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TO Amber Dowling Special for the Star
On a snowy morning in Iqaluit, local schools were closed due to a blizzard. Only essentials were open, but that didn't stop parents with bound children, elderly people and other citizens from coming to the local community center.
They knew Tara Woodbury and Danielle Woodrow, the women in charge of content at Netflix Canada, were there to chat and had questions.
What did Netflix Canada intend to do in the North? Did the company take local stories seriously? And will this northern edition of the streamer really listen to the communities it wants to portray?
For Woodbury and Woodrow, the moment was more than just a stop on an audition tour. It was a reminder of what Canadian industry has historically ignored: Canadians actually care about Canadian stories. But they also care about authenticity, specific stories that reflect real experiences, and quality rather than watered-down versions of American television.
At a time when Canadian media is shrinking and traditional buyers are disappearing, Netflix has become one of the few major companies greenlighting television projects.
Woodbury and Woodrow are responsible for creating this list, but they also navigate a complex industry with constant regulatory changes. Authority? Greenlighting titles that have global appeal while getting Canadians to watch Canadian television.
And although the first successes, such as “wayward” And “North of North” If you imagine the possibilities, the path to reviving Canadian audiences is more complicated than a couple of algorithmic wins.
Together in an exclusive interview in Toronto, Woodrow and Woodbury spoke about their core goal: a collaborative, community-driven approach that stands out in a field often defined by top-down decision making.
“When we opened Netflix Canada, we had many goals and visions. But the one clear goal was to create Canadian shows and films that people actually want to watch,” Woodrow said.
Mae Martin, creator and star of Netflix's Wayward, behind the scenes.
Netflix
It may seem simple, but ask any member of the Canadian media: it really isn't.
Woodbury and Woodrow are often referred to as a duo, but they come from different corners of the industry.
Woodbury built her career in the creative field, most recently as vice president of development at Sphere Media, the company behind “Transplantation” And “Sort of.” She came to Netflix well-versed in Canada's long development cycles, the challenges of financing, and the general fatigue of creators working endlessly in a limited market.
As for Woodrow, she gained significant experience as the former senior vice president of original programming at FX Networks, where she helped bring to life series like Justified, Damages and Sons of Anarchy. She also served as president of Perfect Storm Entertainment's television division and founded the series division with projects including Scorpio, SWAT and Warrior.
Tara Woodbury (left) and Danielle Woodrow, head of content for Netflix Canada, at the Netflix offices in Toronto.
R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star
With that background, Woodrow is familiar with what resonates with audiences, programming strategy, and the fine line between niche specificity and broad appeal.
Marketing budgets do not match their US counterparts. Network schedules are filled with American content first, followed by Canadian content. Many people assume that Canadians prefer American content.
Woodrow and Woodbury reject this version. Before greenlighting anything, the pair spent nearly six months traveling across the country on the aforementioned audition tour.
It was these visits that shaped Netflix Canada's core commitment to hyperlocality, strong creators, and projects rooted in community rather than generic terms. The messages they heard in Iqaluit were the same across the country.
Anna Lambe on the set of North by North, which created an unprecedented production ecosystem in Nunavut.
Jasper Savage/Photo courtesy of APTN, CBC and Netflix
“Canadians wanted to see more of themselves on screen and felt there were many more stories they hadn't seen yet and they wanted to be seen specifically,” Woodbury said.
“People didn’t want a bad version of the show in the UK or the US,” she continued. “They wanted a show from Canada that was fresh and had great storytelling.”
Leaders often use the word “specificity.” It's about sharing uniquely Canadian stories from authentic places, told by local authors.
North of the North has created an unparalleled production ecosystem in Nunavut with CBC and APTN and has invested heavily in local talent. The show's authenticity helped it crack the top 10 worldwide and earn a rare 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, an unheard of achievement for a Canadian comedy.
Mae Martin's Wayward premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and spent two weeks as the top English-language show in the world, reaching number one in 35 countries. It was proof that deeply Canadian humor and identity could extend beyond the borders of its homeland.
Cultural resonance is the goal. “We really want members to enjoy the shows and movies, but it's also really fun when they spark conversation,” Woodrow said.
She cites examples such as “North of North” fashion appearing in Teen Vogue, Montrealers wearing souvenirs from the documentary series “Who Killed the Montreal Fairs?” during the World Series and Martin's landing on “The Drew Barrymore Show.” This is all international unrest, reflecting a genuine expansion of Canadian pop culture.
While early successes are encouraging, the list continues to expand. Behind-the-scenes changes at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) are affecting the industry.
Last year, Netflix stopped financially supporting organizations such as Hot Docs, the Indigenous Screen Office, the Whistler Film Festival Society, the Pacific Screenwriters Program and the National Image and Son Institute. He continued to support initiatives through the Canadian Film Centre, Women in Post and the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices market access program.
The organization decided to transfer the resources after the CRTC found that foreign streamers operating in Canada with annual revenues of more than $25 million must contribute five per cent of their annual domestic revenue to the production of local news and Canadian content.
Following the decision, Netflix and other streamers, including Paramount and Disney, took legal action to challenge the revenue contribution under the Canadian Film Association banner, along with organizations like Apple, Amazon and Spotify.
The streamer's main problem stems from its mandate to contribute to local news funds, a sector in which it does not operate. The order is currently on hold until the legal issues are resolved.
On the content side, skeptics are concerned that Netflix's global platform continues to overshadow local projects. Those concerns were highlighted last week when Netflix announced its intention to acquire Warner Bros., which would give the streamer access to more than a century of content from the studio and networks like HBO.
Additionally, Netflix Canada has a highly selective approval process, which contrasts with the “fill the schedule” model that broadcasters use, and means that only a handful of projects are approved each year.
Approved projects also target different audiences. Netflix is a global organization, not a local network with specific metrics.
That position comes at a time when Canadian creators are leaving the country in search of work, forcing streamers to do more. However, Netflix recognizes that its Canadian series are part of a global service that includes shows from around the world.
“We're really focused on making shows and movies that audiences will enjoy rather than having a fixed number,” Woodrow said. “Admittedly, this is a great thing because it allows us to be really intentional about commissions.”
Woodbury added that because Netflix is so audience-centric, it streams a variety of content. “It also means we're willing to have a diverse roster and take swings that maybe traditional buyers in the market weren't willing to accept,” she said.
This is one of the most exciting parts of the job because she often works with writers who are hosting their own shows for the first time, such as Alethia Arnaquq-Baril and Stacey Uglock McDonald on North of North or Jesse McKeown and his upcoming untitled Newfoundland series.
“We're not afraid to take creative risks, but we need to know the purpose of the show and what we're trying to achieve. Then we'll be as supportive as possible,” Woodbury said.
This support includes increasing budgets and hiring community-focused staff. For example, in McKeown's Newfoundland-set series, the production crew was unable to find the right person to play on audition tapes; The role went to Newfoundland resident Willow Keene, who worked on the set as an assistant casting director.
“This wouldn’t have happened if we weren’t casting and filming there,” Woodbury said. “Sometimes the best results come from shooting on location.”
It's been roughly four years since Woodbury and Woodrow took over Netflix Canada, and it's only now that the pair feel ready to talk to the media about their plan and strategy—now that they have hits to back up their plans.
“We knew it would take some time to reach the level of quality that would allow the show to break through,” Woodbury said. “It's Netflix Canada's vision to bring hits to Canada and around the world. It just took a while.”
The critical question now is whether Netflix Canada can consistently deliver these hits not only overseas, but also at home to that first-mandate Canadian audience.
“One of our goals is to bring that talent home and tell the stories they want to tell,” Woodbury said. “We really believe Canada is having a moment and we want to fan that flame.”
