Still Standing

Locals like to say that ‘all roads lead to Hope’. It’s a place to gas up and a place to ‘go,’ but locals want it to be known that the town is more than just a place to pee — it’s a place to be.

While its tourist train dollars are long gone, the proudly-weird town of Wakefield is reimagining itself as a place known for culture and outdoor fun.

After nearly 40 flood-free years, the township of Minden Hills has developed a flooding problem. But as the community digs out, they also deepen their commitment to one another.

From its roots as a farming community to its unlikely transformation into an artists hub known for its thriving LGBTQ community, the village of Warkworth has become a beacon of resilience.

The largest Métis community in North America, St. Laurent has struggled with a flood and rural decline. But after much rebuilding, the spotlight is finally shining on this town in a whole new way.

The seafaring town of Gibsons, BC once made famous for The Beachcombers, is reinventing itself as a regional hub for Filipino culture, a tourist destination, and a paradise for beer lovers.

One of the top five fastest-growing communities in Manitoba; Morden, Manitoba, has an immigration program, a booming industrial economy and a collection of aquatic fossils to entice tourists.

Goderich is well-known as Canadas prettiest town; it was also devastated by an F3 tornado in 2011 that destroyed its downtown; its now rebuilding toward a bold new future.

With a complete rebuild after Markdales all-important ice cream factory burned down and the influx of COVID-era newcomers from the city, the community is becoming more vibrant than it was before.

Cains Quest, one of the longest snowmobile races in the world, has turned Wabush from "the middle of nowhere" to the centre of it all.

For 100 years, Amherstburg was famous for its amusement park. When the park closed, locals turned to a new attraction that will never go out of style: Amherstburg’s remarkable heritage.

For 50 years, this tiny town was an air force base where thousands of pilots learned to fly; when the base closed, Southport transformed into a new kind of community.

Dawson Citys 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 communitys unique culture and history. COVID-19 put a stop to this thriving industry which is still dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic.

In the spring of 2013, High River, Alberta experienced the worst flooding event in the provinces 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.

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, after its heroic actions on September of 2001, (and an award-winning musical that commemorated this event) Gander has once again became a globally-recognized destination.

This Indigenous community beat out 25 others to build the largest First Nations’ casino in Canada.

After the closure of Smiths Falls’ iconic Hershey factory, Ontario’s “Chocolate Capital” reinvented itself as place where new recreational and service sector businesses can thrive.

After the towns uranium mine went bust, Elliot Lake turned to of another precious resource: some of the most affordable real estate in the country.

The local steel industry collapses and New Glasgow embraces art, its diverse history and its community spirit.

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