What a wonderful year it was.

2025 marked the first full year of the written edition of the Northern Heat Report, and what a year it turned out to be.

The idea for the written edition grew out of a simple question:

“How can we tell more stories?”

With the video version of the Northern Heat Report, we’re able to highlight one story each week. But as the city grows, so do the stories. One story a week quickly proved to not be enough to capture all of the incredible people, businesses, artists, and ideas shaping our community.

That’s where the written edition was born.

At its heart, the Northern Heat Report — both written and video — is rooted in optimism. ThermalWood Canada and its employees are strong believers in a positive world. A world where the stories we chase aren’t driven by doom and gloom, but by creativity, hard work, resilience, and people chasing their dreams.

Throughout 2025, we were proud to feature an incredible lineup of voices in the written Northern Heat Report, including Bonnie Rocket, Phil Lefort, Adam Kenny of Nutshell Woodwork, Black Pug Records, Wild Child Events, Bowlarama, Ironmind Wellness, Mico’s Mercantile, Helltown, The Alt Rocks, and many more.

Each story was different — different paths, different industries, different voices — but they all shared something important in common. They were stories of people building something meaningful. Stories that prove that with dedication, creativity, and a willingness to work hard, it is possible to carve out your own version of success.

Brand Strategist Eric Johnson, who comes from a journalism background, has always believed in the power of community storytelling. Throughout his time as a reporter, he realized that the stories that mattered most weren’t always the loudest or the most sensational — they were the ones that reflected everyday people doing extraordinary things. Becoming part of a community newspaper like the Northern Heat Report has been a privilege, and a reminder of how vital these spaces are for lifting people up and connecting us all.

Over the past year, these stories have been read thousands of times. That response tells us just how much they matter — and how important it is to keep going.

So here’s to a 2026 filled with more great stories, more meaningful interviews, and more incredible people. Thank you to everyone who shared their time, their experiences, and their passion with us. You’ve helped shape the Northern Heat Report into the community newspaper and podcast we always hoped it could be.

That’s it for another edition of the Northern Heat Report — the place you come to hear the stories that haven’t yet been discovered.