6 days ago
'Amazing Race Canada' Season 11 host Jon Montgomery teases 'big time' competitive racers and dramatic season
Even in Season 11, The Amazing Race Canada (Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET on CTV, and the CTV app) has more ways to surprise and delight its audience. Hosted by Jon Montgomery, 11 teams race across Canada to win the coveted title of the show's champions, along with two 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, a trip around the world, and a $250,000 cash prize courtesy of Fuze Iced Tea.
The big question each season is how the racers compare to past seasons. Montgomery revealed that this year's teams are "big time" competitive.
"Episode 1 you'll see some dramatic stuff that's never happened before on The Amazing Race Canada, and you can see the level of competitiveness, excitement for what lays ahead, and disregard for whatever strife might be encountered as a result of some choices, perhaps," he shared with Yahoo Canada.
From a competitors standpoint, one team to look out for is Brendan McDougall and Sam May, both previous Amazing Race Canada racers, in different seasons, with different partners. After Sam appeared in Season 10, Brendan (Season 8) slid into her DMs, and now they're back for a second chance at the race as a couple.
"I never get to see racers from previous seasons come back, and to be there once again to share the experience, and to capture it for everybody's viewing pleasure, ... what a brilliant piece of television," Montgomery said. "Who knows where things will go. Maybe it could be the first relationship that goes the distance on The Amazing Race Canada."
While race has gone to so many places in Canada, in Season 11 the racers are headed to the Arctic Circle.
"We get to go to the coastline of our third ocean, and truly be able to say from coast to coast to coast on The Amazing Race Canada," Montgomery highlighted. "Everybody in production was just tickled pink that we were able to go and do this. ... With this backdrop, with this scenery, it was just such a privilege to be able to use it and to engage with the people who get to live there. It was brilliant."
But Montgomery still has one place he wants to see on the show, Alert in Nunavut, the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world.
"If you want to go to the edges, to the fringes, you got to go there," Montgomery said. "I don't think The Amazing Race Canada will ever take us to Alert, but that's one place that I can say is bucket list."
"We would have to spend a week probably just getting ourselves to Alert, and then once we got there, quick run around the buildings that exist in Alert would probably have exhausted all of the physical infrastructure that we could use."
For Canadians tuning into Amazing Race Canada this season, they'll be watching as tensions between Canada and the U.S. feel particularly high, with many Canadians responding by trying to support local businesses, tourism destinations and even entertainment.
"Maybe there are more people out there that feel the same way that I do, which is to be Canadian puts me in an incredibly fortunate group of people in the entire world," Montgomery said. "And to take that for granted is a travesty, and maybe what's happened elsewhere has brought more people to the boat that I'm sailing on, and I have always been sailing on."
"I feel like there's more people here on team pride right now than there ever has been. ... And if it gives us an uptick in viewership, if the places that we're visiting experience an uptick in tourism as a result of this type of a sentiment, then that's the best thing that could have ever happened."
But Montgomery also highlighted that the continued popularity of The Amazing Race Canada really comes down to the whole crew involved in putting each season together.
"We get to be surrounded by people that are the best at their craft while we make the Amazing Race Canada," he said. "All these people continually want to level up and bring to the audience more polished, more refined, better shots, better edited, on every aspect. And so the the show and the finished product continues to level up."
But the question still remains, would Montgomery move from host to racer? He's definitely interested.
"Gordie Howe coached and played at the same time. I don't know why I can't host and race at the same time," he said. "I have no idea what I'm in for every day I wake up on The Amazing Race anyway. ... I think I could do it."
Jesse Harink (he/him)Hometown: Sherwood Park, VancouverOccupation: Human ResourcesInstagram: @jesseharink
Jonathon Braun (he/him)Hometown: Woodlawn, VancouverOccupation: Lawyer (Non-Profit Legal Director)Instagram: @jonbraun91
Fans of the race, these best friends are representing their 2SLGBTQIA+ community and "want to look fabulous doing it." Jesse is also racing in memory of his late father, who dreamed to one day run it with one of his kids.
Grace Dove (she/her)Hometown: Prince George, VancouverOccupation: ActressInstagram: @_gracedove
Joe Syme (he/him)Hometown: Prince George, Prince George, Diamond DrillerInstagram: @joe_syme
Grace is an actress who worked with Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant, Hilary Swank in Alaska Daily and Forest Whitaker in How It Ends, and has now teamed up with her sibling to run the race for their family and Indigenous community.
Skylene 'Nipîy' Gladue (she/her)Hometown: EdmontonCurrent: EdmontonOccupation: Theatre PerformerInstagram: @nipiy_iskwew
Blair 'Superfan Magoo' Gladue (he/him)Hometown: EdmontonCurrent: EdmontonOccupation: EntertainerInstagram: @superfanmagoo
The married couple wants to inspire Indigenous communities by showing that, "after every struggle, there is light at the end of the tunnel," specifically after overcoming addiction and showing courage in the face of adversity.
Osas Igbinosun (he/him)Hometown: CalgaryCurrent: CalgaryOccupation: Musician and DevOps EngineerInstagram: @Osasioo
Esosa Igbinosun (he/him)Hometown: CalgaryCurrent: CalgaryOccupation: Utility ArboristInstagram: @esojoe2
These brothers see The Amazing Race Canada as "a mission shaped by their immigration journey from Nigeria to Calgary," while also honouring their late father's dream of exploring Canada.
Rebecca Merasty (she/her)Hometown: Meadow Lake, VancouverOccupation: ModelInstagram: @rebeccarene_m
Rebecca Watt (she/her)Hometown: Wrigley, VancouverOccupation: Strategic Lead for Indigenous Wellness ProgramsInstagram: @rebeccaekenale
Growing up in small northern communities, these best friends learned "resilience and resourcefulness" early in their lives. "The Rebecca's" are striving to inspire Indigenous youth and people of colour.
Brendan McDougall (he/him)Hometown: McDougall, McDougall, Engineered SalesInstagram: @mcdougally
Sam May (she/her)Hometown: TorontoCurrent: McDougall, Event PlannerInstagram: @sam_may1
Both former racers, Brendan (Season 8) and Sam (Season 10) are getting back into the competition as a couple, seeking redemption.
EB Burnett (he/him)Hometown: TorontoCurrent: Hamilton, ModelInstagram: @ebquartz
Blake Burnett (he/him)Hometown: TorontoCurrent: TorontoOccupation: Bar Manager & ModelInstagram: @italblizz
These "ultra-competitive" brothers with Guyanese, Jamaican and Cuban roots are ready to test their brotherhood.
Ika Wong (she/her)Hometown: TorontoCurrent: TorontoOccupation: Content CreatorInstagram: @theikawong
Demetres Giannitsos (he/him)Hometown: TorontoCurrent: TorontoOccupation: Real Estate AgentInstagram: @demetres_gia
The couple, who met on Big Brother Canada, want to show their young boys that anything is possible with determination.
Michele Peter (she/her)Hometown: Scarborough/TorontoCurrent: TorontoOccupation: Social Worker and Event Host/EmceeInstagram: @missionswithmcmichie
Aditi Deonarine (she/her)Hometown: TorontoCurrent: TorontoOccupation: Social Worker and ArtistInstagram: @no_star_like_thee
After competing on Family Feud Canada, and Michele played for the Millennials on Battle of the Generations, these cousins want to honour their loved ones, and South Asian girls, on The Amazing Race Canada.
Louis Octeau-Piché (he/him)Hometown: Vaudreuil-Dorion, Hudson, ActorInstagram: @louisocteaupiche
Marie Octeau (she/her)Hometown: Vaudreuil-Dorion, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Real Estate BrokerInstagram: @marieocteau
This mother-son team want to prove that they're "the ultimate dream team." Marie also wants to inspire single mothers and women over the age of 50.
Lacey Koughan (she/her)Hometown: Charlottetown, Charlottetown, Business OwnerInstagram: @lacekoughan
Celia Koughan (she/her)Hometown: Charlottetown, TorontoOccupation: ActorInstagram: @_celiaowen_
The East Coast sisters are the first team to represent P.E.I. in race history, competing in honour of their late father as they aim to shed light on topics of "suicide, mental health, vulnerability, and the importance of sharing your struggles."
