Still Standing

Perched on the most westerly edge of Canada, Ucluelet, BC has made the shift from fishing and logging to tourism; however, limited access and proximity to well-known Tofino makes Ucluelet a small blip on the tourist radar - if they even know about it at all.

In 2009, a devastating fire broke out that quite literally melted Markdale's massive ice cream factory. Thanks to a complete rebuild of the town's major employer and the influx of COVID-era newcomers from the city, Markdale isn't just reclaiming the glory it once had, it's making itself into a community that's more vibrant than it was even before the fire.

The Haudenosaunee community of Oneida Nation of the Thames is making strides at reclaiming the economic, cultural, and spiritual practices banned by government policies over the past 100 years. Fortunately for the Oneida, the days of hiding your cows from The Indian Agent are gone, and after years spent focussed on just trying to survive the injustices of the past, the Oneida are finally beginning to thrive.

It's hard to call yourself "Canada's prettiest town" after you've been hit in the face by a powerful and devastating tornado. In the aftermath of the 2011 F3 Tornado, Goderich, ON is rebuilding itself not just in the image of its pretty past but with an eye towards a bold new future.

Located in the Gaspé region of the province, New Richmond, QC, was for decades a true "company town;" with its own millworker-only bars, mill-built neighbourhoods, and cardboard mill smells. When the mill closed, however, New Richmond didn't fold like a cardboard box, instead it reinvented itself as a hub of rally car racing, Mi'kmaq culture, and world-class fly fishing.

For decades, Lac La Biche had it all: a steady flow of oil and gas jobs, and a variety of local industries that supplied luxury in the form of mink pelts, coveted whitefish, and even caviar. When the local fur, fish, and caviar industries collapsed and the oil industry slowed down, it was time for this town to make a pivot. Although Lac La Biche no longer supplies mink pelts and "Golden Caviar," it's managed to generate new jobs based on a new batch of surprising luxuries like deluxe tipis, world-class 3D archery, and Canada's best gas station bathroom.

Once a thriving agricultural hub that at different times saw Okanagan Falls as a centre of fruit growing, cattle ranching, and salmon fishing, Okanagan Falls is now home to a single apple orchard, a stockyard that's seen better days, and a precarious salmon population. Fortunately for Okanagan Falls locals haven't given up on the industries that have sustained them for decades, and are now adding a new one: a homegrown wine industry that's winning awards and bringing a new hope to Okanagan Falls.

Morden, MB is one of the top-5 fastest growing communities in Manitoba, with an immigration program that is the envy of small towns across the country, a booming industrial economy, and a world-renown collection of aquatic fossils to entice tourists. The only problem is the extreme-level drought it experienced in 2021. While droughts happen from time to time, the intensity of the drought and the prospect that it might happen again are the only things that could stunt the growth of this booming Manitoba town.

Wabush, Labrador is one the hotspots for high-grade iron ore mining in Canada. Despite its mineral riches, every 5-8 years, the town experiences a dramatic bust; often after a crash in the price of iron ore. Layoffs and mine-shutdowns are a common feature of life in this remote community that is nearly 6 hours removed from the nearest city. Thanks to Cain's Quest, one of the longest snowmobile races in the world, the enthusiasm of the town's newcomers, and the entrepreneurial energy of some long-time residents, the remote town of Wabush feels like the epicenter of a lot more than just iron-mining.