Still Standing

For 100 years, Amherstburg was known as the home of the Boblo Island Amusement Park - a theme park that employed hundreds and entertained hundreds of thousands every year. When the park closed, locals turned to a new attraction that will never go out of style: Amherstburg's remarkable heritage.

For over one hundred years, small-scale farming in the warmer months and small-scale logging in the colder ones fuelled Gracefield's economy. The end of the log drive in 1991 combined with the soaring costs of farming sent the community into an economic slump. Things in Gracefield are turning around now, however, thanks to newcomers, new farmers, and newfound interest in its traditionals.

For 50 years, the tiny, one-of-a-kind town of Southport, Manitoba was not a town at all. It began as an air force base where thousands of pilots lived out their dream of learning to fly. In the years since the base closed, Southport has managed to transform itself from an airbase into a new kind of military community that is totally open for business.

Home to the world's largest stands of old-growth red and white pine forest, it's no surprise that Temagami, Ontario is synonymous with old-growth and the struggle to balance economics and conservation.

Dawson City's claim to fame is the brief Klondike Gold Rush at the turn of the 20th century. Every year tens of thousands of tourists flock to town to soak in the community's unique culture and history. The COVID pandemic put a stop to this thriving industry which is still dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic.

Five years before Fort McMurray, catastrophic wildfires ripped through the community on the weekend of May 14/15 2011, destroying 40% of the town. Now 13 years later, it's clear to see that Slave Lake's diverse community has bonded over a common goal - rising from the ashes, stronger, smarter and more resilient than ever.

In the spring of 2013, High River, Alberta experienced the worst flooding event in the province's history. Locals needed to lean on each other to overcome this natural disaster, which they did through hugs, balloons, pies, dance and the country-western traditions the town is known for.

M'Chigeeng First Nation is located on Manitoulin Island, which for thousands of years was a key stop on a traditional trade route and a political and spiritual centre for the Anishinaabe people. This all began to change dramatically when a series of treaties limited their freedom of movement and cut off the community from their traditional lands.

For years, airliners on the way to Europe needed to stop in Gander to refuel, making it 'The Crossroads of the World.' When planes no longer needed to stop in town to refuel, Gander reinvented itself with new businesses and new residents, and found a way of using its heroic actions in September of 2001 to become once again, 'The Crossroads of the World.'

The forced relocation of the Membertou First Nation 100 years ago from the coast of Cape Breton to just outside downtown Sydney, Nova Scotia sent the community into crisis. Thanks to a bold economic plan, the Membertou First Nation has successfully pulled off a stunning transformation from crisis to prosperity.