Charlottetown was calling, and we answered with the latest edition of Canadians Connected—bringing islanders and internet enthusiasts together at Salt & Sol to celebrate the spirit of Canadian entrepreneurship.
With drinks in hand and the ocean just steps away, guests mingled, sampled local flavours and explored a special .CA pop-up marketplace of PEI businesses.
CIRA’s own PEI local and Director of Brand and Communications, Spencer Callaghan, kicked off the evening with a warm welcome and a mic-drop moment: the very first .CA domain ever registered? UPEI! That’s right, islanders were first on the digital map. No big deal… just Canadian internet history.
He then introduced our guest panelists for a conversation close to home: what it means to be a Canadian entrepreneur. The discussion was led by PEI-born, award-winning tech expert Amber Mac, and featured Coltin Handrahan, founder of Stay Golden Custom, alongside Jeremy Heartz, Entrepreneurship Program Officer at UPEI’s Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship. They unpacked what it really means to be a Canadian entrepreneur, the challenges of starting up in smaller communities and why building a strong digital presence is more important than ever.
Pop-up shopping powered by .CA
Of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration of Canadian entrepreneurs without a chance to shop them IRL! Guests had the chance to browse and buy from PEI-based businesses Hoodle Haddles, Goldfsh Slow-Fashion, UNA Beauty and Colourful Island—at our very own .CA marketplace.
Hoodle Haddles: handmade wooden 3-D signs and décor that capture the spirit of Prince Edward Island in every piece.
Goldfsh Slow-Fashion: dainty, modern jewelry from freshwater pearls, semi-precious stones and quality gold-plated metals.
UNA Beauty: clean, low-maintenance beauty products—designed to make you feel like your best, most glowing self.
Colourful Island: unique crafts inspired by the beauty of Prince Edward Island, combining traditional techniques and local materials with a hint of humour!
Every attendee was entered into a prize draw for a chance to win goodies worth up to $150 from each of the four businesses—plus a tasty bonus prize pack from another local .CA favourite, Atlantic Mustard Mill.
Missed the event? You can still shop the .CA marketplace online—plus, CIRA members get 10–15% off Goldfsh, UNA Beauty and Atlantic Mustard Mill. Sign up for free today!
Entertainment
We brought in PEI Kitchen Parties to keep the energy high and serve up some authentic Atlantic Canadian tunes all night long—and it didn’t take long for the foot-stomping to begin!
Booths galore!
A few additional booths added that much more to the Canadians Connected: Charlottetown experience:
Captured moments
Swipe for a look at some of the evening’s fun, captured by talented .CA photographer Michaela Bell.
Watch the recap video
Relive all the highlights from Canadians Connected: Charlottetown courtesy of our friends at Vital Vision Creative!
Keep an eye out for the next Canadians Connected event!
A friendly reminder before we sign off: everyone and anyone is welcome to attend our Canadians Connected networking series. So be sure to watch our CIRA social channels to stay in the loop about when and where the next event will take place.
