Top 10 Canadian Keynote Speakers That Aren't Athletes (And Won't Break the Bank)

Looking for a Canadian keynote speaker that isn’t an Olympic gold medallist?

Sometimes, we just want someone who can talk leadership, creativity, mindset or business.

If you're an event planner, association lead, or HR manager looking for keynote speakers in Canada who are entertaining, inspiring and actually within budget (under $20,000), here’s a curated list just for you. It’s inspired by a recent Reddit thread and my own speaking circuit faves. I’ve shared the stage with many of them.

And yes, I put myself on the list too. I blew a Sunday morning writing this. I’m going on the list.

1. Terry O'Reilly

Expertise: Marketing, storytelling, branding
Why book him: The legendary adman behind Under the Influence, Terry opened the same conference I closed: SocialEast 2024. His stories are rich, his voice is iconic and your audience will leave quoting him for months.

2. Nicolas Duvernois

Expertise: Entrepreneurship, resilience, branding
Why book him: I saw Nicolas at Food & Beverage Atlantic’s AGM in 2023. He is the funniest speaker on this list. The founder of PUR Vodka built one of the most awarded vodka brands in the world... from his basement. He speaks (in both English and French) about grit, rejection and building brands from scratch.

3. Joe Uniac

Expertise: Business operations, effective meetings, execution, strategy
Why book him: I’ve seen Joe multiple times. I’ve never seen him get an audience rating less than 9/10. Joe is no-fluff, all-execution. This is not Simon Sinek - Joe’s expertise is in helping entrepreneurs get things done.

4. Matt Symes

Expertise: Business transformation, growth mindset, leadership
Why book him: One of the most candid, no-BS speakers I know. Matt helps companies evolve during the ugly, sticky transitions. If your audience is tired of sugar-coated TEDx-style soundbites, Matt is your guy.

5. Ross Simmonds

Expertise: Content marketing, digital strategy, future trends
Why book him: If you're on LinkedIn, you've seen Ross. His content on content is fire. He breaks down how to stay relevant in a noisy world and he makes SaaS and B2B feel like a concert.

6. Caley Dimmock

Expertise: Personal branding, digital marketing, self-employment
Why book her: I’ve worked with Caley at several events. She brings both technical know-how and raw honesty about the gig economy, burnout and building a career on your own terms.

7. Julie Ogilvie

Expertise: Marketing leadership, brand strategy, team building
Why book her: Another speaker I’ve worked with closely. Julie is the perfect blend of heart and head, grounded in strategy but always speaking to the human side of leadership. She’s a standout for digital marketing conferences.

8. Graham Sherman

Expertise: Entrepreneurship, culture, storytelling
Why book him: Co-founder of Tool Shed Brewing and former satellite comms tech in war zones. His story is nuts, his delivery is electric and if you like beer analogies, buckle up.

9. Tareq Hadhad

Expertise: Immigration, entrepreneurship, inclusion
Why book him: Founder of Peace by Chocolate. His story (fleeing war, starting over and building a chocolate company with a global impact) is powerful and heartwarming.

10. Joshua Counsil (me)

Expertise: Creativity, tourism and hospitality, marketing, entrepreneurship, product development, community
Why book me: I co-founded Good Robot Brewing and The Beverage Factory, a $7.5M tourism-hospitality, CPG and beverage company in Nova Scotia. I speak about burnout, creativity and scaling without losing your soul. My talks are authentic, no-BS, funny, engaging, inspiring and motivational.

You can learn more about booking me right here or check out this guide on choosing the right motivational keynote speaker.

Final Thoughts

Event planners: the talent pool of Canadian keynote speakers runs deep. You don’t need to blow your entire budget on a big-name athlete to deliver impact. Many of the best speakers in the country are former marketers, founders, teachers and community builders.

If you have specific audiences or topics in mind, send me a message. I’m happy to make recommendations of great Canadian keynote speakers I’ve seen.