Meet Gander — Social Media App Built by Canadians, for Canadians

In a world full of social media chaos, one group of Canadians is stepping up with a bold idea: What if we had a platform that actually felt…nice? Safe? Canadian?

Enter Gander — a brand-new social media app launching this October, created entirely by Canadians and designed to put privacy, community, and control back into the hands of users.

So, what is Gander?

It’s a social media platform that lets you post videos, write updates, and tailor your feed to what you actually want to see — minus the trolls, conspiracy theories, and the “why is this even in my feed?” content.

Gander is built on the same open-source tech as Bluesky, which means it’s decentralized and not controlled by one big tech billionaire.

Why now?

The app was born out of frustration. The founders — five Canadians — were fed up with how toxic and divisive online spaces have become. Things got even more real for them when Donald Trump was re-elected as U.S. President, and they realized just how dependent Canada is on American tech infrastructure.

They asked the question: What happens if the U.S. decides to pull the plug? What if we lost access to cloud services that power our businesses, governments, and daily lives? That’s where Gander’s mission got serious.

Built in Canada, hosted in Canada, for Canadians

To make Gander fully Canadian, the team partnered with ThinkOn, a homegrown cloud service provider, to build a parallel network of servers hosted entirely in Canada. That means your data? Stays here. Your privacy? Protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Users can even choose whether their posts appear on the open, global network or stay within the Canada-only community. It’s about giving people options — and peace of mind.

Who’s behind it?

Gander is already getting attention from big names in Canadian innovation. Arlene Dickinson from Dragon’s Den is an investor and advisor, calling the platform “smart and timely” — especially as people crave safer, more positive online spaces.

Other advisors include:

• Blaine Cook (original Twitter architect)
• Amber Mac (tech journalist)
• Taylor Owen (McGill’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy)
• Peter Dinsdale (CEO of YMCA Canada)

Early access & what’s next

Over 9,000 people have already signed up for early access, which includes perks like username priority and the chance to help beta test the platform. Gander will launch in English, French, and three Indigenous languages — a huge win for inclusivity.