What's Happening on Twitter across Canada

#Canada150 has been trending on Twitter throughout 2017 as Canadians celebrate the people, places and moments that make our nation the amazing place that it is.

From Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) to NHL legend Yvan Cournoyer‏ (@CournoyerYc12) to Halifax-based songwriter Heather Rankin (@HeatherRankinMe), dozens of Canadian VIPs have taken to Twitter in recent months to share their #Canada150 greetings and join the conversation.

Here are the dates in 2017 that have seen the highest volume of #Canada150 discussion on Twitter:

1. January 1, 2017 - New Year’s Day
2. June 21, 2017 - National Aboriginal Day (#NADCanada, #NationalAboriginalDay)
3. February 15, 2017 - National Flag of Canada Day (#FlagDay)

Ontario has had the largest portion of #Canada150 discussion with 63% of these Tweets coming from the province. Alberta ranks second on this list with 11%, followed by British Columbia with 9%.

With Canada’s 150th birthday now just days away, we are marking the occasion by shining a spotlight on 10 everyday Canadian accounts who are using Twitter to share, engage and connect with the world around them.

Here is a sample of #WhatsHappening on Twitter across Canada.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Paul Seesequasis (@paulseesequa), a Saskatchewan Plains Cree writer and journalist, has been posting historic images of Indigenous peoples across Canada from the 1940s to the 1970s. The project has landed him a book deal. Blanket Toss Under Midnight Sun will be released in the fall of 2018.

Montreal, Quebec: The historic Jacques Cartier Bridge in downtown Montreal lights up thanks to Twitter, any time one of several Montreal-specific hashtags (#mtlmoments, #375MTL, #illuminationMTL) are Tweeted for the next 10 years, 364 days each year.  For one night only, this Canada Day from sunset to 3:00am, every Tweet that includes #Canada150 will send a red digital firework up the exterior skin of the bridge. 

Windsor, Ontario: High school student Aidan Gendreau creates an unofficial Twitter account (@TransitHelp) for Windsor Transit, blending helpful public transit information with good humour for the people of his community.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Life of Pi author Yann Martel (@WriterYann) uses Twitter to document a night spent on the streets of Saskatoon for the Sanctum Survivor challenge (#SanctumSurvivorYXE). The challenge is both an awareness campaign for homelessness in the community and a fundraiser for HIV and AIDS care through the Sanctum hospice.

Inuvik, Northwest Territories: The @SpeakGwichin Twitter account, tied to the Gwich'in Language Revival Campaign, helps in the effort to defend one of the most endangered Indigenous languages. The account is run by NW Territories resident Jacey Firth (@JaceyFirthHagen).

Norfolk County, Ontario: Mike Pasztor (@Pasztor79), a cash crop farmer from Norfolk County, keeps his followers abreast of crop conditions and farming issuing, thanks to the connectivity of Twitter and the #OntAg hashtag.

Regina, Saskatchewan: The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (@rqhealth) and eHealth Saskatchewan (@eHealthSask) gave an inside look at how Regina EMS is using technology to access critical patient information, live Tweeting incoming inquiries over a 12-hour period this past winter.

Gander, Newfoundland: Newfoundland Iceberg Report (@NLIcebergReport) provides reports, photos, and locations of local icebergs all year long. Tips and photos are submitted by a community of iceberg spotters. The account is run by Diane Davis, an amateur “berg-hunter” who says this project has turned from a hobby to an obsession.

Guelph, Ontario: University of Guelph PhD candidate Morgan Jackson (@BioInFocus) gains a worldwide audience as a Twitter-based expert on the topics of flies (#diptera), biodiversity and taxonomy. He fields inquiries from bug lovers and academics around the world, mixing scientific detail with fun and humour.

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia RCMP (@RCMPNS) brought their National Safe Driving Week campaign to Twitter with officers live-Tweeting from safety checkpoints (#CheckPointLive) to share news and notices with the public.