Comedian and actor, Jonny Harris, visits a small town, talks to the inhabitants and then does a stand-up show for them.
Genre: Comedy, Reality-TV
Cast:Jonny Harris , Sue Alcock , Brendan Bailey , James Douglas , JD Guignard , Jim Lasser , Noelle Hartt , Scott Medlock , Ray Zervini , Katie Antonishka , Brian McKinney , Ashley Chapman , Aakash Desai
Bamfield, B.C. is a tiny pacific coastal town. Jonny fires a canon, goes on marine safari and sees a tsunami drill
Coleman, Alberta, embraces the disasters of their past. Jonny learns the perils of explosives, mining and bear patrol.
Souris, P.E.I. a salt-of-the-earth town that holds onto the traditional ways, be it fishing, Celtic music or Moonshining.
The population is decreasing as the young folk who do not wish to farm leave the town in southern Saskatchewan. There is a small museum there overseen by the niece of a giant of a man who was over 8ft tall but died at the age of 23 and he was told he was still growing. The chief of the Sioux, Sitting Bull, went there once to escape Americans.
Berwick, Nova Scotia is home to some eccentric innovators: an Alpaca Farmer, an Andalusian Horse Trainer and the Gun Doggers.
Oil Springs, ON is an unknown town with small-town oil tycoons, a Jamaican hairdresser and a family who mushes Huskies.
Lytton lies where the Thompson River meets the mighty Fraser River. It often features as the hottest place in Canada in the summer. The new Coquihala Highway steered some traffic away from the Trans Canada and hence Lytton. We see a man who makes many metal "sculptures". We meet the local General Store owner, Ken Wong. There is a man who walks about with a vacuum cleaner on his back. Jonny tries out dirt biking with some young fellas. Then on to gold panning with George. The area has plenty of White Water rafting, and that is on his itinerary too.
Manitou Manitoba has talent! Like a saw playing yodeling Cowboy, preteen archery champion and a famous opera house.
Wawa, Ontario, is the quintessential Canadian town. Home to a fur-trapper, a lake inspired artist and a news hound.
Jonny visits a goat farm, and tries his hand at milking, and Tractor mechanics, he looks in on a tractor graveyard for a spare part. Teeswater is getting a new sewer system, and now marketing themselves as a tractor town. Some tractor drivers participate in Square dancing tractors. Jonny hangs on through an initiation in pillion tractor rides. We see the wild Teeswater Stompers that get together to play music and drink in the woods.
Rowley, Alberta offers a wild series of manly challenges, including Bull semen extraction and Red Neck racing.
Buxton, On, was the final stop on the underground railroad and offered a new life of equality for former slaves.
Fogo Island, NFLD, where fish is king and the simple but challenging life is as it has been for hundreds of years.
In the Season 2 premiere, Jonny fries up a big batch of fresh donuts, busts out the chainsaw to carve his very own totem pole, and picks up a fierce game of hoops.
Jonny discovers the top secret history of Vanastra, goes skate boarding with chickens, and tries his hand at a game of curling.
Jonny flexes his mussels, goes back to grade school, and gets acquainted with the town ghost.
Fort Coulonge, Quebec was once a booming logging town that shipped their famous white pine to build big cities like Chicago and New York. Today they are a struggling small town on the ropes. But there is hope! And it comes in the form of an entrepreneurial woman who discovered her roots and a passion to help this town.
Jonny learns the art of sausage stuffing, gets his boots dirty on some rugged terrain, and discovers about a horticulturist's plans to grow medical marijuana.
Eganville, Ontario has seen better times. Despite sitting on a main highway their store fronts are empty because cars just don't stop. This town continues to try and figure out how to get the people out of the cars and on to their majestic white water river to build a better future.
McAdam, New Brunswick's hey day was during the war time period when its glorious railway station and hotel were the talk of the eastern seaboard. Today this town struggles to get by but they are looking to the historic glory of the railway to get them back on track.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories is a fabricated town built in the 1950's to act as a hub of the Canadian northwest. It's an oil town that has felt both boom and bust. Today they are building the highway connecting them to Tuktoyaktuk in hopes that a boom is on the other side.
This town of 1100 is just Ne of Toronto, . The Regal Greeting Card company was the main employer in the area u til closing in the year 2000. A guy named Andy has now bought the plant and has some plans for it, but currently now just storing his own recreational vehicles in it along with many barrels of honey. Jonny talks to "Goof" who as a child knew Neil Young, who was raised here.
Stanstead, Quebec shares the Canada/United States boarder with Derby Line, Vermont. Before 9/11 this area felt like one big community. Today families and business are ripped apart by boarder control but the residents remain strong and have hope for the future.
Like most of Cape Breton, Mabou, Nova Scotia never fully bounced back from hard times. Companies and canneries have closed, hope was crushed and the young have left town. For this town to get back on its feet the community must band together, revive its rich Gaelic heritage, create a unique cultural experience and invite the entire world to come and see.
Once known as the location of a famous indigenous battle and ceremonial burial ground, Pilot Mound, Manitoba now struggles. But there is light on the horizon. This community, known unofficially as "Hockey Town in Manitoba" is hoping that it's new sports recreation centre and the first male hockey academy in Manitoba will get this town back on track!
Maple Creek, Saskatchewan was once known as the Cattle capital of Canada. Now this town struggles to get by due to the Mad Cow crisis of 2003, followed by a flood in 2010, leaving it with empty businesses, damaged buildings, and fragmented hearts. The community must gather not only their hammers and nails but their community spirit to come together and rebuild Canada's greatest western town.
Already reeling from the oil collapse, the people of Fort McMurray, Alberta are determined to rise out of the ashes and rebuild bigger and better following the most destructive wild fire in Canadian history.
The once struggling community of Bell Island, Newfoundland is hoping that their new and exciting ways of telling the island's rich historical stories will draw boatloads of mainlanders to their beautiful east coast home.
Manitou Beach, Saskatchewan has a bit of a sinking feeling. The people of this former booming resort town are fighting hard times and rising water in hopes of returning to its glory days.
With jobs lost and morale low, hope came at the right time for the people of Mattawa, Ontario. A much loved ski hill has re-opened creating nostalgia and excitement for a community still suffering from a loss of industry.
Edgerton, Alberta's farming industry has been suffering for years but a brewery started by a group of childhood friends might just get this community to bubble back to the top again.
Avondale was once a pit stop from one place to another but the community is excited about an official Nascar race track that will give people from all over the world a high octane reason to visit.
Despite the loss of a once-thriving logging industry, the people of Lake Cowichan will be two stepping back in to prosperity thanks to a huge country music festival that is making this community its permanent home.
Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia has seen its fair share of economic highs and lows but a chance discovery of dinosaur tracks might just save this close knit community from extinction.
The community of Norwood, Ontario has just about everything you could want in a small town - except young families to fill the high school. Norwood District High School is in danger of closing but its closely knit citizens are determined to stick together, enjoy their beautiful town and smile in the face of adversity.
Vulcan, Alberta was once known as "The Wheat Capital of Canada" but after some lean times the community banded together and got wildly creative so that they can successfully live long and prosper.
The people of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba have spent decades watching their small town decline, but thanks to marijuana's cousin hemp the community might be on their way to a groundbreaking bounce back.
No longer content to eke by on a drive-through economy defined by a constantly moving highway, the people of South River, Ontario are hoping that their picture perfect surroundings become a destination unto its own.
Tignish is the centre of the island's Lobster business. Some fish for Tuna. A record catch of 958 Lb Blue Fin Tuna was landed there, and it took over 5 hours to land it. Tignish lies at the western end of Prince Edward Island. Evelyn Bernard sells Dew Worms for bait, and when the season is over she releases them on the grass. Jonny calls it "Catch and Release". Jonny poses with a female body builder, which is an off-lobster season activity for her. Irish Moss and Carrageenan seaweeds are collected from beaches to sell.
The citizens of Carcross must find a way to welcome outsiders while protecting their land and traditions. Tourism has increased lately, but it is a two edge sword. We are shown where Prince William and his wife Kate visited an artist who makes Totem Poles. The First Nations speak Klingit. Jonny plays "What time Mr. Wolf".
In Rogersville, once known as the Brussels Sprout Capital of Canada, a new generation is taking the seeds of their Acadian history and growing a new economy.
The people of Fraser Lake have taken steps to take care of their own after losing their largest employer and their only grocery store.
A silver mine was being worked in Cobalt Ontario in the early 1900s, When the mine closed many left the town. There was a major fire in 1977 started by a cigarette. The town has a rough and tumble reputation as a mining town. We see the " slime" on the lake, which is ground rock. Jonny spent some time with Ernie who is a sculptor. He makes mostly miner figures. Dan Lerocque is a mining expert and he takes Jonny to see bats in the old mines. Cobalt was not valued in old the silver mining days, but today we use it in the battery industry, so maybe the future looks more hopeful for Cobalt, Ontario.
When Canada was in its infancy, a small but fierce group of Danish immigrants settled in northwestern New Brunswick. Today, their descendants struggle to hold on to their Danish roots and traditions with every passing generation.
The people of Wilberforce are rebranding their town as the Geocaching capital of Canada and a great outdoor recreation destination. We are introduced to the "Mayor" but here in a town of only 500 inhabitants, a mayor is called a "reeve".
The British ceded 80,000 acres to the Mohawks decades ago, but now 80% of it is gone. The Oka crisis occurred in 1990, where they had a land dispute as others wanted to build a Golf Course extension. Jonny visits a guy who outsources hides to be tanned. We see some young women playing Floorball. We are introduced to the first two children that spoke Mohawk as their first language.
Huntington used to be the town that clothed Canada as there were Mills that made Worsted material, including making the Red Serge uniforms for the RCMP, but the mills closed down by 2005, so, without jobs some folk left to search elsewhere. The town is 45 minutes drive from Montreal. About 20 years ago there were 7 bars in town and was a hopping night life spot, with visitors even coming from the USA. Some folk have been opening new businesses and they try to support each other's. One such place processes dog bones, a worker says they get a health inspection once a month, which is more often than places that make food for humans. Jonny visits Joanne, who opened Le Valle de Travailleurs store, and she is pleased that she can take her beloved chocolate Lab dog Ralph to work with her. Some folk pop in just to see Ralph.
Radisson is a small town of 514 residents. Jonny meets Gertrude, a retired RCMP officer who has seen it all. A young lad of 13 owns his own museum and store of rocks, he started his collection when he was 8 when a collection was given to him. In his museum he has dinosaur poo, amolite and a meteor in his extensive array. Jonny visits a Hair Salon, and a person there is a specialist in removing hair, Why does Jonny volunteer? You will see. He has fun walzing with a woman, who with her husband run a Chinese French restaurant.
Canso is situated at the north end of mainland Nova Scotia and where the causeway link goes to Cape Breton Island. The residents of Canso are optimistic about their town's future as it has been selected as the country's first commercial satellite launch site.
Minto is a struggling small town in SW Manitoba situated on an old railway line, and they get help with a recent and unexpected inheritance. Jonny visits the only school of 35 children, where they don't have a gym and so have to play outside in -30C weather. The town does have a curling rink and we see the ingenious zamboni made by residents.
A former gold rush town turned arts community, Wells, BC has a new mining project in the works that could spell a new boom for the town. If it pans out, the town's miners and artists will have to work together to share the wealth.
New. Brunswick's Campobello Island is a Canadian more by chance than by geography; the only year-round and direct access to the mainland is a bridge to the USA, which makes for a unique Canadian/American cultural blend and many challenges.
Harrison Hot Springs is famous for it's namesake resort and healing waters from local hot springs. The town is trying to create a year round economy and hope their famous Sasquatch will help.
East Preston, Nova Scotia is one of Canada's oldest black communities, with descendants that came north from the USA to escape slavery.
We hear how the train tracks to Churchill were washed away, in parts, by the Spring flood. So with no road to Churchill, the only way to get there now is to fly. So they lost 80% of their tourist industry since this happened. After a year of no rail repair, it has finally started. We see a young woman who was attacked by a Polar Bear on Halloween, and how a brave man saved her, and then others joined in. Two were flown to Winnipeg to the hospital.
Fortune Newfoundland is the gateway to France, the Islands of St. Pierre et Miquelon. Fortune has a population of 1401. We meet the town manager and the Ferry Agent who is also a Bed & Breakfast operator. The 2 new ferries can handle 188 passengers, 18 vehicles each and can operate year round. But the Fortune pier has to be updated and are currently a $1 million short. There has always been a good relationship between Fortune NL and St. Pierre.
Canadians might know Nipigon as the home of the $106 million bridge that closed 42 days after it opened. This is the only way across Canada. Two plywood mills closed down, one was burned. The reservoir was out of water so they could not fight the fire. "Baggy" (his nick name) was one of the mill workers who lost their job, after 2 years he had a premonition of being a wildlife photographer, so he bought a camera and was outside 16-18 hours a day, learning how to use his camera. He has made a new career from photography. This former mill town is now touting its first class hiking, fishing and climbing activities.
With a population of 3,000, Harbour Grace, Newfoundland has a plane that doesn't fly and a boat that doesn't float. They have a small boat building industry and we see a B & B owner that holds Murder Mysteries.
Gravelbourg lies in the south of the province and was originally settled by Francophones. A lot of larger farms bought out the smaller ones since after WW2, They think they have a touch of Europe to the town's style. There is a French Canadian cultural centre, where he visits and tries his hand at folkloric dancing. We are introduced to Toto a long time resident from the Philippines who is the local Blacksmith.
Bristol had a reputation as a vacation destination, but the disappearance of logging and mining industries left Bristol looking to get its mojo back; a group of entrepreneurs is using the land in new ways to make Bristol a destination again.
When 3 major lumber mills closed, Lumby lost hundreds of jobs and local businesses. Now the town is hopeful , with a diverse economy that includes arts, culture and a 40 acre grow-op that is hoping to make pot for pets.
This town of 919 population and an hour from Ottawa, used to have many industries, a Graphite Mine that was the largest in the country and logging were huge here. Now those natural resource industries are gone. There are many outdoor activities including a ski hill, a motor sports park, dirt bike racing, fishing and ice fishing, and golfing.
Jonny explores Bear River, Nova Scotia which is in between Digby and Annapolis Nova Scotia.
Lillooet's forestry-based economy is heading downhill - permanently. But its rugged residents are committed to fighting the good fight to ensure they can stay in their beautiful town.
When the bottom fell out of the Southwestern Ontario's tobacco industry, Vittoria's farmers were forced to reinvent themselves and farm new crops in order to survive.
Jonny visits the local heritage hall which has undergone a huge renovation, a popular Cafe/pottery, a couple who keep bees and made peace with their neighbours, who also have tales to tell about the worst place to get stung.
In five years, Pinawa's nuclear research facility and main employer will be completely decommissioned, which has Pinawanians working hard to make sure it isn't the end of the road for their unique town.
Ingenuity and resilience are hallmark traits of Cap-Pelé, a small, Acadian fishing village in New Brunswick that has seen its fair share of struggles.
Botwood has been working to revive industry and lure former residents back home ever since the closure of a nearby mill shut down their busy port.
A fresh new crop of entrepreneurs is emerging and redefining this former boom-town.
The economy of Rankin Inlet has seen its ups and downs but the struggles that come with living in this remote and unforgiving landscape remain constant.
Locals like to say that "all roads lead to Hope" It's a place to gas up and a place to 'go,' but locals want it to be known that the town is more than just a place to pee - it's a place to be.
When Port Stanley's prosperous commercial fishing industry collapsed, the beach town was left with an identity crisis and an uncertain future.
While its tourist train dollars are long gone, the proudly-weird town of Wakefield is reimagining itself as a place known for culture and outdoor fun.
Things looked bad for Chemainus when its sawmill closed in 1983. Then, the town used gorgeous murals to draw in tourists. Now it's looking for the next generation of visionaries to keep it on the map.
After nearly 40 flood-free years, the township of Minden Hills has developed a flooding problem. But as the community digs out, they also deepen their commitment to one another.
Middleton is known in Nova Scotia as a Blueberry growing area. Trains stopped running here quite a while ago, and was much missed by the folk here and along the train line. Johnny learns to dibble with heirlooms. A woman and her daughter moved there from Lebanon and then she helped the Syrian refugees that arrived much more recently. A Christian church was re-purposed for moslems to worship in.
Johnny Harris travels to small towns and visits with many local townsfolk and business owners, then he has a stand-up show for the locals.
Johnny Harris travels to small towns and puts on stand-up shows for the communities, he also meets a few of the locals in the town to talk about what they do and what is unique to that town.
The largest Métis community in North America, St. Laurent, has struggled with a flood and rural decline; but after much rebuilding, the spotlight is finally shining on this town in a whole new way.
For decades, Fenelon Falls made wood products, from lumber to Tinker Toys; until the industry moved on. Now the town is becoming a vibrant destination for newcomers, cottagers, and day- trippers alike.
Gibsons, BC, once made famous for The Beachcombers is charting a new course for itself as a regional hub for Filipino culture, a tourist destination, and paradise for beer lovers.
Oneida Nation of the Thames is hard at work reclaiming the economic, cultural, and spiritual practices that were banned by government policies over the past 100 years.
In the summer of 2021, Morden, MB experienced a drought so intense, the community's drinking water was at risk and a state of emergency had to be declared.
After the loss of its local fish, fur, and caviar industries, and the 2015 downturn in oil and gas, Lac La Biche, Alberta is looking to reinvent itself with luxury tipis, 3D archery, and the best gas station bathroom in the country.
Goderich, ON is well-known as "Canada's prettiest town." It's also well-known for its devastating tornadoes, like the one that destroyed downtown Goderich in 2011.
Despite its incredible beauty, Ucluelet is having to work hard at overcoming its reputation as Tofino's next-door neighbour.
Markdale ON, Canada's self-proclaimed "Ice-Cream Capital," took a hit when it's all-important ice cream factory burned to the ground.
After decades of decline in its traditional fruit tree and cattle ranch economy, Okanagan Falls is banking on a new crop to turn things around: the intoxicating wine grape.
The remote, mining town of Wabush is a community built for one purpose: extracting iron-ore. Long-time residents and newcomers alike have figured out how to turn Wabush from "the middle of nowhere" to the centre of it all.
New Richmond, QC is unique in that it sits at the confluence of two rivers and three cultures: Mi'kmaq, French, and English.
