TORONTO – Prime Video’s new Canadian slate of programming features a docuseries that brings collectively a singing legend and one of many nation’s home-renovation stars as they chase junior hockey glory.
In “Hometown Giants,” Michael Bublé and Drew Scott are rolling up their sleeves as part-owners of the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants.
The present is a have a look at the stress that comes with operating a hockey workforce, and the sacrifice teenage gamers make for an opportunity to hitch the NHL.
The singer and “Property Brothers” character will attempt to carry again the Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup to Vancouver. The workforce final gained the highest prize in 2007.
The six-part collection is paying homage to “Welcome to Wrexham,” a actuality present govt produced by Vancouver-born star Ryan Reynolds. The present follows the Welsh soccer workforce’s trajectory from a lower-tier league to a history-making three consecutive promotions all the way in which to the Champions League.
Prime Video’s new lineup announcement comes because the tech big hosts the Amazon Upfront, an occasion in Toronto geared towards selling its slate to advertisers. The Canadian originals embrace six new initiatives and one returning, all of them unscripted.
It’s additionally teaming up with one other HGTV star, Scott McGillivray, for the survival collection “Give up.”
The handyman will host and govt produce the eight-part collection during which strangers compete within the Canadian wilderness. It begins manufacturing this fall.
The streaming service is making a Canadian model of a actuality TV format it’s produced in different international locations with “Heels within the Hay,” during which influencers are moved away from their cozy lives at house to reside within the countryside. The French-language present can be produced by Canadian firm Trio Orange in affiliation with Amazon MGM Studios.
Prime Video additionally touted its new 11-year cope with the NBA that enables it to air 67 common season video games, together with the NBA Cup event and choose playoff video games.
The streamer didn’t give an replace on “Prime Monday Night time Hockey” or “NHL Coast to Coast,” which was a part of a two-year cope with the Nationwide Hockey League that ends after this season.
Mark Shopiro, who heads up Prime Video in Canada, stated in a video interview final week they had been pleased with the final two years and assume the exhibits have been nicely obtained, however didn’t have any details about a renewal to share on the time.
Final 12 months the NHL and Rogers introduced a 12-year $11-billion-dollar deal for the nationwide media rights for video games throughout all platforms in Canada. When it was introduced, Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri stated there was a “robust chance” they’d proceed their cope with Prime Video.
Prime Video additionally introduced a premiere date for “Younger Farts Trailer Components,” a docuseries about Alberta siblings who’re attempting to construct an RV-parts empire. The present is govt produced by Jacob Tierney of “Heated Rivalry” fame and was introduced final 12 months. It would premiere July 17.
Prime Video’s solely returning collection introduced Wednesday is the Québécois present “LOL: Qui Rira Le Dernier?,” which options comedians competing to make one another snort with out breaking out in laughter themselves. The present is hosted by Patrick Huard, finest know for his function in “Bon Cop, Dangerous Cop,” and in its fifth season it’s inviting again former gamers.
Thus far the corporate stated it has commissioned greater than 25 Canadian Prime Originals and Brent Haynes, head of unique programming for Canada, stated their technique is figuring what exhibits will seize an viewers.
“There’s a lot on Prime Video that there’s one thing there for everybody. On the originals facet, we’re simply in search of these gray areas that we will fill inside Canada,” Haynes stated.
Executives declined to share how a lot the streamer spends on Canadian programming.
Final week, after the interview with Prime Video executives, the Canadian broadcast regulator introduced that giant streaming providers should contribute 15 per cent of their Canadian revenues to Canadian content material.
That’s 3 times the five-per-cent preliminary contribution requirement the CRTC set out in 2024, which is being challenged in courtroom by main streamers, together with Apple and Amazon.
The Movement Image Affiliation, the U.S. group representing streamers together with Netflix and Prime Video, stated the brand new guidelines will triple the price of doing enterprise in Canada and known as on the federal authorities to rethink.
Requested to touch upon the CRTC ruling, a spokesperson for Prime Video forwarded the MPA assertion and quoted Shopiro as saying:
“We’ve got a long-standing dedication to investing in Canadian manufacturing, the newest examples of that are being introduced as we speak on the Amazon Upfront.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Could 27, 2026.
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