Now Or Never

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 got an even bigger jolt: Litia was pregnant. Find out how these exes are juggling new parenthood, dating, and the joys and challenges of living together after breaking up.After a painful divorce, Saba Ahmad vowed to go to law school and become the lawyer she never had. She graduated last spring, and is providing support to other South Asian women facing the end of a marriage, as she pursues her last steps to becoming a lawyer.Three years ago, exhausted from all the arguing, nagging and fighting, Jessyka and Jordan Hagen called it quits — only to realize their breakup would eventually save their marriage.Host Ify Chiwete

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 construction to build the new line. It meant years of constant headaches for business owners. Now the ones who are left say they need more than community spirit to stay alive and vibrant. Jason McDonald, the owner of a beauty salon in the area and chair of the Little Jamaica BIA, shares what's at stake and takes us on a tour of the neighbourhood.It took far longer to start an intentional community from scratch than Ron Berezan anticipated. But after a decade, construction equipment is in the ground at Blueberry Commons in Powell River, B.C., a co-housing project where everyone farms the same land, shares amenities, and makes

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 they faced each other for gold in freestyle wrestling at the Manitoba Winter Games? And who do their super competitive parents cheer for?Dave Sproull has been playing darts for over a decade, but having recently turned 55 - and having experienced a serious and life-altering illness - he’s finally getting serious about competition, and is determined to earn a spot on the Darts World Rankings.For as long as he can remember, Aaron Brown has dreamed of competing on his favourite gameshow, Jeopardy. He walked around with a clicker and quit his day job to host weekly quiz nights in Toronto. So what happened when Aaron finally

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.So what does it take to rebuild your life after incarceration? On this episode, meet former and current inmates doing the hard work of repairing relationships, finding a job, and staying sober.Yassir Kassam spent the last 30 years in and out of jail, drawing his family into his cycle of addiction and deception. Today, seven months out, Yassir sits down with his younger brother Omer for an honest conversation about the impacts of his actions on both of them, and what it takes to trust and move forward.When Darcy Beardy got released from prison last August, he had a hard time finding a job — until he met Sean Rayland-Boub

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 you up to a crowd of fellow singles? That's the idea behind Pitch-a-Friend nights, where people pitch what makes their single besties so awesome in a five-minute PowerPoint presentation. We crash a Pitch-a-Friend night in Edmonton to find out if any real-life connections are made.When Lisa Cordileone’s marriage ended 11 years ago, she headed online looking for connection, but apps proved a bust. Trying to date in her small-town in northern Manitoba also made things tough. So last year, she moved to Winnipeg hoping to expand her dating pool. Now, for the first time, she’s putting herself out there at a singles event at a

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 job?When Zeda Ali isn’t counting out beats for her students on the steel pan, she’s counting down the days to what could be the biggest moment of her career: the 55th Juno Awards. Zeda is one of five teachers from across the country nominated for the music teacher of the year award. She tells us what a win – and a substantial cash prize – would mean to her students in Brampton, Ont. While most people his age are looking to the future, 26-year-old Zach Dunn is working to preserve the past.For the last five years he's traveled the country recording stories from WWII veterans, before it's too late. And that's because

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 this episode of Now or Never is all about.A few weeks ago, Lisa de Lusignan wrote in to Now or Never to tell us about losing her husband to ALS, and the surprising thing helping her through her grief: pickleball. So of course we called her up, to find out how joy and sadness co-exist on the pickleball courts. “Nobody looked at me like, ‘Oh geez, I hope she’s OK today.' Which is fine! And lovely for people to do that. But sometimes I just want to be a girl coming to play pickleball, not the sad wife."Since coming to Canada from Eritrea 23 years ago, Alazar Beyene has been giving new life to old shoes. But with the rise of

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 Winnipeg senior citizens behind the Misericordia Place Life Advice Hotline, for tips on love, dating, and moose hunting. 1-800-wisdom at your fingertips!For the past six years, Farideh Olsen has been recording voice notes full of advice for her 10-year-old daughter, just in case she dies. Farideh is completely healthy, but her biggest fear is that she won’t be around when her child needs advice, so Farideh is leaving lessons for her baby, including how to deal with her dad. When Amanda Oake was feeling stuck in a rut working as a nurse manager, her best friend Krista told her to quit her job and buy a

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 years. But not too long after they renovated their home and settled in, Ron suddenly passed away. As Cindy navigates grief and newfound loneliness, she’s on a mission to find a new group of friends who can help her avoid “getting bushed” — a slang term she picked up in the Yukon that describes feelings of isolation and restlessness during the winter months.Maggie Glossop is an 80-year-old artist, affectionately known as the 'Bear Lady', thanks to her charming sculptures. Every winter for the past eight years, Maggie has stepped into Ottawa's Kitchissippi woods to build bears out of snow. Nearly a decade into the traditi

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 her bus empty out as four-year-olds of colour are too scared to come to school. Her neighbours won’t leave their house to go to the laundromat. So now Jodi, a Canadian with only a green card, has gas masks by her front door so she can take to the streets in protest against ICE actions in her city. A group of Iranian-Canadians in Calgary are working around-the-clock to help people send messages to loved ones in Iran, during the country's ongoing communications blackout and deadly protests. Their lifeline? Satellite TV. Armin Zarringhalam and Sepidar Valian explain how it’s possible, and what it’s like trying to prot

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 through barriers in a profession that remains largely white and male.22-year-old Danielle Boyer invented a robot that uses AI to teach kids her community's language, Anishinaabemowin. Thinking deeply about the ethics of AI and technology, Danielle says just because you can build it, doesn't mean you should.  Mohamed AbdAllah is on a mission to create the first Islamic private school in Newfoundland and Labrador. While the province is predominantly Christian, its Muslim population is growing substantially, meaning more and more families are searching for a faith-based education option outside the public scho

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 about money, including how much you have, where it came from, and asking yourself how much you really need. Since Dominique Gené was a kid, religion and her relationship to God have been her anchor. She spent a good chunk of her life in church. Until 2024, when she decided to permanently part ways with her faith.Two years ago, Gavin MacNeil said goodbye to his smartphone and social media accounts for good. Now at 18, and months away from moving away from home for the first time, can he hang on to his commitment?When Franklin Fontaine ended up in jail, it derailed his up-and-coming rap career. While he was inside he

Whether it's through sheer luck or hard work, you've been handed an opportunity you've maybe only dreamed of. What do you do with it?Actor Feaven Abera has been hustling in the industry since she was 17 years old. She remembers taking jobs to pay for acting classes, commuting from Hamilton to Toronto and back for auditions and student films, and sometimes coming up short on bus fare. At 25, she was ready to call it quits, until a phone call changed everything.When Joey Gibbs spotted a lost stuffed bunny at the Vancouver airport, he decided it needed to go on an adventure of a lifetime too before being reunited with the owners.On a whim, Amanda Buhse entered her name to be a seat filler at the Emmys. When she got the call, she had less than 24 hours to get from Winnipeg to LA and be camera ready to rub elbows with the stars on TV.Edith Lemay, Sebastian Pelletier and their four children have swam with dolphins in Indonesia, sailed high above Cappadocia in a hot air balloon, and jumped into ancient lakes in Mong

‘Tis the season for exchanging greetings, sending salutations, and dashing off (humblebrag) holiday letters. But chances are, there’s someone you haven’t reached out to yet…so what are you waiting for?Today Now or Never is nudging you to finally get those meaningful messages out into the world, starting with our own Trevor Dineen.For the past three (!) years, a complete stranger with Trevor’s old phone number, has been redirecting his birthday messages and phone calls. Trevor has never spoken to him, but today, he calls up this helpful stranger to say thanks. When her baby boy Lewiston was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Calgary’s Jessica Janzen was determined his short life would be full of joy. That meant dance parties to Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake. Now, Jessica is trying to get Timberlake to join her in a dance for what would be Lewiston’s 10th birthday.When Laurie Froman was a teenager growing up in Six Nations of the Grand River, her dad used to do little drawings on he

This week, stories of people racing to save something before it disappears completely.For most of his life, Gerry Smerchanski has watched the stars from his property in the small town of Teulon, Manitoba. But now the town has grown up around his home, and the amateur astronomer’s night sky is disappearing because of light pollution. Find out how he’s fighting to preserve the night sky, and why it matters.After looking all over her Saskatoon home, Barb Rudoski finally found her old wedding video from 1991. Now that she’s transferred the VHS to digital, she’s finally able to take her daughters back in time to the big hair, shoulder pads, and 90s-tastic realness of her wedding day, with hilarious results. Where have all the male friendships gone? According to Statistics Canada, we're seeing our friends less often, and have fewer close friends to confide in — and this is especially true for men. Find out how something called the "Wednesday Waffle" is helping Justin, Arman, Sawyer and Mike of the Toronto Din

Messing things up is part of the human experience.But what happens when you fail at something so big, and so publicly...how do you come back from that?On this episode, four people confess their most epic fails, and what they're doing to dig themselves out.Edmonton’s Kayla Huszar used to cajole, bribe and beg her children to brush their teeth. But her "gentle parenting" approach led to both her kids needing emergency dental surgery, and feelings of failure. How Kayla created boundaries, stopped getting bullied by her kids, and ditched the permissive approach.When Jeremy Campbell first dreamed up the Line Spike Frontenac music festival this summer, he pictured 20,000 fans in a field, singing along to an all-Canadian lineup featuring Chantal Kreviazuk and Burton Cummings. Instead, his liquor license got revoked, fewer than 4000 people showed up, and he's now over $225,000 in debt. He tells us what went wrong, and why he still has the confidence to try again next year.Ify takes her mic to Toronto's Metropolitan U

Roommates. They can be great, they can save you money....and they can also make your life a living hell.Roommate households are the fastest growing living arrangement in Canada, so we wanted to know, how are people making it work? (or not)Five stories of people navigating some tricky real-life moments with their roommates.Deb King never thought she’d need to find a roommate at 67 years old, but that’s exactly what she’s doing right now. We join her on the hunt for “someone normal,” as she fends off dating requests, does background checks, and just tries to find a home for herself and her dog, Cirque du Soleil.Jewel Casey and Jordan Woodward have spent the past seven months living together in an apartment in Invermere, B.C.…as exes. Despite the rough patches, sticking out their year-long lease together has led the couple to come to some surprising realizations about where their relationship went wrong.It's move in day for Marisa, Matt, Chet, and Izabella, a group of friends in Toronto who just bought a 1.3 mil

Saying goodbye can be hard — whether it's to a relationship, a job, or the place you call home. On this episode, hear how people knew it was time to say goodbye, and what happened after they walked away.Ify pops in for one last visit to the Imperial Pub, an iconic neighborhood bar in Toronto that's closing its doors after 81 years. Long-time owner Fred Newman reflects on the end of an era, while regulars raise their glasses for one last toast.After Donald Trump was elected back to the Oval Office in 2024, Anthony and Dominic Sposato became increasingly uneasy about living in America as a married gay couple with a 10-year-old son. They decided to pack their life into boxes and sell their home in New Jersey, with dreams of moving to Edmonton. But they aren’t yet sure if their application to immigrate across the border will be accepted.For 21 years, Sam Corbett was the drummer in The Sheepdogs, one of Canada's most successful rock bands. But last month, he decided to call it quits to focus on being a stay-a

Asking what someone does for work is more complicated these days. More than a million Canadians, or 5.6 per cent of the working population, are holding down multiple jobs. So today on Now or Never we’re looking at the art, and real cost, of the side hustle.After two decades in the education industry, Lethbridge, Alberta teacher Verna Mabin didn’t expect she’d still be working a side hustle…and searching for another. And just wait till you hear what she’s using her extra income to pay for.By day, Winnipeg’s Sam Davidson works for the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba, but by night, he transforms into the spandex wearing, hip swiveling,  Red Hot Sammy Peppers, bringing the heat inside the wrestling ring. How long can he hold on to his alter ego?Devon Flynn is an unapologetic job juggler in Prince George, B.C. With ten jobs sending him T4s, you’d think he’d have enough to make ends meet, but when things dried up a few months ago, Devon had to face some tough decisions. How he’s making s

Just in time for Halloween, stories of people being scared out-of-their-mind about something, but doing it anyway.The last time Mike Bahuaud ran a half-marathon, he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed at the finish line, where his heart stopped beating for nearly five minutes. One year later, he's determined to run the exact same marathon, to finish what nearly ended him. It was a regular Friday afternoon in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland when Shem Evans was randomly attacked and beaten by seven teenagers while picking up his kids from school. After the attack, fear rocked his family and the community. But when his wife Bailey Rempel didn’t see enough change, she took a leap and ran for city council to try to make things safer for everyone. Lynn Sainté has a deep fear of throwing a party where no one shows up. But she also really wants to relive her church choir days, so she's booked a venue, hired some musicians, and sent out the invitations. When Ify checks in, she's only sold three ticket