The History of #CanadaDay CanCon Posts
We’re thrilled to continue our annual tradition of celebrating Canada Day by spotlighting the vibrant tapestry of Canadian content. Since 2015, our “Canada Day: The Perfect Day to Support Canadian Content” series has aimed to honour and promote the diverse talents that define our nation’s cultural landscape.
Embracing Canadian Content
Canada Day serves as a poignant reminder of the rich artistic contributions that Canadians make across various mediums. From groundbreaking films and chart-topping music to innovative video games and compelling literature, Canadian creators continue to leave an indelible mark both nationally and internationally.
This year, we encourage everyone to delve into the latest offerings from Canadian artists. Whether it’s a new album from an emerging musician, a thought-provoking novel, or an indie game developed in your hometown, there’s a wealth of content waiting to be explored and celebrated.
MUSIC
The 2025 JUNO Awards returned to the West Coast this past March. Vancouver did a great job spotlighting Canadian music. Congratulations to all the winners, nominees, and their families and professional teams. Special shout out to Ryan Ofei (and his team from Segun to Lloyd) who’s album Restore earned him his first JUNO, in the category of Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year. Check out the complete list of 2025 JUNO Award Winners here.
The award shows are the centrepieces of a week of great activities for the community and music industry, including highlighting the important roles that producers and managers play in the creation and distribution of music.
The Honouring Ceremony event also highlighted the important contributions of indigenous musicians and teachings have in our collective musical landscape in Canada.
The Polars Prize is another great way to check out a strong list of curated albums, or for individual songs to add to your playlists. Check out the recently announced Polaris Prize longlist, with albums from Canadian artists such as Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Art d’Ecco, Backxwash. The short list is being announced on July 10 with the winner chosen on Sept 16, 2025.
Many more Canadian artists have been putting out music that contribute to our national music sound and scene from Housewife, to Kassidy.
Also, there are many summer music festivals coming up to check out, including…….
- Toronto – Mixto Music Festival (July 12-13) – www.mixtofestival.com
- Ottawa – Ottawa Bluesfest (July 10-20) – www.ottawabluesfest.ca
- Vancouver – Vancouver Folk Music Festival (July 18-20) – www.thefestival.bc.ca
- Yukon – Dawson City Music Festival (July 18-20) – www.dcmf.com
- Montreal – Osheaga Festival Musique et Arts (August 1-3) – www.osheaga.com
- Prince Edward Island – Cavendish Beach Music Festival (July 10-12) – www.cavendishbeachmusic.com
- Calgary – Calgary Stampede (July 3-13) – www.calgarystampede.com/stampede/music
- Winnipeg – Winnipeg Folk Festival (July 10-13) – www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca
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FILM AND TV
Canada continues to deliver strong creative output in 2025, with fresh series, feature films, and documentaries. There’s a lot of content, and maybe too many options, but a standout representing Canada is North of North which premiered on CBC and APTN early into the new year and then had its international debut on Netflix in the spring, with a second season on its way. Shot in Nunavut and written by and for northern communities, North of North explores life in a fictional Arctic town through the eyes of a vibrant, multigenerational cast.
More info: CBC – North of North
We’re happy to share the recent premiere of 3 Story Pictures’ Red River Gold. 3 Story has an active presence in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Did you know that in 1870, a shipment of gold coins from the Royal Mint of England vanished without a trace? Intended to crush the Red River Resistance led by Louis Riel and the Métis, the treasure never reached its destination. No one knows what happened. Whispers of betrayal, buried fortunes, and lost legacies echo through time. Now, over 150 years later, a team dares to uncover the truth and you can check out what happened on APTN.
Watch the episodes here: APTN – Red River Gold
We work with many service producers, and one project to highlight to check out on Netflix is You Gotta Believe, service produced by Hangar 18 Media. Whether you have a connection to little league baseball or not, you’ll want to watch this special true story come to life, starting Luke Wilson and Greg Kinnear and other familiar faces.
Watch the film here: NETFLIX – You Gotta Believe
Regarding more content we have been proud to be a part of, last year we highlighted the Know Her Name feature documentary, which was commissioned by Super Channel and produced by Creatorland (Zainab Muse), Pelee Entertainment (Heidi Lasi), and OYA Media Group. This powerful feature documentary explores how women—particularly from underrepresented communities—have been erased from the film industry’s history. The film challenges systemic amnesia and highlights the need for cultural preservation and equity. Directed by Zainab Muse, the doc has been doing the rounds at festivals and reaching more and more audiences – challenging us to ensure we remember voices that are forgotten.
We’re happy to know share that it’s now available on Super Channel, in the schedule and on demand: SUPER CHANNEL – Know Her Name
There’s a similar story regarding another doc we’re proud to be a part of. Directed by Lisa Jackson, Wilfred Buck continues its momentum with additional screenings and critical acclaim. Based on the memoir I Have Lived Four Lives, the film traces the spiritual and cultural journey of Cree Elder Wilfred Buck, bringing together present-day footage, archival material, and re-enactments. The film explores Indigenous astronomy, Cree cosmology, and the resilience of cultural knowledge passed through generations. Produced with support from the NFB and screened at Hot Docs 2024, it’s now in extended distribution.
While we highlighted this documentary before, it’s now available on Crave: CRAVE – Wilfred Buck
PUBLISHING
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to support Canadian storytelling, 2025 is a strong year for creator-owned publishing, comics, and graphic novels. Print is alive and well. Now in its 20th year, TCAF (Toronto Comic Arts Festival) remains one of the premier comic arts events in North America. This year’s event brought together publishers, artists, and readers from across the country and beyond. Edwards Creative Law’s entertainment lawyer Michael Duboff, a TCAF board member, spoke on legal issues in creator-owned publishing—providing guidance on contracts, rights management, and revenue sharing in the comics space.
For a list of their featured guests and their projects visit www.torontocomics.com/exhibitors
GAMES
Canada’s video game sector continues its upward trajectory in 2025, with over 20 million active players and projected revenues exceeding $6 billion. The country remains a leader in both independent development and emerging technologies like Web3.
XP Game Summit, held in Toronto this June, brought together developers, publishers, investors, and platform representatives from across the continent. Our entertainment lawyer Ian Harris, attended the summit to support clients working in game development, funding, publishing, and interactive rights management. For a look at who will be making their mark in 2025 and beyond, check out the 2025 indie pitch finalists from the XP Game Summit – www.xpgamesummit.com/indie-pitch/
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If you’ve been looking for the perfect moment to tune into content created by Canadians or produced in your own community, Canada Day is it. Celebrate by enjoying and supporting homegrown talent!
More of Edwards Creative Law’s Canada Day Blogs:
For Canada Day 2024’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
For Canada Day 2023’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
For Canada Day 2020’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
For Canada Day 2019’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
For Canada Day 2018’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
For Canada Day 2017’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
For Canada Day 2016’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
For Canada Day 2015’s Canadian content suggestions, click here.
© 2025 Edwards Creative Law, LLP
Updated to June 30, 2025
Edwards Creative Law is Canada’s Entertainment Law Boutique™, providing legal services to Canadians, and international clients who partner with Canadians, in the Film & Television, Music, Video Games and Apps, Publishing and Literary industries.
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* This blog is for general informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice. Please contact Edwards Creative Law or another lawyer, if you wish to apply these concepts to your specific circumstances.
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