Best The Peak Curiouscast Podcasts (2025)

1
Power play 🔌 - Rogers eyes standalone sports biz, Old school tech drives a market rally 8:24

Play Pause

2h ago8:24

8:24

As the Toronto Blue Jays clinched their division yesterday, their owner was plotting how they’re gonna create one of the largest sports empires in the world. Bring up the stock market and Nvidia is sure to be mentioned, but the hottest companies of the year are actually a lot more old-school: 1970s-era hard-drive makers.…

1
Best of Free Lunch: What The Heck Is Productivity, Anyway? 1:04:35

21h ago1:04:35

1:04:35

Peak Pals! We're re-airing some of our favourite episode of the Free Lunch podcast. today we're talking about productivity with William Huggins, a lecturer on corporate finance, economics, and statistics at the DeGroote School of Business, about: What productivity is and how we measure it. Why productivity matters for the economy. Why wages have be…

1
Best of Free Lunch: A Disturbing conversation about AI 1:09:04

2d ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Hey Peak Pals , we've decided to start dropping old episodes of Free Lunch into the feed on weekend. We don't air that podcast anymore, but there are still some really relevant conversations that were had and we want to give you a chance to listen to them again or maybe for the first time.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Is Canada Post toast? 📬 - Ottawa tells Canada Post to end home delivery, Spotify goes after AI slop. 9:10

3d ago9:10

9:10

If you’ve got a dog that loves barking at the mailman, it’s time to sit them down and deliver some difficult news. The U.S.’s creep towards state-owned companies is now encroaching on a Canadian firm.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Hasta-la-Visa 👋- U.S. adds $100,000 fee for visas, Canadians are bullish on entrepreneurship 17:02

4d ago17:02

17:02

The visa program that’s brought some of Silicon Valley’s best and brightest to the U.S. just got a ~1,900% price increase. Worried about job security in a shaky economy? More Canadians are considering the one surefire way to make sure you don’t get laid off: hiring yourself. Peak Pals, stick around to the end of this episode for a conversation with…

1
Tragic mushrooms 🍄- Canada’s mushroom industry gets probed, White House eyes Canadian miner. 8:46

4d ago8:46

8:46

Canada’s (legal) mushroom industry is booming, and the U.S. is starting to get a little jealous. The U.S.’s creep towards state-owned companies is now encroaching on a Canadian firm.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Such great heights 🆙- Canadian stocks are on a tear, Here comes the self-driving truck boom. 13:52

5d ago13:52

13:52

No doubt some Canadian investors were happily eyeing their portfolios yesterday. Truck stops should swap potato chips for microchips to appease their future customers: robot drivers.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Start me up 🏁- Startup studio bags new funding, U.S. offers Argentina an economic lifeboat. 7:57

6d ago7:57

7:57

A Toronto startup studio has some new ideas on how to build the next Shopify. Say what you will about the Trump administration, they’re there when a desperate friend needs a bail out.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
CanCon, can do 🇨🇦 - The CRTC plots new content rules, Canada won’t reach its carbon cutting target. 9:01

10d ago9:01

9:01

Big Tech companies will spend the next week arguing why they shouldn’t have to bankroll Canada’s music industry. A new report confirms what we already kinda knew about the feds’ carbon cutting goals: they bit off more than they could chew.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Clock’s ticking ⏰ - CUSMA’s days are officially numbered, Qatar invests in Canadian miner. 7:31

11d ago7:31

7:31

Canada’s negotiating team is going to need to brush up on The Art of the Deal. Canadian miners need more money to cash in on the critical mineral rush. With Chinese investments out of the question, the Middle East is stepping right up.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Escape hatch ⚜️ - Québec secularism law heads to the Supreme Court, Meta’s new smart glasses. 9:12

12d ago9:12

9:12

Québec’s favourite constitutional escape hatch could be sealed shut. The metaverse might be dead, but Meta’s still betting that people want to strap computers to their faces.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Halved or quartered? ➗ - The push to end quarterly earnings reports, Private sector eyes Ottawa’s chip lab 8:32

13d ago8:32

8:32

Call it financial climate change: we could one day see fewer earnings seasons. The federal government might be quietly sitting on an AI gold mine, and the tech industry is politely asking it to stand up.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Home sweet home 🏠 - Ottawa launches homebuilding agency, Greenwashing probes reach Bay Street 7:54

14d ago7:54

7:54

The feds are giving Canada’s housing sector a $13 billion shot in the arm. Investing with purpose? You might need to watch what you say.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Playing dirty 🧼 - Telus files a complaint against Rogers, Lululemon is on a losing streak. 7:30

17d ago7:30

7:30

Telus has accused Rogers of playing dirty and wants Canada’s telecoms regulator to send it to the penalty box. It’s gonna take more than a new line of yoga pants to fix Lulu’s balance shBy The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Buy now, worry later 🛍️ - BNPL takes over Wall Street, Canada could have a copper problem 8:16

18d ago8:16

8:16

A Swedish fintech has managed to build a US$20 billion business by letting people procrastinate their buyer's remorse. It’s not a rare mineral, but the humble wiring in your home is about to become a lot more important.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Air time 📱-Canadian companies take on scammers, Apple rolls out iPhone Air. 8:16

19d ago8:16

8:16

Some of Canada’s biggest companies are building the Avengers equivalent of a fraud-fighting team. At this rate, the 2027 iPhone lineup will be able to fit in your wallet.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Liquid loonie 💲- National Bank bets on Canadian stablecoin, Alternative sports leagues rake in cash 9:13

20d ago9:13

9:13

We could soon have a new loonie that can’t get lost in the couch cushions. If you’ve been hoarding a brilliant idea for a new sports league, now’s the time to pitch it.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Hollywood gamers 🎮 - The big screen embraces games, Canada’s EV mandate on life support 7:52

21d ago7:52

7:52

Hollywood wants to give video games a big screen update. Hook up that IV and get out Tylenol because Canada’s EV mandate isn’t looking all that healthy.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Protein Craze 🍗 - Starbucks gets in on the protein trend, Trade talks inch forward. 8:32

24d ago8:32

8:32

All those fitness influencers telling everyone to eat protein may have more influence than you think. Sometimes even small things can feel like big victories…By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
The slump continues 📉 - Canadian labour productivity falls, Top illegal sports streamer shut down. 9:45

25d ago9:45

9:45

If you thought Canada’s economy couldn’t get any worse, then you haven’t seen the latest labour productivity numbers. The NFL season kicks off today with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Dallas Cowboys.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Divorce in aisle five 💔 - Kraft Heinz is breaking up, Ottawa calls on the CRA to shape up. 9:17

26d ago9:17

9:17

After 10 years together, the marriage of two snack food giants has gone bad, like a bottle of expired mayo, or a moldy bowl of KD. Having trouble reaching someone at the CRA? The good (and bad) news is you’re not alone.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Off the air 🔌 - Pulling the plug on Family Channel, The world just can’t quit coal. 8:40

1M ago8:40

8:40

The channel you likely watched High School Musical on for the first time will soon be gone. Like Halloween’s Michael Myers, no matter what you do, coal just won’t go away.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Tough talk 😠 - ChatGPT to bolster mental health safeguards, It’s a hot bank earnings season. 9:08

1M ago9:08

9:08

ChatGPT is being trained to get better at handling delicate mental health situations. Some say summer is the best season. Others, winter. For Canadian bankers? This year, it’s earnings seasonBy The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Build me up, buttercup 🌼 - Ottawa announces two new nation-building projects, Wages slow for job hoppers. 8:55

1M ago8:55

8:55

With the U.S. playing hard to get, Canada is laying the foundation to have a lot more Europe in its life. The key to securing better pay might no longer be cavorting with LinkedIn headhunters, but hanging on to your current role for dear life instead.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
What’s in store? 🏬 - Simons expands its retail footprint, Meta chatbots have a safety problem 7:43

2M ago7:43

7:43

On the bloody retail battlefield, one of Canada's oldest family-owned businesses is fighting to be the last department store standing. A new Reuters investigation has confirmed troubling details about how Meta has designed its AI chatbots to behave, particularly with minors.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Hit the slopes 🎿 - Vail cuts prices for its ski passes, New Yorkers are returning to the office. 9:49

2M ago9:49

9:49

Skiing costs an arm and a leg, but after a season of slumping sales, Vail is willing to let customers keep at least one limb. In a troubling sign for the remote work revolution, briefcase-carrying Manhattanites have fully returned to their natural habitat.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Keep your shirt on 👕 - Canada looks northward for trade, AI legaltech is a booming business. 9:33

2M ago9:33

9:33

In a bid to take over dresser drawers across North America, one of Canada’s largest clothing brands is ready to cut a big cheque. If you know a canola farmer, give them a hug today. They could really use it.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Separate ways 💔 - Open Text fires its CEO, Senior housing demand is soaring. 8:56

2M ago8:56

8:56

Life comes at you fast. One day, you’re chatting with BNN Bloomberg about how swell your company is performing; the next, you’re in the unemployment line. Senior housing has quietly become the hottest play in Canada’s real estate market, but for anyone who wants to actually live in one, the situation is looking a bit grim.…

1
Breaking the ice 🧊 - Canada looks northward for trade, AI legaltech is a booming business. 8:06

2M ago8:06

8:06

The polar bear capital of the world could very well be the answer to Canada’s trade woes. An AI company is planting its flag in Canada with a mission to make lawyers’ workdays more efficient, giving them more time to save the world and chase ambulances — we kid, we kidBy The Peak / Curiouscast

1
AI North 🤖 - Cohere rolls out a homegrown AI agent, The U.S. pulls vaccine research funding. 9:23

2M ago9:23

9:23

Canada’s got a new homegrown AI tool that minds its own business… and yours. The U.S. continues to stray farther away from the global health consensus.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Dairy dumping 🐮 - Canada and U.S. dairy disputes escalate, Canada slips on generic drug approvals. 9:01

2M ago9:01

9:01

The newest wedge driving Canada and the U.S. apart? Skimmed milk powder, apparently. Like a straight-A high schooler whose grades drop at university, Health Canada is struggling with an increased workload.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
15.6 billion hours ⏳ - People are using AI every day, Australia lifts longtime Canadian beef ban. 9:02

2M ago9:02

9:02

We now spend over 15 minutes a day using AI as our meal planner, personal assistant, and deeply unqualified therapist. Canadian beef is back on the menu Down Under.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Fees and bees 🐝 - DoorDash defends drip pricing, New study about bees causes big buzz. 18:41

2M ago18:41

18:41

DoorDash is fighting for its right to charge you $25 to have a $12 burger delivered to your door. Newly published research has the beekeeping world abuzz — but not in a good way.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Unproductive 📉 - AI hasn’t made Canadians more productive, Staycations are saving tourism. 8:17

2M ago8:17

8:17

With the worst productivity crisis in the G7, Canada is banking on AI to turn things around. So far, it hasn’t gone to plan. More Canadian travellers are content to roam at home.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Fighting fires 🔥 - Feds launch wildfire research group, investigating the Sydney Sweeney Effect. 9:28

2M ago9:28

9:28

Ottawa wants to bring together the best and brightest from around the world to tackle one of Canada’s most pressing challenges. The favourite mall store of 14-year-olds in 2009 is popping off thanks to one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars — call it the “Sydney Sweeney Effect.”By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Big in Japan 🇯🇵 - Japan and the U.S. agree to trade deal, Meme stock frenzy has returned. 9:00

2M ago9:00

9:00

The framework for potential U.S. trade deals is starting to shape up. The retail investing craze that inspired a predictably mediocre Hollywood movie is vying for a sequel.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Shopping spree 🛒 - Canadian investors head south for stocks, Microsoft lets hackers walk in. 8:34

2M ago8:34

8:34

Many Canadians are happy to swap their California Cabernet for a Niagara Pinot Noir, but when it comes to their portfolios, they’re not bailing on the U.S. Microsoft may have accidentally left a hacker-sized door open to hundreds of thousands of organizations.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Make or break 📬 - Canada Post workers vote on contract offer, Ikea bets big on smarthome tech. 8:46

2M ago8:46

8:46

It’s high noon for Canada’s national postal service. Having already mastered the arts of furniture building and meatball making, Ikea has set its sights on a new chapter.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Prices get personal 💵 - Delta uses AI to price airfare, Alberta bets big on sovereign wealth fund. 7:30

2M ago7:30

7:30

Airlines are turning to AI to figure out just how much we’re willing to splurge on our summer vacations. Look out Norway and Saudi Arabia — Alberta is back in the sovereign wealth fund game.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Cold shoulder 🥶 - Couche-Tard abandons 7-Eleven takeover, A new report on UFO research. 9:50

2M ago9:50

9:50

After nearly a year of getting ghosted by 7-Eleven, Canada’s convenience store king has gotten the message that it’s time to start seeing other people. Flying saucer research is no longer just the domain of the tin-foil hat crowd, as the federal government could soon be watching the skies.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
ShopGPT 🛒 - OpenAI courts online shoppers, American REIT eyes a Canadian IPO. 8:03

2M ago8:03

8:03

Canada’s biggest tech company is helping ChatGPT fire the starting gun on a new era of online shopping. It’s rare that a company files for an IPO in Canada these days, let alone an American company. And yet…By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Endless breadsticks 🥖 - Canadian restaurant giant snaps up Olive Garden, AI comes for Wall Street. 9:44

3M ago9:44

9:44

This might upset our real red-blooded Italian readers, but Canada will soon get more Olive Gardens. Banks have found a new junior analyst who’s always on time, doesn’t take vacation, and will never complain about a lack of work-life balance.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Creeping up 📈 - Nearly a third of Canadians are obese, Carney recuses corporate interests. 8:19

3M ago8:19

8:19

New research has found yet another way the pandemic left our collective health worse off. The prime minister is going to need a spreadsheet to keep track of all the CEOs he’s not allowed to talk to.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
$200M pay package 🤑 - The world’s highest paying jobs, Shutting down a small town. 8:50

3M ago8:50

8:50

Ruoming Pang recently accepted a pay package of more than US$200 million over several years. He’s not an athlete, or a movie star, but a new member of Meta’s “superintelligence” team. Facing the prospect of a 300% property tax hike, a small town just outside of Timmins, Ontario, is throwing in the towel.…

1
Cutting classes 🧑‍🎓 - Canadian colleges face financial troubles, Bank salespeople are pushing 10:16

3M ago10:16

10:16

We knew that limiting international student visas would be bad for post-secondary schools, but we couldn’t have known it would cause one of the largest mass layoffs the sector has ever seen. The performance of mutual funds might be falling, but that isn’t stopping salespeople at Canada’s largest banks from selling them to customers.…

1
AI goes Hollywood 🎞️ - Canadian startup brings AI to the big screen, Anti-government militia charged. 8:01

3M ago8:01

8:01

A Canadian company seems to have found a way to use AI in Hollywood without getting anyone sued. An ideologically motivated violent plot that had been in the making for at least four years was shut down by a series of arrests this week.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Meeting minutes 🤝 - Ottawa has a new AI tool, Canadian copper thefts are skyrocketing. 8:13

3M ago8:13

8:13

AI is being given the tall order of deciphering what exactly happens in those long meetings on Parliament Hill. As the price of copper rises, so has the number of thieves snipping it from power lines.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Stampede deals 🤠 - Business leaders gather in Calgary, An update on “Liberation Day” tariffs. 8:03

3M ago8:03

8:03

The Calgary Stampede is the only place in the world where you’ll catch business leaders flipping pancakes in the morning and chasing deals into the evening. It has probably never been more important to make a deal with the U.S., and it has probably never been more difficult eitherBy The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Union drivers 🚦 - Uber drivers unionize, Automakers push back on EV mandate. 7:41

3M ago7:41

7:41

Uber drivers in Victoria are forming Canada’s first rideshare union. The feds want more electric cars. Automakers want more people to actually buy them. Right now, neither side is getting what it wants.By The Peak / Curiouscast

1
Another round 🔔 - Gen Z heads back to the bar, China catches up in the AI race. 9:08

3M ago9:08

9:08

It turns out Gen Z’s anti-alcohol reputation might have been overblown. China is beginning to do to the AI industry what it has done in nearly every other major area of the global economyBy The Peak / Curiouscast