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  • From Backyard Experiments to Cult Classic: The Making of Project Grizzly

    From Backyard Experiments to Cult Classic: The Making of Project Grizzly
    Jan 21 2026
    When Project Grizzly was first filmed, no one could have predicted the impact it would have decades later. What started as a story about a man building a bear suit in his backyard has become a cult documentary with a lasting place in Canadian film history.

    In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, filmmaker Peter Lynch reflects on making Project Grizzly, working alongside Troy Hurtubise, and capturing a story driven by obsession, curiosity, and risk.


    3:32 First meeting Troy Hurtubise and filming in his backyard
    7:25 Shaping Troy as a character and embracing obsession
    16:38 Quentin Tarantino discovers Project Grizzly
    29:49 Reflecting on Troy’s legacy and the film’s lasting impact
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    36 Min.
  • Project Grizzly, Troy Hurtubise and the Obsession That Defined His Life

    Project Grizzly, Troy Hurtubise and the Obsession That Defined His Life
    Jan 14 2026
    Troy Hurtubise was a larger than life character who was obsessed with creating the next big invention. One of the inventions that defined him was the bear suit which was famously featured in the film "Project Grizzly".

    In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we explore Troy’s story through the eyes of someone who knew him best, his son Brett. We talk about the obsession that drove him, the risks he took, and the line between genius and self-destruction.


    0:00 Introducing Troy Hurtubise and Project Grizzly
    5:23 Building and testing the bear suits
    14:27 Life after Project Grizzly and relentless invention
    26:57 Obsession, burnout, and the cost of never stopping
    44:20 Legacy, reflection, and what Troy left behind
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    51 Min.
  • Trades, Creativity, and a Chocolate Factory Inside This Northern Ontario Public School

    Trades, Creativity, and a Chocolate Factory Inside This Northern Ontario Public School
    Jan 7 2026
    At White Pines Collegiate & Vocational School in Sault Ste. Marie, school doesn’t look like it used to.

    Alongside classrooms and hallways, students are learning trades, building real skills, and even running a working chocolate factory.

    In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we step inside White Pines to explore how the school is rethinking education. Principal Jennifer Barbeau and former student Josh Sidwell share why hands on learning, creativity, and multiple pathways matter, especially in Northern Ontario where one size does not fit all.


    1:58 Why White Pines is rethinking traditional education
    7:25 Josh’s journey from student to site supervisor
    14:05 Indigenous culture and inclusion at White Pines
    23:23 Teaching business and entrepreneurship in trades
    38:29 The chocolate factory and school store story
    43:57 Why this school represents the future of education
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    46 Min.
  • Why Jane Goodall Chose This Northern Ontario City as a Story of Hope

    Why Jane Goodall Chose This Northern Ontario City as a Story of Hope
    Dec 31 2025
    For decades, Sudbury was known around the world for environmental damage. The land was scarred, the air was polluted, and few people believed recovery was possible. One person who saw something different was Jane Goodall.

    In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Dr John Gunn to talk about how Sudbury became an unlikely symbol of environmental hope. He shares how science, community action, and long-term commitment helped restore the land and why Jane Goodall believed this Northern Ontario city had a story worth telling to the world.

    0:00 Intro
    5:30 What Sudbury looked like before recovery
    11:45 The science behind the re greening effort
    18:30 Jane Goodall’s connection to Sudbury
    25:15 Why this story became a symbol of hope
    32:30 Lessons Sudbury offers the rest of the world
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    47 Min.
  • Santa Answers the Big Northern Ontario Questions

    Santa Answers the Big Northern Ontario Questions
    Dec 24 2025
    Every year, Santa flies over Northern Ontario. He sees the lakes, the rivers, the towns, and the backroads most people never notice.

    This time, we asked him to stop and answer a few questions. In this special christmas eve episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Santa joins us to talk about Northern Ontario history, geography, folklore, and some familiar stories from past episodes of the show.
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    28 Min.
  • ALIVE Outdoors 25 Years In and Still Changing Lives Outside the Classroom

    ALIVE Outdoors 25 Years In and Still Changing Lives Outside the Classroom
    Dec 17 2025
    Twenty-five years ago, Jalynn Bosley left the traditional classroom to create something different. What started with a backpack, a few brave students, and a belief in the power of nature grew into Alive Outdoors, a nationally recognized outdoor education program.

    In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Jalynn shares how Alive Outdoors began, why she believes outdoor experiences are essential for personal growth, and what she has learned from a career built on trust, challenge, and connection.

    0:00 – Intro
    3:10 – How Jalynn's name and journey shaped her path
    6:00 – Leaving teaching to follow a new direction
    12:00 – Taking students beyond Canada to learn through travel
    17:30 – A powerful conversation with a 10-year-old in Bhutan
    21:00 – Resilience, anxiety, and the value of discomfort
    26:20 – How outdoor education has changed in 25 years
    29:10 – Teaching life skills beyond screens and routines
    33:00 – Gratitude, growth, and building a community that lasts
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    37 Min.
  • Snowmobiles Then and Now: A Life on the Trails with Steve Hayward

    Snowmobiles Then and Now: A Life on the Trails with Steve Hayward
    Dec 10 2025
    Steve Hayward has spent most of his life on a snowmobile.

    He’s been a big part of Ontario’s snowmobile community. From helping to create SnowTrax to working closely with clubs and trail groups, Steve has seen how the sport has grown and what it’s up against today.


    In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, Steve shares stories from the trail, talks about how snowmobiling has changed over the years, and opens up about the challenges that clubs and riders are facing now.

    He also reflects on what snowmobiling means to Northern communities and why it's still worth fighting for.

    0:00 – Intro
    5:15 – The early days of SnowTrax and snowmobile media
    11:40 – How sleds and trail systems have evolved
    17:30 – What it really costs to keep trails open
    24:00 – Snowmobiling’s impact on small towns
    30:20 – The growing pressure on local clubs
    36:45 – What the future of the sport could look like
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    47 Min.
  • Sudbury’s Green Revolution and the People Behind It

    Sudbury’s Green Revolution and the People Behind It
    Dec 3 2025
    There was a time when flying into Sudbury felt like landing on the moon. The landscape was bare, the rock was black, and the air was thick with the effects of decades of mining and smelting.

    In this episode of the Backroads Bill Podcast, we sit down with Sarah Woods and Dr. Peter Beckett, two key voices in the story of Sudbury’s re-greening movement. They share how a damaged landscape was brought back to life with shovels, seeds, and the determination of a community that believed things could grow again.

    0:00 Intro
    5:20 The moment re-greening began
    10:30 How science and community came together
    16:15 What it took to bring back the trees
    22:40 Changing perceptions of Sudbury
    28:50 What the world is learning from this project
    35:00 The future of the re-greening movement
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    42 Min.