Gonez Media is announcing the expansion of its storytelling and media production with the introduction of Now Canada and Now Vancouver.
Over the past three years, Now Toronto has become one of the fastest-growing digital media companies in the country, with our stories reaching millions of Canadians near and far through TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, X, Bluesky, and our website.
Re-launched under Gonez Media in 2023, Now’s digital-first approach has made an impact in the city by reshaping how local stories and culture are reported and consumed, prioritizing fast, accessible, and community-driven storytelling that meets audiences where they already are online.
And while the stories of Toronto have helped shape the brand, Canada is growing quickly, and so are the opportunities to share more stories and content from Canadians across the country.
This summer will officially mark the launch of Now Canada and Now Vancouver, giving Canadians the opportunity to hear stories that truly matter to them across arts, politics, governance, culture, and more.
This expansion will include a growing editorial and production team who will be on the frontlines, speaking with Canadians from province to province and putting those voices at the forefront.
“When we relaunched Now in 2023, the vision was never just to modernize a legacy Toronto brand. It was to prove that proudly Canadian, digital-first media can grow, evolve, and lead by being authentic,” says Brandon Gonez, CEO of Gonez Media.
“Toronto was the first chapter. Now Canada and Now Vancouver are the next step in building platforms that give more communities, creators, artists, and voices across this country the spotlight they deserve.”
When Now re-launched in 2023 as digital-first publication, the focus was always to grow and expand our reach across the nation, and while we have done that, the new launch of Now Vancouver and Now Canada will allow Now and Gonez Media Inc. to do so at greater scale while maintaining the same efficiency and timeliness.
“Building a national audience means being intentional about where you plant your flag and why. The NOW reader didn’t stay in Toronto. They moved to Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, and they took that same appetite for independent, community-first media with them,” says Kristal Shankaran, Head of Sales and Partnerships at GMI.
“And for us, Vancouver isn’t just a new market, it’s the first chapter of a deliberate national strategy. We’re not expanding for the sake of scale; we’re expanding because the demand is already there. The Gonez Media audience has always been mobile, educated, and culturally connected. Our job is to meet them where they are and give brands a single trusted partner to reach them coast to coast.”
Now’s expansion is being welcomed by residents and local politicians within Toronto, including Mayor Olivia Chow, who says she’s eager to continue watching Now’s evolution beyond the city.
“Five years ago, Brandon Gonez had a vision that diverse voices needed to be heard, their stories needed to be told, and that wasn’t happening. So he stepped up, and he charged for it, and my gosh, this is such a successful media and that’s just the beginning,” Chow said.
“Now is a full fledged media company, and not just in Toronto, it’s now going national, It shows that there’s a need. Going national won’t be easy, but as long as that mission stays true, hard work will pay off.”
For more information visit nowtoronto.com and follow us on our social channels.
