Now or Never

It can feel easier than ever to point out what's wrong, but making things better....now that's a challenge. So this week we are cracking open the Now or Never vault to share an episode about people who stopped complaining and decided to do something about it. Retired social worker Paul Jenkinson is out to fix loneliness with two folding chairs and a homemade sign. He gave up the lease on his home...

It's hard to afford things these days with the cost of just about everything going up and up. So today we're revisiting a previous episode of Now or Never that won't make you feel so alone when you look at your bank account.

It's time to go on adventures and have a summer full of discovery so we can come back full of stories for you in September. We'd never leave you without a plan to keep you inspired and entertained while we recharge. Watch for our favourite episodes that deserve a second listen (or a share!) coming to your podcast feed every Thursday between now and September 10th.

When was the last time you surprised yourself? Pushed past a personal best? Achieved something you didn’t think possible?  We’re celebrating that hustle today on Now or Never by introducing you to people challenging themselves to go beyond their limits.  After a devastating loss, a group of Winnipeg women form the “Try New Things Club” to honour their loved ones by embracing life one new...

Our dads teach us all kinds of things, whether they intended to or not. So on this Father's Day weekend, we're sharing stories of all the hilarious, heartfelt and heartbreaking lessons your dad passed down to you, that continue to show up in your life today. Trevor heads to a Winnipeg brewpub for "Beers & Braids," an event where dads get a crash-course on how to style their daughters' hair. Am...

What happens when you lean into your curiosity, notice the little joys, and get playful? Today on Now or Never, Ify Chiwetlu and Trevor Dineen find out why intentional whimsy might just be necessary.  After feeling stuck, Toronto’s Chara Ho decided she didn’t want life passing her by. She’s now on a mission to find her spark again, by challenging herself to do something new every day. Ify Chi...

Amid growing geopolitical uncertainty, escalating wars and threats to Canadian sovereignty, the Canadian government is committing to the biggest boost in military spending since WWII. So who’s signing up to join the armed forces today? On this episode of Now or Never, meet Canadians who are answering the call. Would you volunteer five days a year to learn how to shoot a gun, drive a truck and fly...

What happens after you learn something so shocking, so unbelievable, about a person you thought you knew? On this episode, four people knocked sideways by a revelation that changed how they see themselves, and the world around them. Brian Petersen spent most of his life believing he was white, an only child, and had been put up for adoption by a mom who didn’t want him. Then one day Brian got a le...

We're uncovering hidden talents, finding out what it really takes to excel, and exploring what happens when your ability doesn't match up with your dreams, on this encore presentation of Now or Never. When Rick Ammazzini sees a locked safe without a key, he doesn’t see an impenetrable door, he sees an opportunity to test his skills as an amateur safe cracker. For Rick, it's not about dis...

Now or Never kicks off your May Long Weekend with an episode that will convince you to put down your screen and get outside to soak up the benefits of being in nature.  Your kids don’t want to? We’ve got a story for that. Don’t think you need it? Meet a doctor who says otherwise. Feel intimidated? Get inspired by a mom who once hailed a cab during a canoe trip, but now spends weeks in the wil...

We're all getting older, but not everyone likes thinking or talking about it. So what's the secret to aging well? Five seniors share their best tips about aging, and what they love about getting old. Gail Rice is refusing to fade away. For her 70th birthday, she hired an escort. That encounter didn't lead to a happy ending for Gail, but it did help her reclaim what she'd felt had been disappearing...

An estimated four million Canadians currently live abroad. So what compels someone to ditch their life in Canada and start over in a different part of the world? From Bogotá to Tokyo, Cape Town to València, Now or Never crisscrosses the globe with expats living out some big, bold adventures right now. Joshua Will dreamed of living in Japan since he was 14-years-old, so when he got a job with the J...

Now or Never celebrates ten years of diving in with people as they gather the courage to take a leap into the unknown, with a live show from Winnipeg's Gas Station Arts Centre! There are always surprises in a Now or Never story, and this live show is no exception.  Winnipeg couple Trish Cooper and Sam Vint’s life together has been filled with hilarious and surprising (mis)adventures together,...

Breakups can look a lot of different ways: slow dissolves, out-of-nowhere blow-outs, mutual partings-of-ways. But the truth is, they all hurt. Today on Now or Never , we revisit the stories of people in the thick of it, and the surprising ways they're getting through. When Litia Fleming broke up with Richard Kemick after 10 years together, it came as a shock to Richard. But two weeks later, they g...

Towns and neighbourhoods all across the country are facing their own challenges. Now or Never is flying into a few to find out what it really takes to hold a community together, when everything's trying to pull it apart.  Little Jamaica has been the heart of Toronto for generations of Caribbean and African residents and entrepreneurs. Then the subway came. It took 15 years of constant constru...

The fire to compete can drive you to push against your limits, and go further than you knew possible. On this episode of Now or Never, competitive hosts Ify Chiwetelu and Trevor Dineen introduce you to people vying to win, and putting in the work to come out on top.  Identical twins Miriam and Ruth Turk have been competing with each other for as long as they remember. So what happened when th...

Today an estimated 35,000 Canadians are behind bars in a provincial or federal prison. But what happens to people once they get out? Transitioning back into society can be challenging, with barriers around housing, employment, and the stigma of a criminal record. According to one study, around 70 per cent of inmates with addiction or mental health issues end up back in prison within three years. S...

As more Gen Z and Millennial daters turn away from dating apps and report ‘swipe fatigue,’ people are looking to find love in the wild again. The problem is, we’re a little rusty. So on this episode, Now or Never takes you into some real-life dating stories as people take the first tentative steps to find love IRL.  What better way to boost your dating profile than having your friends hype yo...

At some point we all feel the squeeze of the clock. On this episode, every story is a race against time. If you get lost in B.C.'s wilderness, search and rescue volunteer Evan Johnson jumps into action, knowing he's in a race against time that can mean the difference between life and death. As an Afghanistan vet, Evan’s seen what no one should. So why would someone with PTSD volunteer to do this j...

For years, Melissa MacMillan' s opioid addiction brought chaos to her life - especially with her daughter Eden. Now, almost five years into recovery, Melissa and Eden share the tough conversations they're having as they try to rebuild their relationship. What does it take to be truly 'out of the woods,' getting through one big life hurdle, only to face a whole new set of challenges? That's what th...

You know the feeling. You’re unsure. Stuck between two choices. The imposter syndrome is bubbling up, and you just need a little help. So who do you turn to for advice? And how likely are you to take it? This week on Now or Never, we’re sifting through the opinions, mantras, and clichés, to find out what works (and what doesn’t) when you get and give advice. Ify and Trevor call up the Winnipe...

Across Canada, we've been hit with blizzards, snow squalls and extreme cold. So what keeps you from going stir-crazy in the dead of winter? On this episode of Now or Never , hear about the wild and creative ways people are avoiding cabin fever. After living in the Yukon for over 40 years, Cindy Billingham and her husband, Ron, moved to a small town in Newfoundland to live out their retirement...

Are you feeling paralyzed by the firehose of terrible news? We get it. We feel that way, too. So we did what Mr. Rogers always told us to do when we're feeling scared: look for the helpers. On this episode, hear how people just like you are channeling their feelings of helplessness into action, doing small things in the face of big problems. As a school bus driver in Minneapolis, Jodi has watched...

Five trailblazing Canadians tell us how they smashed barriers in the worlds of soccer, aviation, AI, education, and.....eating the most hot peppers in a single sitting?!? As a kid, Zoey Williams used to tag along on her dad's flights. That planted the seed for Zoey, who went on to be the first Black female pilot at Air Canada. Zoey and her dad Captain Orrett Williams tell us what it takes to break...

There is a power in publicly declaring you no longer own, support, or believe in something. Meet five Canadians doing just that. Jess Klaassen-Wright is part of a small but growing movement of young people in Canada renouncing their generational wealth. And right now, Jess is grappling with what to do with an unexpected $300,000 inheritance. Jess tells us why it’s important to talk more openly abo...