Hidden Gems Toronto

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For 14 years, Steven Loder has spent his working day roaming the city looking for parking violations. He brings a positive attitude to an occasionally difficult job.

Kyle Sikorski is a mild mannered office worker by day, but on the weekend and evenings he takes on a whole new personality as he enters the ring to wrestle.  

Two interesting people talk about how they view their jobs.

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Jemma Chapman came to Canada from England hoping to start a career as an architect. When job offers didn't materalize, rather than becoming dejected,  she decided to share her newfound love of our city by creating  stamp size illustrations of her favourite places and foods. What started as a hobby has turned into a business that is bringing joy and pride to our city. 

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The Museum of Toronto's latest exhibit has developed a very creative way to profile women from a variety of walks of life. CEO, Heidi Reitmaier provides insight into how this small but mighty museum has managed to not only build a unique space for their exhibits but also to extend its reach to different neighbourhoods in Toronto. Heidi also describes, with great passion, the role museums play in creating a healthy city.

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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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