Towns and neighbourhoods all across the country are facing their own challenges. Now or Never is flying into a few to find out what it really takes to hold a community together, when everything's trying to pull it apart. 

Little Jamaica has been the heart of Toronto for generations of Caribbean and African residents and entrepreneurs. Then the subway came. It took 15 years of constant construction to build the new line. It meant years of constant headaches for business owners. Now the ones who are left say they need more than community spirit to stay alive and vibrant. Jason McDonald, the owner of a beauty salon in the area and chair of the Little Jamaica BIA, shares what's at stake and takes us on a tour of the neighbourhood.

It took far longer to start an intentional community from scratch than Ron Berezan anticipated. But after a decade, construction equipment is in the ground at Blueberry Commons in Powell River, B.C., a co-housing project where everyone farms the same land, shares amenities, and makes decisions together. They plan on opening this summer, but there’s still a lot to do before Ron and the team’s dream officially becomes reality. 

There’s a revolution going on inside Winnipeg’s Good and Plenty Arts Collective Clubhouse, where women and gender diverse musicians take the lead and learn the techniques of music production, creating community along the way. Lana Winterhalt and Veronica Blackhawk tell us why that's so important.

The remote town of Faro, Yukon has surplus housing at prices that are rare to find in other parts of the country — and mayor Jack Bowers is trying to convince people to move in. The town’s population dropped significantly after a zinc mine in the community shut down in the '90s. Jack says Faro has slowly been rising from the ashes since, but more people need to move in for the town to sustain itself in the long-term.

Darrell Warren is determined to fight crime in his neighbourhood. At 64 years old he’s voluntarily staking out drug houses in Winnipeg’s north end, and starting a tip line so other community members can come forward as witnesses, and help him try to make change. But is it safe?