6 Canadian Podcasts to Kick-Start Your New Year…A Little Early

If you read one of the November EarBuds newsletters (and you should!), then you’ll have read the statistic that Canadians rank #1 in terms of listenership, yet are sadly lesser-known as podcast creators worldwide.

I’d like to change that.

What better time to start a new podcasting journey than the New Year? And what better way to start it than by delving into this year’s winners of the Canadian Podcast Awards?

I’m Niall Spain, co-host of the award-winning F*ck Buddies, a sex and dating advice podcast we’ll delve into a little later, and the award-nominated No Quest for the Wicked. I’ve also been a listener and creator of podcasts for years, and I can’t get enough of them. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Parkdale Haunt

One of my favorite podcasts and winner of both the People’s Choice Award and Outstanding Production for a Series in the Canadian Podcast Awards (among numerous others), this narrative horror podcast is massively worth a listen.

When Judith Antoni’s best friend, Claire Sterback, takes off without warning, it’s up to her and her friend Owen to work backwards and figure out what happened to her. The sound design, acting, and writing are great, and the whole thirty episode series will keep you on your toes (and maybe up at night).

Positively Positive

As a sex educator, I know it’s incredibly important to smash the stigma surrounding STIs (herpes in particular) and Positively Positive does this in spades.

Winner of the Outstanding Health & Fitness Series, this show is a no-holds-barred discussion about everything herpes and HSV-related from someone who has not only been through it, questioned and studied it, but who has also accepted and thrives with it!

Getting Lit with Linda

If the name alone doesn’t make you want to listen to this, the engaging and sometimes provocative insights of seasoned literature professor Linda M. Morris soon will.

Winner of the Outstanding Education Series, Getting Lit with Linda discusses literature from Canada and around the world to show us that stories are relevant for everyone. As a bonus, you’ll go from this recommendation to a number of book recommendations too!

The Pick Up

Canadians are no strangers to sports and that’s never been clearer than when you’re listening to The Pick Up, winner of both Outstanding Sports and Outstanding Leisure series.

Comedians Freddie Rivas and Cathryn Naiker discuss their love for WNBA basketball, delving into the latest games, storylines, history of the league, and so much more. Approachable and funny, this podcast feels just like a game of pick-up.

You Made Me Queer

Do you have enough ‘accusatory’ podcasts in your life? I seriously doubt it.

Don’t worry, I can help. Listen to You Made Me Queer, the winner of both Outstanding Personal Series and Outstanding Debut for a Series. Join Trevor Campbell as he asks a variety of LGBTQIA+ guests to set the record straight about who, and or what, left them bent for life. Their tagline is “we’re here, we’re queer, and it’s your fault.” That alone should win you over.

F*ck Buddies: A Sex and Dating Advice Podcast

And then there’s my podcast (well, one of them)! Winner of Best Outstanding Adult Series, my co-host, Dain Miller, and I host a one-hour advice show. We take turns posing questions submitted by our listeners or ones we’ve found from social media (and sometimes more dubious sources). We tackle the entire spectrum of dating and sex advice quandaries from light-hearted queries to serious moral dilemmas. Common topics are consent, communication issues, break-up recovery, and initiating a romantic or sexual relationship.

Spurred by the concerning rise of movements such as the Red Pill and Incel communities, we began producing the podcast to hopefully inspire those struggling with romantic, sexual, and all relationship difficulties to reach out for assistance free of judgment before frustration manifests itself into toxic behaviour.

Hopefully you’ll find one (or many) new shows to add a little maple flavour to your podcast roster from those listed above, but don’t forget to check out the rest of the Canadian Podcast Award winners (and the Canadian podcasting scene at large).