Discover more of Canada, one great find at a time.
This week, there’s a Nova Scotia-born beer made for dogs, a closer look at Chapman’s after so many of you emailed us asking for it, discarded Yukon plastic getting a second life, Calgary-made boots with an RCMP connection, and a Saskatchewan landscape that looks like it belongs in the Sahara.
THE GREAT CANADIAN DEBATE
LAST WEEK’S VERDICT
Apparently, this one wasn’t much of a debate. 😂
A whopping 1,141 readers voted, and a loon calling across a quiet lake absolutely ran away with it, taking 79.4% of the vote.
🇨🇦 The loon wins Canada’s unofficial national sound.
THIS WEEK’S DEBATE
Canada can only keep ONE snack. Which one are you saving?
THIS WEEK’S CANADIAN FINDS
Products, businesses, people and places that deserve a little more attention.
THE BIG FIND · NOVA SCOTIA
Crafty Beasts Brewing Co.
The dog beer that started with a Halifax zoning problem.
Cindy James never set out to start a beverage company.
While trying to relocate her Halifax dog daycare, she discovered the new space needed a retail component. Then she came across a dog bar in Croatia and started experimenting with her own canine-friendly brew using an Instant Pot.
That experiment became Crafty Beasts Brewing.
Today, its lineup includes Canine Pale Ale, Pumpkin Ale and Blueberry Ale. Despite the name, the brews are 100% alcohol-free and made with Canadian ingredients.
And yes, dogs helped with product testing. At early “Slurp Events,” the canine testers weren't fans of carbonation, so Crafty Beasts switched to nitrogen instead.
YOU ASKED · ONTARIO
Chapman’s Ice Cream
You asked us about this one. A lot.
Chapman’s has been making ice cream in Markdale, Ontario since 1973, using 100% Canadian dairy. Now the family-run company is in the middle of another distinctly Canadian chapter.
Chapman’s says it is on track to replace more than 70% of its U.S.-sourced ingredients by mid-2027, turning instead to Canadian and other non-U.S. suppliers. It has even partnered with an Ontario manufacturer to bring sugar-cone production to Canada.
The company has also promised no price increases until March 2028.
And resilience isn't new here. When fire destroyed its Markdale factory in 2009, Chapman’s rebuilt and made sure its 350 employees didn't miss a paycheque.
FOUNDING PARTNER · SPONSORED
The Richmond Popcorn Co.
Family-owned. Made in Ontario. Shipped across Canada.
The Richmond Popcorn Co. is a family-owned Canadian popcorn company making more than 30 sweet and savoury flavours, from their famous homemade Caramel Corn and Chicago Mix to seasonal favourites and unexpected creations.
Every batch is made in Ontario with Canadian farmed kernels and available to order online, with shipping across Canada.
DISCOUNT CODE FOR MORE CANADA PLEASE READERS
DISCOUNT CODE: Save 10% on all orders! MoreCanadaPlease10
Valid until September 15, 2026
MADE IN THE NORTH · YUKON
Yukon Plastics
What if the North's next valuable resource isn't mined at all?
Yukon Plastics began when Whitehorse resident Janna Swales and her son Will tried melting discarded plastic into something new. Their first attempt was a slightly wonky cutting board.
Today, the family business turns plastic collected in Yukon communities into colourful soap dishes, combs, rings and other products made from 100% recycled plastic.
BUILT HERE · ALBERTA
Alberta Boot Co.
The Calgary bootmakers with a very Canadian customer.
Alberta Boot Company has been handcrafting western footwear in Calgary since 1978, with skilled bootmakers still assembling each pair in the city today.
For decades, the company has also made the tall Strathcona Boot associated with the RCMP. Visitors to its Calgary flagship can even look onto the factory floor and see the boots being made.
Nearly 50 years later, it remains a very Alberta example of craftsmanship still being done at home.
ONE MORE CANADIAN THING · SASKATCHEWAN
Athabasca Sand Dunes
This isn't the Sahara. It's Saskatchewan.
Along the south shore of Lake Athabasca, an extraordinary landscape of active sand dunes stretches for roughly 100 kilometres across northern Saskatchewan.
Some dunes rise as high as 30 metres, and the area is the largest active sand surface in Canada. The Athabasca dunes are also recognized as the world's most northerly active sand dune formations.
Getting there isn't exactly a roadside detour either. Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park is accessible by float plane only, has no onsite services and is recommended for experienced wilderness travellers.
One of Canada's most unexpected landscapes is hiding in Saskatchewan's far north.
KNOW A CANADIAN BUSINESS WE SHOULD DISCOVER?
Is there a Canadian business, product, founder or place that more people should know about? Send us your recommendation and tell us what makes it worth discovering.
Your suggestion could be featured in an upcoming edition of More Canada Please.
HOW DID WE DO?!
One quick note before you go: I’ve been reading all of the emails and recommendations you’ve been sending in, and they’re already helping shape future issues. Chapman’s made it into this week’s edition largely because so many of you asked us to include them. Keep the Canadian finds coming. I genuinely love discovering them!
Until next week,
Dan
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