Let’s change the conversation about ambition in Canada

Canada is entering a defining moment.

Global competition is accelerating. Technology is reshaping industries. And the choices we make about innovation, risk, and ambition will shape our economic future.

Yet for decades, Canadians have been told a quiet story about ourselves.

That we are cautious. Risk-averse. Comfortable playing it safe.

Shift Canada exists to 
challenge that story.

Through research, education, and public dialogue, we are working to build a culture where bold ambition is expected, supported, and celebrated. A culture where Canadians feel empowered to take risks, try new ideas, fail, learn, and try again.

Because the countries that thrive in the coming decades will be those willing to move first.

Speaking Topics

Shift Canada’s CEO, AJ Tibando, speaks to leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers across the country about the mindset shifts required to build a more ambitious Canada.

Her talks combine national research, real stories, and practical insights about how individuals and organizations can build the confidence to take bold action.

Common speaking topics include:

The Bold Ambition Index

What Canadians really think about risk, ambition, and entrepreneurship today and what must change if Canada is to compete globally.

Rethinking Failure

Why failure is not the opposite of success, but one of its most powerful teachers and how we can normalize learning through experimentation.

Building a Culture of Risk-Taking

How organizations, schools, and communities can create environments where ambition and risk taking are supported rather than discouraged.

Turning Ambition into Action

How individuals and organizations can strengthen their “ambition fitness” and move from intention to execution.

Our goal is not just inspiration, 

it is clarity.

Our mission is to unleash a culture of entrepreneurial courage in Canada.

The cultural barriers that hold Canadians back from bold action

Why ambition and risk taking are essential to long term prosperity

How systems, incentives, and narratives shape behaviour

Practical ways leaders and institutions can create environments where bold ideas can thrive

Most importantly, people leave feeling that bold ambition is not something reserved for a few extraordinary founders.

It is something all Canadians can practice.

About AJ Tibando

AJ Tibando is the CEO of Shift Canada, a national charity dedicated to building a culture of boldness, innovation, and risk taking through education and public awareness.

A two-time founder and social innovator, AJ has spent more than fifteen years working at the intersection of technology, education, and public policy. Her work focuses on empowering individuals and organizations to take risks, pursue ambitious ideas, and build the confidence required to lead in a rapidly changing world.

Through Shift Canada’s research and programs, she is helping spark a national conversation about how Canada can cultivate a more ambitious, innovative, and resilient culture.

Since 2023, Shift Failure has reached over 312,000 grade school students across Canada. In 2026, we’re expanding to serve post-secondary students and workplaces as well

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What we do

Ways to tap into our work

Elementary

(Grade 5 - 8)

Our educator toolkit includes modules and activities to get young minds embracing failure, building resiliency and adopting a growth mindset.

Secondary

(Grade 9 - 12)

Our educator toolkit is designed to engage and expand student mindsets through experiential activities and storytelling that flips the narrative of failure on its head.

Post-Secondary

This year we are piloting workshops to help post-secondary students embrace uncertainty and take an entrepreneurial approach to their future.

Workplace

Our workshops help unlock employee mindsets around boldness and risk-taking and provide tools for companies to create a risk-positive culture that drives innovation.

Our Work Is Divided Into 4 Core Objectives

Support Our Case
Support Our Case
//01

🌳 Tree Reforestation

Tree Reforestation involves planting native trees to restore damaged forests, improve biodiversity, and help fight climate change for a healthier planet.

//02

🌊 River & Lake Cleanup

River & Lake Cleanup focuses on removing pollution and waste to restore clean, healthy freshwater ecosystems and protect aquatic life.

//03

🛡️ Habitat Protection

Habitat Protection works to preserve and restore natural environments, ensuring wildlife can thrive in safe, sustainable ecosystems.

//04

♻️ Sustainable Innovation

Sustainable Innovation drives the development and use of eco-friendly technologies and practices to reduce environmental impact and promote a greener future.

Our Successful Projects

Discover More
Discover More
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Since 2012, we’ve been driving reforestation efforts across the globe—reviving forests, restoring ecosystems, and planting hope for a greener, healthier planet.

30k Volunteers
$800m+ Acres restored

Local Communities Feedback

“Joining their tree planting campaign opened my eyes to the power of collective action. Watching a barren field turn green again was truly magical."

Alexander Arnold

Chicago, IL

"Thanks to their river cleanup program, our village now has clean water and thriving fish life again. It’s more than environmental work—it’s life-saving."

Alexander Arnold

Chicago, IL

"Their educational outreach and passion for the planet have inspired hundreds of my students to take real climate action."

Alexander Arnold

Chicago, IL

"I’ve partnered with many organizations, but their commitment to green innovation and long-term impact is unmatched."

Alexander Arnold

Chicago, IL

Team Members

Entrepreneur, Author.
Location:
Manaus, Brazil
Entrepreneur, Author.
Location:
Manaus, Brazil
Co-Founder & CEO.
Location:
Manaus, Brazil
Executive Chairman and Founder.
Location:
Manaus, Brazil

News & Articles

Local Communities Feedback

"The reflection activities helped me understand that everyone, even famous people, fails. That changed how I see myself when things don’t go as planned. I can learn and grow along the way in new ways."

Chloe, Student

Ontario

“Our classroom is different now. People aren’t as scared to speak up or try something new because we know failure’s just a part of it. We are all supporting each other, giving new perspectives.”

Abdul, Student

BC

“Shift Failure is more than a program - it’s a mindset movement our classrooms desperately need. If we want resilient learners, this has to be in every school.”

Greg, Educator

Ontario

“It’s rare to find a program that supports mental health, growth mindset, and academic risk-taking all at once. Shift Failure does, and it needs to scale.”

Paul, Educator

Alberta

“In a post-pandemic world, our students need tools for emotional resilience more than ever. Shift Failure provides that - and so much more. This program transformed the way my students learn, reflect, and grow. I believe every classroom in Canada should have access to it and the opportunity to teach it.”

Mike, Educator

New Brunswick

“Shift Failure helped my students realize failure isn’t the opposite of success - it’s the path to it. Their resilience is now louder than their doubt.”

Sam, Educator

Nova Scotia

“For some students, it was the first time they saw failure as normal. That understanding changed how they approached everything - from group work to tests. I noticed improved peer relationships too - students began supporting one another through challenges, not competing. The program nurtures both academic and emotional growth. My classroom has never felts safer for risk-taking.”

Jo-Ann, Educator

Ontario

“Shift Failure didn’t just give us resources. It gave us permission to reframe how we speak about effort, struggle and growth. The growth in confidence, perseverance and collaboration has been nothing short of inspiring.”

Tiffany, Educator

Alberta

“The biggest shift I saw wasn’t academic, it was emotional. Students began believing they were capable, even when things felt difficult.”

Lake, Educator

New Bruswick

“My students are proud to say, “I failed and I learned.” That shift in language has changed everything. We’ve created a classroom environment that accepts failure and embraces a growth mindset.”

Leigh, Educator

Ontario
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Watch AJ in Action

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