Disruptors

Latest Episodes:

Link to the World: How Manitoba Is Rebuilding a Northern Trade Route Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

At the edge of Hudson Bay, the Port of Churchill is being revitalized — reconnecting the Prairies to global markets and strengthening Canada’s northern gateway to the world.

In this episode of Disruptors: The Canada Project, John Stackhouse speaks with Premier Wab Kinew, Chris Avery of Arctic Gateway Group, and Grant Barkman of Decision Works about how Indigenous ownership, modern rail infrastructure, and drone-powered innovation are reconnecting the Prairies to global markets.

As climate shifts open new Arctic passages and global trade routes are redefined, Manitoba is positioning itself as a northern link between the Prairies and the world — redefining how Canada moves goods, builds partnerships, and prepares for the future.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Port to Prosperity: How Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Is Rebuilding Canada’s Pacific Gateway Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

Canada’s prosperity depends on how efficiently it can move goods to market — yet its largest ports have fallen behind the world’s best. With global trade accelerating and supply chains
under pressure, Roberts Bank Terminal 2 represents a generational investment in Canada’s competitiveness.

In this episode, Peter Xotta, CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Devan Fitch, the project’s Program Director, and Tamara Vrooman, CEO of Vancouver International Airport, join John Stackhouse to discuss how this long-planned expansion will bring new automation, capacity, and environmental innovation to Canada’s Pacific Gateway. Together, they explore how smart infrastructure and strong partnerships can secure Canada’s trade
future — sustainably and sovereignty.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How Atlantic Canada is powering Canada’s place in space Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

For over two centuries, Atlantic Canada has been the launch point for Canada’s ventures into the unknown — from the Grand Banks to global trade routes. Today, that pioneering spirit is looking skyward.

In this episode, Stephen Matier of Maritime Launch Services and Rahul Goel of NordSpace join host John Stackhouse to explore how Canada is closing that gap. Together with Chris Hadfield, they unpack what sovereign access to space means for national security, climate resilience, and technological leadership — and how Nova Scotia and Newfoundland’s emerging space sectors are helping bring Canada into the new space age.

Because if Canada can’t launch its own ideas, it can’t lead its own future.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Defending the Deep: Securing Canada’s Underwater Sovereignty Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Canada’s future security doesn’t just lie in the skies or across its borders — it lies beneath the waves. Newfoundland and Labrador, long defined by its connection to the North Atlantic, is emerging as the front line in Canada’s underwater defence and surveillance revolution.

In this episode, Kraken Robotics’ David Shea reveals how cutting-edge sonar and subsea intelligence are giving Canada new eyes and ears in the ocean depths — technology once reserved for superpowers, now developed and deployed from St. John’s. And General Rick Hillier, former Chief of Defence Staff, joins host John Stackhouse to explore why control of our underwater domain is critical to national sovereignty, Arctic readiness, and alliance security in an age of rising global tension.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Canada Project (Trailer) Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Canada stands at a crossroads. Become a leader or continue to ride shotgun. The choice is obvious. But global political and economic uncertainty demands we act decisively. We need to close the productivity gap with our peer nations and build bigger, better and bolder. Visionary leaders across the country are seizing this moment, harnessing technology to take on Canada's most-urgent challenges.
For this season of Disruptors, we're crisscrossing the country to showcase their groundbreaking work. From robotics that safeguard Arctic sovereignty and AI that rewrites how we grow food to critical minerals powering the clean transition and housing innovations reshaping our cities. In every sector we explore, technical ingenuity meets national purpose. These are not just stories of invention-they provide a blueprint for a stronger, more competitive Canada.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

REBOOT: Agentic AI - The Next Frontier Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

AI is moving beyond passive outputs toward autonomous action. In this episode, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik explore Agentic AI, a new class of AI systems that can reason, plan, and take initiative with limited human oversight. These systems represent a major evolution beyond traditional and generative AI, capable of real-time adaptation and complex decision-making.

They’re joined by Adel El Hallak, Senior Director of Product Management at NVIDIA AI Enterprise, and Jacomo Corbo, CEO and Co-Founder of PhysicsX. Adel shares insights from his work delivering secure, scalable AI platforms for enterprise, while Jacomo draws on deep experience deploying AI in high-performance engineering contexts, including Formula 1 and advanced manufacturing.

Together, they unpack how agentic AI is already being deployed, the economic opportunities at stake, and the roadmaps and ethical considerations businesses need to navigate as AI agents become a force in real-world operations.

Sign up to receive RBC Thought Leadership's newsletter, flagship reports and analysis on the forces shaping Canadian business and the economy.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

REBOOT: AgriFood and Food Security: Can Canada Feed the World? Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

With a growing global population and climate challenges reshaping food production, Canada has a golden opportunity to lead the ag-tech revolution. But are we ready? In this episode of Disruptors x CDL, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik take a deep dive into the future of farming with industry experts Evan Fraser (Director, Arrell Food Institute) and Alison Sunstrum (CEO, CNSRV-X Inc.), exploring the innovations that could transform agriculture as we know it.

They discuss how AI, robotics, and precision farming are reshaping the food system—from predictive agriculture to climate-resilient crops. With Canada slipping in global agri-food rankings, what must we do to stay competitive? And how can we bridge the gap between innovation and adoption?

From farm fields to lab-grown solutions, this episode uncovers the technologies and policies that will define the next era of food production. Whether you’re in tech, policy, or just interested in the future of your next meal, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Sign up to receive RBC Thought Leadership's newsletter, flagship reports and analysis on the forces shaping Canadian business and the economy.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

REBOOT: Powering Canada: Electricity and Data Centres Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

What does it take to power the intelligence economy of the future? In this episode of Disruptors x CDL: The Innovation Era, hosts John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik dive into the surging energy demands of AI and data centers, exploring how Canada can seize this pivotal moment to lead the way in sustainable innovation.

Alberta’s Minister of Technology and Innovation, Nate Glubish, shares how the province is positioning itself as a global hub for data infrastructure through initiatives like the Wonder Valley project, which aims to build the largest data center installation on the planet. Doug Beach, Chair of Eavor Technologies, discusses the role of advanced geothermal energy in creating a cleaner, more reliable energy grid. Together, they illuminate Canada’s unique potential to combine abundant natural resources, cutting-edge technologies, and bold innovation strategies to power the next generation of intelligence.

Discover how startups, policymakers, and industry leaders are coming together to transform Canada into a global leader in the data economy, while balancing energy demands with sustainability. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about the opportunities shaping our nation’s future.

Sign up to receive RBC Thought Leadership's newsletter, flagship reports and analysis on the forces shaping Canadian business and the economy.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

REBOOT: AI in Canada: Leading Innovation, Lagging Adoption Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Disruptors x CDL: The Innovation Era, hosts John Stackhouse, Senior VP of RBC, and Sonia Sennik, CEO of Creative Destruction Lab, dive into one of the most transformative technologies of our time: Artificial Intelligence. With the potential to revolutionize industries from healthcare to energy, AI is reshaping the global economy — and Canada is both a leader in research and a laggard in adoption.

This week, Geoffrey Hinton, Professor at the University of Toronto, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his research in artificial intelligence that began in 1987.

Join John and Sonia as they discuss Canada’s AI ecosystem and the country's challenges in keeping pace with global AI adoption. They’re joined by three visionary guests: Sheldon Fernandez, CEO of Darwin AI, Kory Mathewson, Senior Research Scientist at Google DeepMind, and Gillian Hadfield, a Schmidt Sciences AI2050 Senior Fellow. Together, they explore the opportunities and barriers in AI adoption, the creative applications of AI, and the role Canada must play in the future of AI.

This episode is packed with insights for business leaders, policymakers, and anyone curious about how AI is changing our world. Whether you’re an AI enthusiast or a skeptic, this episode will challenge your thinking on the role of technology in shaping the future.

Tune in to learn how AI is both an opportunity and a responsibility, and how Canada can lead the charge in this new innovation era.

Sign up to receive RBC Thought Leadership's newsletter, flagship reports and analysis on the forces shaping Canadian business and the economy.

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Canada’s AI Opportunity with Minister of Artificial Intelligence Evan Solomon Jul 01, 2025

Show notes

Are we ready for the AI era or are we stuck in an imagination gap? In this special 200th episode, recorded live at Creative Destruction Lab’s Super Session, John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik sit down with Minister Evan Solomon, Canada’s first-ever Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation. From national sovereignty and productivity to global competition and culture, Solomon outlines a bold vision for Canada’s AI future - what he calls a “Gutenberg moment” in human progress.

Drawing on findings from the new RBC Thought Leadership report The AI Imagination Gap, this episode explores why Canadian enterprises are hesitating on AI adoption and how the right mix of policy, ambition, and imagination can close the gap. Minister Solomon speaks candidly about the four key pillars of Canada’s AI strategy: scaling champions, adoption, trust, and sovereignty, and offers tangible insights into how SMEs, researchers, and public institutions can all benefit from AI’s abundance, if the right supports are in place.

This wide-ranging conversation dives into Canada's AI spine, the importance of protecting national culture through digital sovereignty, and how government, startups, and citizens alike must embrace this pivotal moment with urgency, collaboration, and creativity.

Download AI Report:

Bridging the Imagination Gap: How Canadian Companies can become global leaders in AI adoption

CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:

• Follow RBC Thought Leadership onLinkedIn
• Follow John Stackhouse onLinkedIn
• For more insights visit RBC Thought Leadership

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.