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.

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.

The World Trade Centre Toronto’s AI Business Catalyst (AIBC) helps small and mid-sized businesses in southern Ontario explore how artificial intelligence can support smarter decision-making and drive growth. Through targeted learning and expert advisory, AIBC helps businesses identify where AI fits, understand available tools, and build a plan to implement them—regardless of industry.

https://bot.com/AI-Business-Catalyst

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.

The World Trade Centre Toronto’s AI Business Catalyst (AIBC) helps small and mid-sized businesses in southern Ontario explore how artificial intelligence can support smarter decision-making and drive growth. Through targeted learning and expert advisory, AIBC helps businesses identify where AI fits, understand available tools, and build a plan to implement them—regardless of industry.

https://bot.com/AI-Business-Catalyst