TV, eh? | What's up in Canadian television
TV,eh? What's up in Canadian television
North of North, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

APTN celebrates real northern life with new fall programming

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From a media release:

Explore the REAL North this fall on APTN! Our cool lineup celebrates true Northern living in all its complexities, where the strength to persevere comes from a commitment to land, to community, and to loved ones. In the North, where life can be precarious, your best assets are adaptability, connection to tradition, and a gritty attitude. APTN’s Northern series will show audiences there are unforgettable stories waiting to be discovered and people to make you laugh just when it feels like all is lost. Come along with us this fall and see the Real North!

First up in this celebration of the North is the award-winning comedy and audience favourite North of North. Just as impressive are APTN’S cultural documentaries like Go North! and Chuck and the First Peoples Kitchen, about Arctic travel and good food, or the true stories of neighbours sharing resources and assistance like Life Below Zero and Northern Air Rescue. Audiences will be swept away by the charm, ingenuity and resilience of these unique free spirits, be touched by the beauty of this seemingly infinite land and the warmth that runs through the lives of the Peoples who call the North their home.

“Nine Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Comedy Series, says a lot about how good Season 1 of North of North was, and Season 2 picks up right where we left off”, said Adam Garnet Jones, Director of TV Content and Special Events at APTN. “This fall’s new and returning documentaries bring that same energy – real people, real stories, told by the people living them. This isn’t content made about the North – this is the North telling its own stories.”

See the premiere dates below – and follow the links for more information.

North of North (Season 2) – Comedy
APTN, CBC and Netflix original series is back for Season 2! As winter closes in on Ice Cove, young Inuk mother Siaja (Anna Lambe) is still making bold decisions and even bolder mistakes in her effort to level up her life. The hardest part? Proving to her tight-knit Arctic community, and herself, that she’s ready to take charge.

●     Exclusive world premiere on APTN+: September 1 (English)

●     APTN premiere: September 8 (English)

Go North!  – NEW Docu-series
A celebration of Arctic Indigenous travel, resilience, and life across the changing North. Narrated by Shina Nova, it follows remarkable people, using countless traditional and modern methods, to keep cultures, knowledge, and connections alive.

●     APTN premiere: September 3 (English)

Northern Air rescue (Season 2) – Docu-series
Be transported inside the world of Manitoba’s fastest growing and only Indigenous owned airline, “Missinippi Airways”. Fly with their pilots, nurses and grounds crew as they embark on lifesaving air ambulance missions into remote northern communities.

●     APTN premiere: September 13 (English)

Life Below Zero (Season 7) – Docu-series
In the remotest regions of Alaska, where bears and wolves outnumber people, survival is a daily battle. Our Alaskan neighbours share truths about how they live through the long and brutal Arctic winters, enduring isolation and scarce resources, to re-emerge, at end, into warmth and light.

●     APTN premiere: September 13 (English)

Chuck and the First Peoples Kitchen (Season 6) – Lifestyle/ Culture
Eager to learn about the culinary traditions on Turtle Island, Chef Chuck Hughes visits Indigenous communities, where he discovers their time-honoured or contemporary harvesting techniques and savours their unique recipes. He always ends his visits by preparing a great meal for his hosts. This season Chuck travels further north, to Nunavik and the Northwest Territories, to experience new flavours and the richness of these Northern cultures.

●     APTN premiere: August 31st (English) and September 4 (French)

●     APTN Languages premiere: September 6 (Innu)

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Home Network’s fall blueprint delivers signature originals and internationally acclaimed hits

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From a media release:

Home Network, Canada’s #1 destination for lifestyle content*, is ready for a new season with a dynamic lineup of hit series debuting this fall. Featuring signature originals and internationally acclaimed titles, Home Network’s fall lineup is anchored by two returning Canadian Original hits with Season 4 of Rock Solid Builds (8×60 – Cineflix), hosted by third-generation builder and proud Newfoundlander Randy Spracklin, and the sophomore season of House of Ali (8×60 – Nikki Ray Media), helmed by award-winning interior designer Ali Budd. The lifestyle lineup continues with the return of fan-favourites Interior Design Masters, Renovation Rescue, and Million Dollar Dream Home.

Home Network opens its fall lineup with Season 4 of Rock Solid Builds, premiering Sunday, September 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Viewers will get an intimate snapshot of Spracklin’s home life as he and his partner Melissa undertake a massive project of their own. Now the proud owners of her grandparents’ property in Brigus, the two are determined to transform its tired interior into an East Coast showpiece that blends cherished memories with a refreshing modern update. Randy and his talented team are continuing to tackle a load of big projects, such as restoring the historic Ferryland lighthouse, turning a neglected backyard into an all-season sanctuary, and many more. These proud islanders deliver ‘catty’ builds and elite craftsmanship all while showcasing the windswept charm of rugged Newfoundland. A new roster of sponsors are also breaking ground with integrated content from Home Hardware, Kohltech, Dildo Brewing Co., and Charm Diamond Centre.

Up next for Canadian originals is Season 2 of House of Ali, premiering Thursday, September 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. From a private villa in Costa Rica to a designer dream home in Connecticut, Budd and her team are making global moves in a style that is completely their own. The show’s unscripted lens gives viewers a look into the reality of high-end interior design, million-dollar reveals, and the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Meticulous down to the final detail, Budd showcases her unfiltered honesty and one-of-a-kind creativity to the pickiest of clients. Audiences can look forward to spectacular, custom transformations that inspire them to tap into their inner designer. One of the sales partnerships for the show’s sophomore season is with Knix, where the brand is featured through seamless in-show story integrations.

Home Network sets the blueprint with additional fall programming, highlighting an exciting schedule of new and returning shows, starting off with the series premiere of The Mother Flip on Wednesday, September 2 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT. Following are several international series that appeal to at-home design enthusiasts, including Renovation Rescue, which returns for its second season on Monday, September 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and Season 7 of Interior Design Masters on Thursday, September 10 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT. Outdoorsman Hal Shaffer is back with Season 4 of Renovation Hunters on Monday, September 7 at 9/9:30 p.m. ET/PT, along with host Viviana Vigil, who returns to connect affluent house hunters with luxurious multi-million-dollar properties in Season 8 of Million Dollar Dream Home, premiering Monday, October 26 at 10/10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Viewers can continue to watch new episodes of Love It or List It Season 12 on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and Season 8 of Sun, Sea, and Selling Houses on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. The programming slate continues with new episodes of:

  • The Block, Season 20 on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
  • Help! We Bought a Village, Season 4 on Fridays at 10 p.m. ET/PT
  • The Bidding Room, Season 7 on Saturdays 9 p.m. ET/PT
  • A Place in The Sun, Season 16 on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT

Viewers can stream Home Network’s hit lineup, including prior seasons of Rock Solid Builds and House of Ali, anytime on STACKTV.

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Featured, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Docuseries Racing Waters goes to camera for Season 2 ahead of series launch on APTN this fall

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From a media release:

Racing Waters Productions Inc and APTN announced today that the brand new documentary series Racing Waters, directed by Asia Youngman (I’m Just Here for The Riot), has been renewed for a second season ahead of the series’ debut. The nine episode 22 minute series begins airing weekly on APTN (in English) and streaming on APTN+ starting on September 13, 2026. The series is presented in English and will also be released in Hul’q’umi’num on APTN Languages at a later date. 

Racing Waters takes viewers into the exhilarating world of Indigenous war canoe and outrigger racing through the eyes of the paddlers of the Island Brave Canoe Club from the Snuneymuxw First Nation, while also following the many Indigenous canoe clubs that make up the Pacific Northwest racing circuit. More than a sports series, it is an intimate portrait of a community where every stroke carries generations of history, responsibility, and pride. Led by respected Chief Mike Wyse Sr., the series follows the paddlers as they compete in the fiercely competitive Pacific Northwest war canoe circuit while pursuing opportunities in outrigger racing on the international stage. From first-time racers to seasoned champions, athletes battle for seats, overcome personal setbacks, and support one another through triumph and loss, discovering that success is measured by more than crossing the finish line.

“That Season 2 of Racing Waters is already in production speaks volumes about the appeal of this new adrenaline-fueled series,” says Adam Garnet Jones, Director of TV Content and Special Events at APTN. “An intimate look inside the fiercely competitive world of Indigenous war canoe racing, this docuseries runs the gamut of human emotion, from the thrill of victory, to the sting of defeat and the deep pride of representing one’s Nation. It delivers at every turn, suspense, resilience and heart.”

Season Two expands the story by following even more clubs across the Pacific Northwest, including Vikki Lynn Canoe Club and Rikkole Cree Canoe Club, as the series explores new communities, rivalries, and journeys both on and off the water.

Season one was shot across British Columbia, with locations including Agassiz, Cultus Lake, Comox, Musqueam, Saanich, North Vancouver, Cowichan Bay, Nanaimo and Cumberland featured. Other shooting locations include Rio De Janeiro & Niteroi, Brazil, Calgary, Alberta and Lummi, Washington. For Season Two, which has gone to camera, additional shooting locations include Victoria, Oregon, Washington, Oahu & Molokai, Hawaii, Singapore and Fort Langley.

Racing Waters is directed by Asia Youngman, produced by Mike Wavrecan (Moosemeat & Marmalade) and contemporary Coast Salish master carver Luke Marston, with Carey Newman (Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun) and Patti Poskitt (Kokum & Dot) as executive producers. The director of photography for the series is Luke Connor (Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun), editors are John Roney (Ocean Warriors) and Jovan Harmuth (Highway Thru Hell), and the composer is Jason Burnstick (Red River Gold).

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Featured, Heated Rivalry

Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie join Crave original Heated Rivalry

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From a media release:

The hit Crave Original HEATED RIVALRY has cast Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t) and Charlie Gillespie (One Night Only, Splitsville, Suze) as Harris Drover and Troy Barrett. Smith and Gillespie join Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie in leading roles for the upcoming new season which is scheduled to premiere in Spring 2027.

Produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Bell Media’s Crave, the critically acclaimed and award-winning series HEATED RIVALRY is created by Jacob Tierney and based on Rachel Reid’s bestselling Game Changers books.

“Rachel Reid has given us two beautifully layered characters in Harris and Troy who you can’t help but root for,” said Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady. “From the start of the casting process, we knew we were looking for actors who could create something truly special together and bring that same depth and heart to the screen. Justice and Charlie do exactly that. They immediately connected with the vulnerability and resilience at the core of these characters, bringing an instinctive understanding of who Harris and Troy are.”

Season 1 told the story of rival hockey players Shane Hollander (Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Storrie). Bound by ambition, rivalry and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understood, what began as a secret fling between two fresh-faced rookies evolved into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self-discovery.

The series is commissioned by Bell Media’s Crave, with the participation of the Canada Media Fund (CMF). Jacob Tierney is writer, director, and executive producer. Brendan Brady and Jayme Alter Wilson serve as executive producers. Lori Fischburg and Liane Cunje are producers, with Rachel Reid as consulting producer. Mike Goldbach serves as co-writer on Season 2.

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Featured, North of North

CBC sets Fall 2026 premiere dates

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From a media release:

CBC today announced streaming and broadcast premiere dates for its fall 2026 slate of new and returning programming on CBC Gem and CBC TV, including more than 20 original series and specials from Canadian creators, producers, and storytellers reflecting people, places and perspectives from across the country. The first episode of all series will be available to stream on CBC Gem starting at 9 a.m. ET on their premiere dates noted below with a new episode available weekly at the same time, unless otherwise specified. CBC TV local broadcast times are noted in parentheses (for Newfoundland and Labrador, please add half an hour to all times).

Fall 2026 Series

  • Coronation Street – ongoing (weekdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 7:30 p.m.)
  • Family Feud Canada (64×30) *Season 8* – Premieres Monday, October 5 (7:30 p.m.) airing four nights a week, Monday to Thursday.
  • This Hour Has 22 Minutes (24×30) *Season 34* – Premieres Tuesday, September 8 (8 p.m.)
  • Son of a Critch (12×30) *Final Season* – Premieres Tuesday, September 8 (8:30 p.m.)
  • North of North (8×30) *Season 2* – Premieres with two back-to-back new episodes, Tuesday September 8 (9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.)
  • The Passionate Eye (10×60 + 2×120) – Premieres Wednesday, September 16 (8 p.m., 9 p.m. beginning September 30). Feature documentary Everyone is Lying to You for Money opens a new season of thought-provoking documentaries. Actor and filmmaker Ben McKenzie pulls back the curtain on the cryptocurrency industry and the culture of hype, misinformation, and speculation that fuelled its explosive rise. 

The season continues on September 23 with CBC original feature documentary Neil Peart: No One’s Disciple, exploring the artistry and enduring influence of Rush’s enigmatic drummer and lyricist through rare archival footage, intimate reflections and extraordinary live performances. An all-star lineup of acclaimed drummers joins Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson to tackle Peart’s notoriously demanding drum parts, revealing the musicianship behind one of rock’s most original artists. Directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn and produced by Banger Films and Elevation Pictures. Republic Pictures has acquired the film outside of Canada.

  • Dragons’ Den (16×60) *Season 21* – Premieres Thursday, September 17 (8 p.m.)
  • Heartland *Season 20* (10×60) – Premieres Sunday, October 4 (7 p.m.)
  • The Great Canadian Baking Show *Season 10* (9×60) – Premieres Sunday, October 4 (8 p.m.)
  • Murdoch Mysteries (21×60) *Season 20* – Premieres Monday, October 5 (8 p.m.) 
  • Doula: A True Crime (3×60) – Premieres Wednesday, October 7 (8 p.m.)  

Over the course of nine months in 2022, Kaitlyn Braun—a 24-year-old woman from Brantford, Ontario—reached out to over 40 doulas with the same devastating story: she had been sexually assaulted and was in her third trimester, carrying a stillborn child. The doulas responded with unwavering empathy, stepping in without hesitation, many offering their services pro bono. Over time, the narrative began to fracture, and as the doulas began to question themselves and their experiences, they uncovered something far more complex.  It’s a real-life saga that is hard to believe – one that launched a desperate search for answers, a campaign to get the attention of the authorities, a TikTok counter-offensive, 53 criminal charges, and a complex mental health diagnosis. With unparalleled access to all sides of the story, Doula: A True Crime elevates a sensationalist media story to an uncommon examination of empathy and the controversial question of its limitations. 

  • Halifax Comedy Fest (6×30) *Season 29* – Premieres Tuesday, October 13 (9:30 p.m.) 
  • Lord of the Flies (4×60) – Premieres Thursday, October 22 (9 p.m.) *Exclusive Canadian Premiere*

In the first television adaptation of William Golding’s landmark dystopian classic Lord of the Flies, innocence descends into savagery when a group of English schoolboys become desert island castaways. Written by Emmy-winner Jack Thorne (Adolescence) and directed by Marc Munden (The Mark of Cain) for BBC.

  • The Assembly (6×30) *Season 2* – Premieres Sunday, November 1 (9 p.m.) 
  • Diamonds and Plastic (3×60) – Premieres Thursday, November 19 (9 p.m.)

Diamonds & Plastic plunges inside the secret sisterhood built by Montreal’s Maria Meriano, one of the top Tupperware product sellers in the world, as she fights to keep her women-led empire alive in the wake of the iconic brand’s most uncertain chapter in 80 years: its bankruptcy filing. As Tupperware’s nostalgic promise of female empowerment collides with the new reality of online shopping, social media selling, and a company fighting for its future, Maria must hold onto her people, her relevance, and her legacy. Can the extravagant leadership that made her a celebrity in this subculture keep an empire together when the brand at its centre enters uncertain territory?

CBC News 

  • About That with Andrew Chang – Premieres Friday, September 11 at 8:30 p.m. on CBC TV (Available anytime on the CBC News YouTube channel)
  • Marketplace (16×30) *Season 54*  – Premieres Friday, October 2  (8 p.m.) 

Former CBC News Go Public investigative reporter Rosa Marchitelli joins Asha Tomlinson as co-host of Canada’s award-winning consumer investigative series. 

  • The Fifth Estate (17×60) *Season 52* – Premieres Friday, October 9 (9 p.m.)
  • The National – ongoing (live at 10 p.m. weeknights and Sundays on CBC TV and CBC News Network)
  • CBC Morning Live with David Common (Weekday mornings on CBC News Network) 
  • Power & Politics with David Cochrane (Weeknights on CBC News Network)
  • Hanomansing Live (Weeknights on CBC News Network)
  • Rosemary Barton Live (Sundays on CBC TV and CBC News Network)

CBC Kids Originals

  • Butterfly Academy (26×11) – Premieres Friday, August 28 on CBC Gem; Tuesday, September 8 on CBC TV

Butterfly Academy is in the heart of the milkweed patch where every mistake made by Patrick, Marty, Jennifer and Lily transforms their apprentices’ training into a funny and exciting adventure!

  • On Track with Andre De Grasse (10×5) – Premieres Saturday, September 26 on CBC TV and CBC Gem

In this live-action comedy series for kids, Olympic Champion Andre De Grasse travels back in time to give advice to his 10-year-old self. The sprint star must keep his younger version on track. But Young Andre’s got other ideas, and they don’t necessarily include accepting life coaching from his future self. Hugo Assad makes a delightful comic turn as the scrappy Young Andre, and De Grasse proves he’s got acting chops and charm to spare, ditching his racing gear for a metallic time travel suit. A fun buddy show in short-format, teaching life lessons through sport. 

  • Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures (39×22) – Premieres Wednesday, October 14 on CBC TV and CBC Gem

Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures is a seven-minute show that follows the adventures of Power Paige, the newest member of the Super Readers, who joins Super Why, Wonder Red, Princess Presto, and Alpha Pig, as they protect the comic book world of Reader Valley, a universe where letters, words, and sounds have enormous power, from a group of literacy villains and other strange anomalies with the help of the home viewer – Super YOU! Set in a visually fantastic 2D comic book world, these heroic adventures expand preschool and kindergarten literacy skills through high-stakes, action-packed, fast-paced, comic book-inspired stories.

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