iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Our own Government maps don't say lake Ontario because we're stuck using a Google API

Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Amid all the conversation about ways to fight a USA/CAN trade war, there are still so many legitimate steps that we COULD be taking tomorrow to push back on big tech, like allowing for third party app stores and encouraging Canadian developers

A screen capture of a CBC article stating that Canada is "stuck using an American technology under the surface."

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The Tyee @thetyee.ca · 29/08/2026

Ahead of the Vancouver 2026 Fringe Festival, the Fringe Patio sets the tone with a weekend of music co-presented with Coastal Jazz. Head to the Ocean Artworks Pavilion on Granville Island to attend free shows by local artists Sept. 5 to 7. 🎹🎷 #TyeePresents #Sponsored thetyee.ca/Presents/202...

thetyee.ca

Vancouver Fringe Festival Turns Up the Music | The Tyee

The free Fringe Patio on Granville Island will feature all-ages live music co-presented with Coastal Jazz over the Labour Day Weekend.

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Rebecca Bollwitt @miss604.com · 17/08/2026

The Vancouver Fringe Festival is coming up and they'll have some free programming for kids, and a couple of free concerts too:

miss604.com

Vancouver Fringe Festival 2026

The Vancouver Fringe Festival hosts theatre, dance, comedy, drag, music, and more September 10–20, 2026 at Granville Island and beyond

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

As PM, Burnham has shown himself to be capable of the kind of retail politics few int political figures have achieved. Say what you want about the way he took power, but to understand that pocketbook issues are the issues of voters is savvy not typically exhibited by the Labour Party.

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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Never forget, you can double the number of people in a pedestrian street or people-place in two different ways — by doubling the number of people who come (which is harder), or by doubling the length of time that people stay (easier, but we too often get this wrong). Make streets magnetic places.

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

I'm truly hoping this will serve as an example to the Carney Gov that made in country solutions favours local economies and pushes back on Silicone Valley monopoly

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 24/06/2026

this is a great illustration of one of the fundamental insights of democracy — that there is no such thing as "the people" and that majorities are elusive and ever shifting. no election, no decision, is final and treating an election as a final decision is profoundly undemocratic.

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

It's also worth mentioning that the positive outcomes we are seeing come with a $700M of price tag. One can imagine all kinds of cool things local events could do with that sort of investment.... Or at least I can

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

That guy is actually employed by our tourism outfit 😉 Welcome back Josh

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

The loss of neighbourhood events, festivals, and street parties is bad for artists, artisans, and audiences. But it's also a huge blow to local shops. Supporting arts, culture, and entertainment isn't feel-good altruism, it's good business. Time to get serious about supporting festivals and events

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

Some would argue that banning a certain age from using social media is regressive, overly-simplistic politics, and that big tech would rather see partial bans over actual changes to algorithmically driven platforms. I say think of all the good we could do if we banned people over 65 from Facebook

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

It's only a passing mention in the second paragraph, but artists are also pulling out of Canada simply because the economics of traveling here doesn't work without US stops. Anecdotally have heard from colleagues who have been unable to book non-North American artists.

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Thanks! Ya the Vancouver Library uses Libby, but it's imperfect as they limit the licences for books out at one time

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

@parismarx.com do you have a good recommendation for audio books? Similar to podcasts, Spotify has become a default.

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

We always have plenty of room for parody at the Fringe. (This is not legal advice, please don't sue my festival....)

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

“Wednesday Afternoon Brouhaha” doesn't have the same ring as “Saturday Night Massacre” does it.....

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Justin McElroy 🇨🇦 @jmcelroy.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

An underrated part of the discussion of how to fund Vancouver's Celebration of Light is that a generation ago, big businesses spent tons of money on local culture because it was an efficient form of advertising. And today, when everything can be targeted through online algorithms, they don't.

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Arshy Mann @arshy.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

A few weeks ago, we put out an episode with @jmcelroy.bsky.social where we talked a lot about how the Rest of Canada tends to ignore or misunderstand BC. And the last few weeks of federal politics seem like a perfect encapsulation of that. hatchetmedia.substack.com/p/visions-of...

hatchetmedia.substack.com

Visions of Vancouver (w/ Justin McElroy)

Reflections on a misunderstood city with Vancouver's most beloved journalist

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Matt Lorenzi @stickers66.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

First we get the Rubber Duck Museum, then we get Hawaii

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Brandon Yan 甄念本 @brandonyan.com · 12/11/2025

Watch the city cut arts funding and charge arts groups MORE for public space use.

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Vision Zero Vancouver @visionzerovancouver.ca · 02/11/2025

The Worst Intersection in Vancouver winner (loser?) has been crowned 🏆👀

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Although to be honest, I would 100% buy a tote bag with the TransLink logo in a pentacle

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

It's cool and awesome that this city has business leaders who suggest that small businesses are being sacrificed to the demonic powers of public transportation…

youtube.com

Broadway Subway project will close portion of Vancouver street for months

YouTube video by CBC British Columbia

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

I'm losing the local theatre in our neighbourhood, and the ability to walk over and go watch a movie. It's one of the last single screens around and while I get that operating movie theatres is tough, it's hard not to treat this as a deeply cynical, profit motivated move

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

I don't know what you're talking about, my beer was fine

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

I could give an amazing tour of spots people who work on the island go to eat our lunches to avoid the crowds

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

Thank you @uytaelee.bsky.social for talking about the importance of Granville Island, particularly for arts and culture (and for featuring some awesome shots of the Fringe 😉)

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 19/05/2025

Y'all, we have to find better ways to invite people to our art @thewaroncars.bsky.social

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Justin Ling @justinling.ca · 07/05/2025

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Not to bigfoot Maggie Haberman, here, but let me try and sketch this out a bit. The tldr will be: Trump *does* have a vision for what he wants out of this trade war, and I'm not sure we're fully anticipating it.

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Can't believe we're just missing each other by a few hours. Safe travels my friend

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

I've been in count rooms as a scrutineer many times. The amount of care, dedication, security, and professionalism displayed by Elections Canada is incredible. This kind of misinfo only undermines their work

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

In today's edition of elections misinformation online: you should bring your own pen to vote because the government wants you to use a pencil so they erase your vote... FFS

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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 18/04/2025

Here is Ricochet Media's @ethancox.bsky.social dressing down Ezra Levant for disrupting the leaders debate "What I don't like Ezra is you preventing us from being able to ask questions on behalf of the public -- you created a circus here"

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Or alternatively "TransLink users currently footing the bill for free roads will soon be joined by drivers"

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Duncan Watts-Grant @wgdonc.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Or put another way "drivers who currently use roads for free, required to pay into system the same as TransLink users"....

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Justin Ling @justinling.ca · 09/04/2025

So, just to recap, Trump's tariffs: -Were reciprocal for other nations' tariffs -Ok, were actually reciprocal for non-tariff barriers -Nevermind, they're about closing trade deficits -Aren't negotiable -Ok, ARE negotiable, but only for cash -nevermind back to 10% across-the-board

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Mark Cuban @mcuban.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

This is more important than you realize. Bluesky doesn’t downgrade links. Which means news sites will get more traffic from here than other sites. Which gives them economic reasons to post here first.

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Taras Grescoe 🚇 @taras-grescoe.com · 19/03/2025

Spotted in the wild: The TGV M, aka the Avelia Horizon, at the Gare de l'Est in #Paris. This is the newest generation bullet train. Capable of 350 km/h, but uses 20 percent less electricity. Bi-level, so it can carry 740 passengers... 🚅🇫🇷🧵

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Oliver Moore @oliver-moore.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Only just twigged who he is, cause he was writing out of the normal context in which I normally see him. Guy has unusual ideas about sprawl nationalpost.com/opinion/joel...

nationalpost.com

Joel Kotkin: Urban sprawl, the environmentally friendly answer to expensive housing

The rise of remote work offers a family friendly way to cut emissions

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Amanda Follett Hosgood @amandafollett.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Should women have the vote? Tune in next week as Cross Country Checkup invites a bunch a men on the show to discuss.

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Leah Reich @leahreich.com · 05/02/2025

I quit Substack. My newsletter is now here, please read it and subscribe. THANKS. www.leahreich.com/technology-i...

Do you know why it feels bad to use the platforms you use, and why it used to feel better? Why year on year things seem like they're getting more awful, with fewer options? Because there is literally nothing human about growth at the rate of millions of users a month, a week, a day. No human experience has ever been designed for a billion people, and no human experience can be designed for a billion people. You cannot be a human in a system or on a platform that allows you to engage with thousands of people and millions of opinions, thoughts, ideas – especially when there are no standards or norms, no tools that help you moderate, mediate, disengage.

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JayIsPainting 🍁 @jayispainting.earthskyart.ca · 03/02/2025

BTW, if you're into Buy Canadian remember that basically all mainstream print media in Canada... Isn't Choose @thetyee.ca @thenarwhal.ca hell, even @thebeaverton.com

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