Nextdoor, the world’s largest private network for neighbours, has announced its official launch in Canada. More than 247,000 neighbourhoods in 11 countries around the world turn to Nextdoor to build connections, stay informed and get things done in their local communities. Neighbours throughout Canada can now use Nextdoor to get the word out quickly about a lost pet, find trustworthy recommendations for everything from babysitters to snow plowing services, connect with their favourite local businesses, meet neighbours who love fishing as much as they do, and so much more.
It’s clear Canadians are keen to build deeper relationships and stronger communities with their neighbours. In fact, Canada has quickly become the fastest-growing country in Nextdoor history, with a waitlist of more than 10,000 members prior to Nextdoor’s beta launch in Canada this summer. Strong early adoption and interest has been demonstrated by several of Nextdoor’s first Canadian members including Tom Carini from Ottawa who used Nextdoor to organize weekly neighbourhood gatherings as a way to meet people nearby and make new friends after he and his wife retired.
Similarly, Mark Scantlebury from Calgary joined Nextdoor to help his son meet other kids in their neighbourhood, and also ended up finding a youth group for his daughters to join. “It’s really all about building relationships, sharing trusted, helpful information and building offline connections,” said Scantlebury.
The arrival of Nextdoor comes at a time when Canadians are feeling more disconnected than ever. According to research conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Nextdoor, nearly all respondents (90 per cent) agree that Canadians are welcoming toward their neighbours and 83 per cent of Canadians say they are neighbourly. However, 38 per cent of respondents know only one or two of their neighbours. Nextdoor can help people who know so few of their neighbours break the ice and form meaningful connections in the real world.
Sarah Friar, CEO, Nextdoor, said: “At Nextdoor, we believe that change starts with each of us opening our front doors and building deeper connections with the people nearest to us – our neighbours. Canadians have a well-deserved reputation for being some of the kindest and most welcoming people in the world and we are thrilled to bring Nextdoor to Canada, our northern neighbour. The Canadian way of intrinsic neighbourliness is the Nextdoor way; and I could not be more excited to see how Canadians use Nextdoor to deepen relationships and real world interactions, connect with local organizations and businesses, and build thriving local communities.”
As part of Nextdoor’s investment in Canada, the company plans to open its first Canadian office in Toronto later this fall. The regional office will serve as home to the company’s first internationally based team of engineers. As one of the most multicultural cities in the world and home to some of the brightest minds in the technology industry, Toronto is the perfect place for Nextdoor to put down roots, attract top talent and expand its global presence.
“I am thrilled that Nextdoor has chosen to locate its new engineering office in Toronto to take advantage of our skilled and diverse talent pool,” said TorontoMayor John Tory. “Toronto, which is often described as ‘a city of neighbourhoods’ is the perfect location for Nextdoor – our city embraces community-building and civic connection. I welcome Nextdoor to the Toronto Region and support its mission to help Canadians build stronger communities.”
Nextdoor also announces today the appointment of Christopher Doyle as Country Manager for Canada, and their first employee in Canada. Doyle joined the team earlier this month and will be based in the Toronto office.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of the Nextdoor team in Canada, where so many Canadians have already joined their local Nextdoor community. It’s proof that Canadians are craving new ways to find trusted, useful, and relevant local information, form local relationships in the real world, and build safer, happier places to call home,” said Doyle.
To help guide their expansion into Toronto, Nextdoor partnered with Toronto Global, a team of experienced business advisors assisting global businesses.
