The Power List 2023

Ranking the 100 Canadians Shaping the Country in 2023


After three pandemic-plagued years, Canadians have emerged, squinting and disoriented, into a new world order. While we were baking sourdough in lockdown, artificial intelligence evolved from the stuff of movie magic into big business. Basketball and soccer closed in on hockey to join the ranks of Canada’s national games. We finally began taking climate change seriously, churning out electric vehicles by the thousands and building skyscrapers out of renewable timber. And the coolest place to film a prestige TV show was suddenly…Alberta?

Commanding this weird, cool, occasionally scary new reality is a cohort of Canadians whose ideas and inventions are forging new industries and reinventing old ones. We’ve selected the top 10 changemakers in 10 categories. There’s Kris Collins, a former hairdresser who entertains some 48 million Gen Zers with her bite-sized TikTok sketches. Mindy Wight and Khelsilem of the Squamish Nation are in charge of a revolutionary $3-billion housing development in Vancouver. And tech whiz Raquel Urtasun is teaching cars how to drive themselves. Some of the people on our list are already household names. The rest are about to be.

Skip to a section:

  • Sports Stars
  • Political Backroomers
  • AI Trailblazers
  • Real Estate Reformers
  • Health Care Innovators
  • Gaming Tycoons
  • Hollywood North Stars
  • Food Titans
  • EV Entrepreneurs
  • TikTok Influencers

The Raptors’ budding superstar is ushering in a new era of Toronto basketball

Click here to find out why Barnes tops the list

Poilievre’s chief adviser knows how Canadians think— and how they vote

Click here to find out why Byrne tops the list

These whiz kids are building a smarter, friendlier chatbot

Click here to find out why Zhang, Gomez and Frosst top the list

For pairing real estate with reconciliation

Click here to find out why Wight and Khelsilem top the list

Before, he was just one doctor. Now, he’s working to make life better for all of them.

Click here to find out why Lafontaine tops the list

For setting out to do her own thing

Click here to find out why Raymond top the list

Forget streaming. This blockbuster director wants to save the silver screen.

Click here to find out why Villeneuve tops the list

The country’s most powerful—and controversial—grocery mogul

Click here to find out why Weston tops the list

This Michigan-raised auto exec is helping Canada usher in its EV revolution

Click here to find out why West tops the list

This former hairdresser is one of Tiktok’s biggest talents

Click here to find out why Collins tops the list