI is evolving. Agentic AI systems can now reason, plan, and act independently, taking AI beyond passive tools and into the realm of autonomous decision-makers. Join John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik as they explore what this next generation of AI means for business, featuring insights from Adel El Hallak of NVIDIA and Jacomo Corbo of PhysicsX. They dive into real-world applications, security risks, and how companies can prepare to adopt AI that acts—with purpose.

Carbon offsets aren’t enough. To truly tackle climate change, we need a global industry dedicated to pulling carbon out of the air and at massive scale. Join hosts John and Sonia as they explore the global race to scale carbon removal technologies, from enhanced rock weathering to ocean alkalinity. Hear from leading innovators and scientists including Dr. David Keith, Mike Kelland of Planetary Technologies, and Jim Mann of UNDO on the science, business models, and policy challenges behind cleaning up the atmosphere.

Early detection remains the single most effective strategy for treating cancer, significantly enhancing survival rates and outcomes. Join hosts John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik as they explore how groundbreaking innovation and technology are reshaping cancer detection, treatment, and prevention with physician and entrepreneur Jesse Salk, Peter Liu, CEO of Oxford Cancer Analytics, and Andrea Seale, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society. Listen in to discover how innovations are bringing renewed hope to one of humanity's most pressing health challenges.

The “Buy Canadian” movement has surged during talks of tariffs, often highlighting consumer goods. How can Canadian tech companies take advantage of this sentiment? John and Sonia explore Canada's renewed push to support local companies with guests Dax Dasilva, CEO of Lightspeed, and Derek Jouppi, creator of the Buy Canada Tech. Discover why supporting local is not just a trend but a crucial step toward economic resilience and national unity.

John and Sonia explore how Canadian innovators are tackling one of climate change’s biggest culprits: methane. From satellites in space to software on the ground, meet four Canadian startups shaping the future of emissions reduction, and hear why Canada may be uniquely positioned to lead the charge.

With cybercriminals leveraging AI to fuel scams and misinformation, how do we verify what's real? Joined by cybersecurity experts Shuman Ghosemajumder (former Global Head of Product Trust at Google), and Ken Nickerson (Inventor and Entrepreneur, ex-Microsoft, and ex-Rogers), John and Sonia confront a startling new reality where AI-generated deepfakes can mimic voices, images, and even entire identities with frightening accuracy. They explore how to protect democracy, businesses, and personal identities in a world where proof of authenticity is harder than ever.

How can Canadians unleash their competitive spirit and rediscover the drive to build bigger, faster, and smarter? Serial entrepreneur and tech investor Daniel Debow joins John and Sonia to tackle that question. They explore how decades of slow productivity growth have eroded Canada’s economic position, and why there’s new urgency to rewrite the country’s playbook. Daniel explains how his passion for building ventures, from software startups acquired by Salesforce and Shopify, to the collaborative “Build Canada” initiative, reflects a broader need for bold experimentation in Canadian policy and business culture. He highlights how stronger digital frameworks, better data sharing in healthcare, and a more ambitious national narrative can help Canada punch above its weight in a rapidly changing global environment. John and Sonia underscore the power of collaboration and the importance of making tough policy choices to reimagine Canada’s future. If you’re ready to think bigger and help propel this country forward, don’t miss this conversation on reclaiming the builder’s spirit.