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Maddy Goldberg is a renowned Toronto Chef. She wanted to volunteer at her local Food Bank in some capacity. Then it dawned on her- maybe she could use her skills as a chef to make a difference in people's lives.

Sam Garrison is a teacher who was looking to give his life some focus and also contribute to Toronto Food Banks. What seemed like a far fetched idea to swim the English Channel to raise funds soon became the challenge of a lifetime.

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We start our first podcast of 2026 with a lively chat with our treasured Mascot/Sculptor, Austin Emery. We follow that with a fun interview with the creator of the Little Canada Museum, Jean- Louis Brenninkmeijer. Much like their original podcast, each of them has intriguing updates and stories to share.

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Nabilah Rawji is a passionate Sommelier in Toronto and in this interview provides some terrific wine-related facts including a few surprises about the many myths surrounding the world of choosing and serving wine. 

Alexandra Newbould is one of Canada's preeminent courtroom sketch artists, (she recently covered the much followed Hockey Canada case). She shares her insights into how she handles the pressure of listening to sometimes disturbing evidence all while producing thought-provoking sketches under tight deadlines that will immediately be seen by millions of viewers around the world.

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The  dynamic duo of Matt Blackett and Dylan Reid have been part of an intriguing organization that has played a critical role in making our city better. Matt is the publisher and creative director of Spacing Magazine while Dylan is the Executive Editor. The magazine that analyzes public spaces in Toronto has been nominated for 22 national magazine awards and has taken home four honours.

As if that isn't enough, Matt also manages a retail outlet called Spacing Toronto, which sells all things Toronto related.  While they both  bring a critical eye and indepth analyses of our city's environment  it is done from a hearfelt love of our city. They are fierce committed advocates for Toronto. 

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Veterinarian Dr. Cliff Redford and his daughter Emily, have travelled internationally on a singular mission: Rescue as many animals in life-threatening situations as possible. Their adventures abroad have been documented in an award-winning film entitled, Dr. Cliff Worldwide Vet. This film chronicles in riveting fashion, their rescue operations across the Globe. The film also captures the special bond that a father and daughter have made in doing this work as a team. It's a remarkable story that Dr. Cliff elaborates on in a very engaging fashion in this interview. 

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Rob Spindler saw a problem in his local ravine and decided to do something about it. What started out as a one-man operation has blossomed into an annual community event.

Cindy Ho and Joseph Tam thought that a Geriatric Care facility might appreciate and benefit from their singing and performing skills.  Their "C & J" show now warms the hearts of residents on a regular basis.

All three are proof that individuals can have a huge impact on their local community.

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The Small Change Fund, led by environmentalist Burkhard Mausberg, has developed a unique way to provide financial and strategic support for more than 200 small, enterprising organizations across Canada. Burkhard explains how the program has developed and expanded over the years and also chats about his fascinating and robust career in the environmental movement. And he talks passionately about where he finds hope in the fight against climate change.

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To celebrate our fourth Season of the Hidden Gems Toronto podcast, we decided to take a trip down memory lane. We tracked down four of the guests who appeared in our first few seasons to see what has changed since then. And much like their original podcast, each of them had intriguing updates and stories to share.

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Coko Galore seems to have been born with an extra funny bone in her body and she proves it every night when she appears on the stage of second city Toronto.  

Kurt Scanlan, meanwhile, has managed to turn his childhood passion for playing with toys into a full time career.  They both provide us with an entertaining account of how it all came about.

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Adam Bunch is an award-winning historian with an insatiable interest and curiosity about our city's past. He has a knack for bringing history to life by including unusual and often  bizarre characters and events in  all his writing and presentations.  And he has a unique storytelling style that makes the history of Toronto seem like a John Grisham page-turner novel.

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