About Red & True
Red & True is about the people who build this country with their hands.
It’s about the tradesperson in a small town who wakes up before sunrise, loads the truck, and swings a hammer not for glory, not for applause — but to provide for the people they love. It’s about the worker in the big city grinding through traffic, weather, pressure, and deadlines, knowing that their skill is what turns drawings into real places where life happens.
Red & True is about the dream so many tradespeople carry quietly —
the dream of one day building their own home, with their own two hands.
A place where every wall, every joint, every detail means something, because they earned it.
This industry will test you. It will wear you down. It will take more from your body, your time, and your energy than most people will ever understand. But every time the industry knocks the tradesperson down, they get back up. They get back up because of the skills they’ve earned — over days, weeks, months, years, decades. Over a lifetime of learning, failing, correcting, and mastering their craft.
Tradespeople don’t just build for the employer.
Tradespeople don’t just build for the client.
Tradespeople don’t just build for the city or the industry.
Tradespeople build for themselves.
For pride. For identity. For the quiet satisfaction of knowing: I did this right.
Red & True exists to honour that truth. To document the real lives, the real work, the real struggles, and the real pride of tradespeople across Canada — in small towns, big cities, and everywhere in between.
Through every conversation, every jobsite, every mile on the road, and every resource we have, The Construction Life will capture this story honestly —not polished, not filtered, not corporate —but real.
Because this industry isn’t just made of concrete, steel, and wood.
It’s made of people who refuse to quit.
And that is what Red & True is all about.
SUPPORT Red & True
Red & True — Industry Backer Statement
To the tradespeople, contractors, and small business owners across Canada— This is your call.
For decades, you’ve built this country with your hands, your knowledge, and your commitment. You’ve shown up early, stayed late, solved problems in real time, and carried responsibilities that most will never fully understand.
Now, we’re asking you to stand behind something built for you.
Red & True: The Construction Life Across Canada - It’s a national movement to document, celebrate, and elevate the real heartbeat of the construction industry. This is about showing Canada—and the world—who truly builds this nation.
Be Part of History
We are inviting tradespeople and small business owners to become official Red & True Backers.
Starting at $1,000, you and your business will:
- Be recognized across our podcast episodes (200+ shows)
- Be featured in social media content
- Be part of a national initiative reaching hundreds of thousands of tradespeople across Canada and the world
A Collective Effort
This is an opportunity for the industry to come together.
To support something that supports all of us.
To prove that strength doesn’t come from policy or headlines—
it comes from the hardworking hands building this great nation every single day.
Join Us
Stand behind the industry. Support the movement.
Be part of Red & True. Because this isn’t just our story— It’s yours.
RED & TRUE tcl ACROSS CANADA - the 10 part docu series
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND RED & TRUE
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND RED & TRUE
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND RED & TRUE
The true story of Red & True is not about a road trip.
It’s about a man who has spent nearly two decades inside the construction industry — first with tools in his hands, then with a microphone — realizing that the people who build the country are rarely seen in full.
For 16 years, construction lived online in short clips. For 8+ years, Th
The true story of Red & True is not about a road trip.
It’s about a man who has spent nearly two decades inside the construction industry — first with tools in his hands, then with a microphone — realizing that the people who build the country are rarely seen in full.
For 16 years, construction lived online in short clips. For 8+ years, The Construction Life podcast recorded hundreds of conversations. Over 770+ guests. Tens of thousands of tradespeople engaged. Millions of downloads.
And one pattern kept repeating:
Tradespeople feel invisible.
They build everything — yet policy conversations happen without them. Retention is discussed — yet few ask why people leave.
Apprenticeship is promoted — yet the jobsite reality rarely makes headlines.
Infrastructure announcements are televised — but the workers pouring concrete at 4 a.m. are not.
At a certain point, the podcast wasn’t enough. The conversations needed a landscape. TCL needed scale. TCL needed to leave the studio and enter the country itself.
SYNOPSIS
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND RED & TRUE
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND RED & TRUE
Red & True: The Construction Life Across Canada is a 10-part premium documentary series following a 100-day road journey across the country to document the people who physically build Canada. From massive infrastructure projects to small-town job sites, the series captures the grit, pride, innovation, and personal sacrifices of the skille
Red & True: The Construction Life Across Canada is a 10-part premium documentary series following a 100-day road journey across the country to document the people who physically build Canada. From massive infrastructure projects to small-town job sites, the series captures the grit, pride, innovation, and personal sacrifices of the skilled trades workforce — while exploring the future of work in a nation under constant construction.
The series unfolds through intimate, long-form conversations that unfold naturally over coffee in break trailers, amid the roar of machinery, or late into the night at union halls. Crews gain rare, immersive access to active sites: high-rise cranes swaying over Toronto's skyline, remote oil sands operations in Alberta's boreal wilderness, bridge builds battling Atlantic gales, or modest residential crews transforming backyards in small-town Saskatchewan. Viewers meet a mosaic of voices—the grizzled journeyperson with decades of scars and stories, the young apprentice questioning if the trades still offer a viable future, the site super juggling budgets and burnout, the Indigenous worker navigating cultural resurgence on infrastructure projects, and the female tradesperson breaking barriers in male-dominated crews.
CREATOR’S STATEMENT
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND RED & TRUE
EPISODE TITLES & DESCRIPTIONS:
I started in media so that I can start in construction. Before the podcast. Before cameras. Before swinging a hammer. Before sponsorship decks and pitch meetings. I was on job sites. Managing builds. Solving problems. Watching how the industry really works — and how it really struggles and how best to capture these people and their st
I started in media so that I can start in construction. Before the podcast. Before cameras. Before swinging a hammer. Before sponsorship decks and pitch meetings. I was on job sites. Managing builds. Solving problems. Watching how the industry really works — and how it really struggles and how best to capture these people and their stories.
Sixteen years ago, when I began sharing construction online, people didn’t believe tradespeople even used smartphones. Brands literally asked me that. They didn’t see the workforce as modern, engaged, or evolving. I set out to prove them wrong. What followed was Hardcore Renos followed by The Construction Life — over 770+ interviews, millions of downloads, and conversations with tradespeople across Canada and beyond. And through all of it, one truth kept surfacing:
The people who build this country feel unheard. They are proud of what they do. They are exhausted. They are adapting. They are frustrated. They are evolving. You cannot understand Canadian construction from behind a desk. You have to drive it. You have to stand in the dust.
You have to hear the wind on a bridge deck. You have to watch concrete set at sunrise.
This series is not about showcasing projects. It’s about showcasing people.
EPISODE TITLES & DESCRIPTIONS:
THE TRUE STORY BEHIND RED & TRUE
EPISODE TITLES & DESCRIPTIONS:
EPISODE 1: Revving Up the Nation
From the first key turn in Toronto to the steel of the 401, the journey begins with a deep inhale and the roar of intention.
EPISODE 2: Salt Air & Steel Toes
Where the land meets the sea, the work never stops—and the stories run as deep as the tides.
EPISODE 3: The Great North Arc
In the vast, cold stretch of C
EPISODE 1: Revving Up the Nation
From the first key turn in Toronto to the steel of the 401, the journey begins with a deep inhale and the roar of intention.
EPISODE 2: Salt Air & Steel Toes
Where the land meets the sea, the work never stops—and the stories run as deep as the tides.
EPISODE 3: The Great North Arc
In the vast, cold stretch of Canada’s northern spine, the road narrows—but the stories grow deeper.
EPISODE 4: Prairie Lines
Beneath endless skies, a quiet strength powers the country—one weld, one harvest, one beam at a time.
EPISODE 5: Power & Pride in Alberta
In the heart of Canada’s energy engine, the stakes are high—and the pride runs deep.
EPISODE 6: The Craft West
Where the mountains rise, so does the craft—timber by timber, story by story.
EPISODE 7: Island Grit
Cut off by water, connected by purpose—Vancouver Island builds differently.
EPISODE 8: Trades & Transitions
You don’t just build a country with your hands—you build it by passing the tools to the next.
EPISODE 9: Blue Collar Brotherhood
You can build with blueprints—but the real structure is built between the lines.
EPISODE 10: Back Through the Heart
The road ends where it began—but the man who returns is not the one who left.
TCL when it all began
TCL History
The Construction Life podcast was first published on March 17, 2018, after a few informal meet-ups between the original three — Manny, Carlito, and Mikey — where it became clear we all had a lot to say about construction, the industry, and the realities of life on the job. Those early conversations were honest, unfiltered, and grounded in real experience, and they revealed a major gap: there was no place where tradespeople could openly talk about the wins, the struggles, the business, and what construction does to a tradesperson. Out of that realization, The Construction Life was born, and nearly eight years later and over 770 shows, TCL has grown into a platform dedicated to telling real stories from the people who build and maintain the world around us.
Red & True & Trade Schools
As part of the Red & True: The Construction Life Across Canada journey, we are intentionally building in dedicated stops at trade schools in every province. At each school, the TCL and Red & True team will spend hours on the ground with students, not just showing up for a quick appearance, but sitting down, talking openly, and sharing as much real-world insight as possible about the construction industry. These sessions are designed to go beyond curriculum — covering career paths, mistakes, money, mental toughness, opportunity, and what life in the trades actually looks like over the long run. Through open Q&A, informal conversations, and one-on-one interactions, students will have direct access to tradespeople, contractors, and industry leaders they would never normally meet. And in many cases, those conversations won’t end when the cameras shut off — because with the national network behind The Construction Life, Red & True may very well help facilitate real job connections and career opportunities for students ready to step onto a jobsite and start building their future.
Red & True Travel Path
The Canadian Loop
100+ Days 200+ New Shows
100+ Days 200+ New Shows
The Red & True journey begins and ends in Toronto, forming a full coast-to-coast loop that reflects the breadth of Canada’s construction landscape. From Toronto, we head south to Windsor, then turn back northeast through Quebec and the Maritimes, capturing stories from historic cities and coastal communities. From there, the route moves w
The Red & True journey begins and ends in Toronto, forming a full coast-to-coast loop that reflects the breadth of Canada’s construction landscape. From Toronto, we head south to Windsor, then turn back northeast through Quebec and the Maritimes, capturing stories from historic cities and coastal communities. From there, the route moves west along the northern corridor of Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and into British Columbia, before traveling south along the BC coast, hopping the ferry to Vancouver Island. The return trip heads east along the southern side of the provinces, completing the circle back through Ontario and finishing where it all began — Toronto.
100+ Days 200+ New Shows
100+ Days 200+ New Shows
100+ Days 200+ New Shows
Along the route, Red & True will make 100+ purposeful stops, recording 200+ new podcast and video conversationsthat reflect the true depth of Canada’s construction industry. Each stop brings together a powerful cross-section of voices — skilled tradespeople on active job sites, students inside trade schools, union members and leaders, pol
Along the route, Red & True will make 100+ purposeful stops, recording 200+ new podcast and video conversationsthat reflect the true depth of Canada’s construction industry. Each stop brings together a powerful cross-section of voices — skilled tradespeople on active job sites, students inside trade schools, union members and leaders, policy makers shaping the future of infrastructure and labour, and industry leaders driving innovation across every province. These aren’t surface-level interviews; they’re real, on-the-ground conversations that capture the challenges, pride, skill, and culture of the people who build this country, creating an unprecedented national archive of construction stories told directly by those living it.
20,000+ Kms
100+ Days 200+ New Shows
20,000+ Kms
Over 20,000+ kilometres, two fully outfitted vans and a dedicated production crew will travel through small towns, remote regions, and major cities, turning the journey itself into part of the story. Every mile becomes an opportunity to capture the texture of Canadian construction — the back roads leading to job sites, the main streets sh
Over 20,000+ kilometres, two fully outfitted vans and a dedicated production crew will travel through small towns, remote regions, and major cities, turning the journey itself into part of the story. Every mile becomes an opportunity to capture the texture of Canadian construction — the back roads leading to job sites, the main streets shaped by generations of builders, and the skylines rising from today’s work. From historic projects to active builds and emerging technologies, the crew will document it all in real time, shining a positive, honest light on construction’s past, present, and future, while celebrating the people, pride, and progress that continue to shape Canada from the ground up.
Red & True & Unions
As Red & True: The Construction Life Across Canada moves through each province, union halls will be a cornerstone of the journey. These stops are about honouring the backbone of the industry — the skilled union tradespeople who built the cities, the infrastructure, and the standards that construction in Canada stands on today. At each union stop, TCL and Red & True will spend meaningful time on the ground with members and leadership, creating space for real conversations about craft, safety, solidarity, and the future of the trades. These are not speeches or surface-level appearances — they are open, respectful discussions about the realities of the work, the pressures facing the workforce, and the responsibility of passing knowledge from one generation to the next. Through live discussions, recorded conversations, and direct engagement with members, Red & True will help amplify the voice of organized labour while showcasing the pride, professionalism, and resilience that define union trades. And as the tour connects unions, contractors, and educators across the country, Red & True may also help bridge real pathways — from apprentice to journeyperson, from training to jobsite — strengthening the workforce that keeps Canada built, protected, and moving forward.
What tradespeople are saying
The Weight Of Divorce
Always Willing to Collaborate
Always Willing to Collaborate
Hey Manny, just watched your post on divorce. I appreciate you being vocal on this as I’m going through this right now, I’ve been battling my own demons for years and had zero support from my wife while always supporting her through everything she needed emotionally, financially, literally everything while I got nothing from her. But did I throw the towel in? Absolutely not and just like you said as soon as it got too hard for her, she leaves gets a lawyer and says we’re separating. So like so many of us men out there I will have to continue to support her while supporting myself and trying to keep my head above water. So yeah this really resonated with me thank you brother.
Always Willing to Collaborate
Always Willing to Collaborate
Always Willing to Collaborate
I’m a carpenter based in London, Ontario. I’m a big fan of your work and would love for you to join a video project I’m putting together to showcase people in the trades. Could you take a moment to record a short video (10 seconds or longer, whatever feels right) sharing why you build or why you’re passionate about your trade? The goal is to inspire younger generations to enter the trades with the right mindset and to challenge the negative stigma surrounding construction workers. If you could share this request with friends in the trades and encourage them to contribute, it would mean a lot. Thank you for your time and support!
Our Next Guest
Always Willing to Collaborate
Our Next Guest
I love what you’re doing with the podcast! I’m a 28-year-old contractor specializing in home renovations, and I’ve been running a successful business for the past five years. I’d love to join as a guest to share insights on being a young contractor in the industry—navigating challenges, standing out, and building a strong reputation early on. Let me know if you’d be open to it! Appreciate your time Looking forward to hearing your thoughts
Say Hello
Real Truths About Construction
Our Next Guest
Hey guys big fan of the podcast! My brother and I run a construction/ general contractor company in southwestern ontario with jobs from Sarnia all the way to North Bay. Were second generation running the business and listen to you guys every chance. Just wanted to say Hi.
Honest Feedback
Real Truths About Construction
Real Truths About Construction
Homestars is the worst thing to happen to construction. A middle man who knows nothing , takes no responsibility, no accountability, won't show you how much your losing a bid by. They keep calling me to sign up and I tell them to give me a month for free to see if it's worth it and they always say no.
Real Truths About Construction
Real Truths About Construction
Real Truths About Construction
Get me on here. Want to talk about corruption... I had 183 try and scare me after complaining about bathrooms lol fuckin jokers. I'm on my own, went to George Brown for 3 years and did a 2 year high school construction course. 28 years old, work for LiUNA for 5 years before I got fed with with the absolute garbage work. And after they tired to scare me, too bad I'm not Italian or Portuguese...
The New Tough / Being Real
Young Trade and What To Do Next
The New Tough / Being Real
I’m a Union residential finishing handywoman with multiple mental health diagnoses. I’m very open about my mental health challenges and make a point not to hide them from my coworkers and employers. I’ve found that being appropriately vulnerable (ya, that was a tough one to figure out) can build empathy and understanding. Sometimes, it opens a door for bullies, but I still think it’s worth it. I have seen a lot of positive change in workplace relations with this kind of openness.
You're a real person I would love to be invited and share with you some topics about family courts and the whole system is setting up men that are in a vulnerable situations and marginalize them because they need actual help and their doing everything to make their wife's and kids happy but they forget about themselves, while everyone is happy they are battling the devil in their mind and the system is broke. We have to give a voice to those men that suffer in silence because their men and they don't wanna look weak.
Strength In Numbers
Young Trade and What To Do Next
The New Tough / Being Real
I watched BDR episode of the podcast. It got my wheels turning. I’ve met him a few times and did one of his classes. Good dude. I would like to start a preliminary conversation with some people of influence in the Canadian construction world about organizing a tradie tax strike of some sort. Personally, the more I sit idley by and do nothing, and the more bad news gets rammed down my throat everyday about things going on. The more upsetting it gets. I talk to a lot of different trades, on a lot of different sites. I’ve never talked to a single man or woman who is happy with the state we are in. BDR makes a good point, there is obvious strength in numbers. I would like to try to tap into that and see if we can’t make a difference to some degree. I’m on site everyday with my guys. I see men and woman sweat and bleed day in and day out to provide for their families, and yet we are still left in the dust. I cant take it anymore
Young Trade and What To Do Next
Young Trade and What To Do Next
Young Trade and What To Do Next
Hey Manny I wanted to reach out to get a second opinion on my current situation from someone who knows the construction industry very well. I’m 20 and have been working as a Roofer for the past year now and have been enjoying it for the most part. My question is that I wanted to know if you think I’m getting screwed over by my boss. Started off as a labourer obviously and have worked my way up to a shingler. We have another guy who’s working for us but he’s arguably the worst employee to ever exist when it comes to working on a roofing crew. He is Paying me $23 hr while he’s making $22 hr. He doesn’t even know what a fucking plumbing flange is… and we’re basically getting paid the same wage, hope that gives you an idea of how bad he is. Just wanted to know if you think my boss is screwing me over or do you think I’m getting paid accordingly. There’s also some other issues that I have but that’s to much to put into a dm.
Fan Of TCL / The Show Reaches
Fan Of TCL / The Show Reaches
Young Trade and What To Do Next
I heard about your pod cast in the summer from Kaven Homes. I started listening from the beginning, and I'm on episode 177. What you are doing for our industry is amazing. And I've told all my trades to start listening.
Your pod reaches further than you think Manny. I'm a commercial Diver by trade and that's a very niche sector of construction. I have a few other divers I know in marine construction who listen as well.
TCL Shout Outs
Fan Of TCL / The Show Reaches
TCL Shout Outs
I’m with Toronto Flooring General. We handle epoxy flooring, concrete polishing, grind & seal, and floor prep for both commercial projects and higher-end residential work across Toronto. We focus on proper prep, clean execution, and keeping projects on schedule so builders and owners don’t have to juggle multiple trades. If you ever need a reliable flooring partner for upcoming projects, happy to connect.
The Construction Life
What is The Construction Life? The Construction Life is a daily routine of waking up at 5am, working out, showering, preparing lunch, sending off the family, driving to the construction site, organizing and preparing for the day's work, building, having fun on the job, wrapping up at the end of the day, returning home, spending time with the family, and preparing for the next day. It's a lifestyle that involves a constant commitment to hard work and a love for what you do, and it's never about settling for "good enough." The Construction Life is about striving for excellence every day.