Toronto Talks

Building for the Long Term: Tony Irwin on Rental Housing and Toronto’s Growth

Toronto’s rental housing challenge is far from over.

In this episode of Toronto Talks, Giles Gherson speaks with Tony Irwin, President and CEO of the Federation of Rental Housing Providers of Ontario, about why short-term market indicators can be misleading and why rental housing remains critical to Toronto’s long-term growth. Irwin explains why nearly half of the city’s residents rent, how rental affordability affects talent attraction and workforce stability, and why essential workers and families are increasingly priced out.

Canada Has Everything, Except Urgency: Goldy Hyder on Canada’s Economic Drift

In this year-end episode of Toronto Talks, Giles Gherson sits down with Goldy Hyder, President & CEO of the Business Council of Canada, to look back on a tumultuous 2025 — and ahead to the choices Canada must confront in 2026.

Together, they examine an uncomfortable paradox: a country with every structural advantage a modern economy should want still finds itself struggling to scale companies, attract investment, or remove the barriers it built for itself. As they reflect on the year, they press into the questions 2025 made impossible to avoid:

• Why did a more assertive U.S. catch us off guard yet again?
• How did regulatory inertia become a defining feature of Canadian policymaking?
• And heading into 2026, is our real challenge competitiveness — or complacency?

Hyder argues that Canada’s greatest vulnerability isn’t external pressure but the comfort that allows drift to masquerade as stability. If 2025 was a wake-up call, then 2026 will test whether we’re willing to act.

When Your AI Becomes You: Don Tapscott on the Future of Identity

As AI moves from helpful tool to ever-present companion, what does that mean for how we work, lead, and stay in control? In his new book You to the Power of Two, Don Tapscott argues we’re entering the age of Identic AI—digital extensions of ourselves that can think, act, and even negotiate on our behalf.

In this episode, World Trade Centre Toronto VP Jon Worren sits down with Don to explore how Identic AI could transform business, reshape personal identity, and test our ability to build technology we can trust. From the future of executive work to the question of who owns our digital selves, this is a conversation about what’s coming and why Canada needs to get ahead of it.

Making AI Work: Olivier Blais on Turning Technology Into Business Results

AI doesn’t create value until people use it.

Olivier Blais, co-founder and Vice President of AI at Moov AI, shares how businesses can turn artificial intelligence into real results. From grocery forecasting that cuts waste to financial tools that save hours of manual work, he explains how to build trust, boost productivity, and make AI part of everyday operations.

This episode of Toronto Talks is brought to you by the AI Business Catalyst program from World Trade Centre Toronto. It helps small and mid-sized businesses use AI to strengthen operations and drive growth through hands-on tools and expert coaching.

To learn more visit bot.com/aibc.

Cameron Bailey: TIFF at 50 - the Making of Toronto’s Economic Blockbuster

This fall, the Toronto International Film Festival marked its 50th anniversary, a milestone that celebrates not only great storytelling, but the powerful economic engine behind it. 

In this special #TIFF50 conversation, TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey joins Jennifer van der Valk, the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, to reflect on how a local showcase for Canadian filmmakers became a global industry hub.

From $240 million in annual impact to the next generation of creative talent and cross-border collaboration, Bailey shares what it takes to turn art into enterprise and why Toronto’s film story is also a business success story still in the making.

Ontario’s Finance Minister: Steering Through Turbulence, Building for Tomorrow

Weeks before delivering Ontario’s Fall Economic Statement, the province’s Finance Minister joined the Board's President and CEO, Giles Gherson, for a timely and candid conversation about how Ontario is navigating global trade tensions and economic uncertainty.

From record infrastructure investments to interprovincial trade and the race to lead in nuclear innovation, the Minister outlined a vision of nation building at speed; built on fiscal discipline, domestic strength, and long-term growth.

Reconciliation in Action: Indigenous Partnership and Ontario’s Ring of Fire with the Hon. Greg Rickford

As Ontario embarks on some of the largest infrastructure and mining investments in its history, one truth stands out: success depends on Indigenous partnership.

In this episode, we mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by focusing on the critical role Indigenous communities play in shaping Ontario’s economic future.

Michael Fox, President of Indigenous Community Engagement, moderates a powerful discussion with Chief Cornelius Wabasse of the Webequie First Nation and The Honourable Greg Rickford, Ontario’s Minister of Indigenous Affairs. 

Then, Minister Rickford joins the Board's President and CEO, Giles Gherson for a sit-down conversation.

The conversations speak about:

• The road to developing the Ring of Fire responsibly
• Embedding Indigenous leadership from the start
• Training the next generation of Indigenous workers
• Access to capital and building sovereign wealth
• Turning policy into practice with real infrastructure investments

Ontario and Alberta: Building Stronger Economic Ties with James Carpenter

Ontario and Alberta, two of Canada’s largest economies, are moving past old rivalries to forge a stronger economic partnership.

With new agreements in place, the provinces are working to break down trade barriers, recognize credentials across borders, and collaborate on energy, infrastructure, and investment.

In this episode, Alberta’s senior representative in Ottawa, James Carpenter, joins us to discuss what this new chapter means for businesses, workers, and Canada’s competitiveness on the global stage.