On a sub-zero November night in downtown Calgary, an auditorium of builders, entrepreneurs, founders, philanthropists, students, educators, investors, and ambitious Calgarians gathered to take action. The audience had a few things in common: shared purpose; belief in Canada's tremendous potential; and the resolve to be part of that promise to stop taking things for granted and start taking responsibility for the future we all want to see.
We were honoured to welcome Jim Gray to the stage for his time-tested words of wisdom. A legendary Canadian builder, Jim left the room with a question his late wife, Josie, repeatedly challenged him with: "What are you going to do about it?" The perfect call to action for a community already in motion.
In conversation, Patrick Lor (Managing Partner Panache Ventures & 500 Startups Canada) and Lucy Hargreaves (CEO & Co-Founder, Build Canada) emphasized: the crises Canada faces – productivity, competitiveness, cost of living – won’t fix themselves. Nation building is a work in progress. But progress requires bold, decisive action and the courage and conviction to have those difficult conversations that will move us forward.
Canada needs motivated, involved citizens who see possibility, take risks, and roll up their sleeves. Don't just think about it. Get 'er done!
Sharon Watkins focused on what it takes to build this country. That it’s not about waiting for “someone else” to do it or shifting blame, but each of us stepping up to drive change. Ultimately, she stressed how building is what you pass along to the next generation - your legacy. May we leave one future generations will be proud to build on.
We were also thrilled to feature rapid-fire cameos from some of Calgary’s active builders:
Jeff McCaig, Trimac Transportation, reflected on the people, community, and 80-year journey behind building a Canadian success story.
Darcy Tuer, ZayZoon, shared how Calgary’s builder community has been instrumental to their scale-up story.
Alice Reimer, Fillip & The51, reminded us that every great build stands on the shoulders of giants, and that scaffolding (our supporters) is essential.
Grant Sanden, GeologicAI, spotlighted the vast, untapped potential within our country.
Jeff Adamson, Neo Financial, compared how growth mirrors athletic progression: each stage feels daunting until you reach it. Canada has always been a country that punches above its weight.
