A geek is a slang term whose original meaning is an individual who has eccentric interests that set them apart from the mainstream and the general public. Over the years, the meaning has expanded to include those who are so enthusiastic about a certain topic that they essentially become experts at it. Typically, this refers to hobbies or intellectual pursuits, and while there’s a pejorative element to the designation (as a result of a perception that geeks are overly intellectual, boring, unfashionable, and painfully awkward around other people), the 21st century has seen an ever-growing number of people embracing the description with pride.

Some researchers and cultural commentators actually believe that the way in which today’s society is designed, with high-tech environments being commonplace, geek-like traits are more advantageous than ever, and that while such people may have been at a disadvantage during past eras in humanity’s history, they have the potential to become very successful nowadays.

Canadian geeks

Canadian geek culture is varied and diversified, so, regardless of what fandom you’re part of, you can be sure to find a group where you belong. Comics, video games, series, and movies are all popular, with the country’s unique media products influencing the environment as well. For instance, many remember growing up with Ed the Sock or the Heritage Minutes historical commercials. Canada’s multicultural identity shapes fan cultures as well, making people more accepting.

There’s a Geek Pride Day that takes place annually on May 25th, and most people are part of a fandom nowadays. While geeks can be found in many places, Canada is one of the most welcoming. Cities such as Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Guelph are known as being among the best cities in Canada for geeks, with many events, conventions, and meetup clubs for people who love the arts, tech, music, or visual media.

Collectibles

Most of those who are part of a fandom want to add collectibles to their collection. Funko vinyl figures are among the most well-known items, with some fans owning several iterations of their favourite characters.

Vintage movie posters are the preferred option of many, especially since few of them survive as they were never intended to be sold to the public. Comic books, especially those from the Golden Age era, which took place between 1938 and 1956, are worth much more than their original price, so you should expect to pay more for them.

Toys, action figures, car miniatures, prop replicas such as swords from fantasy films or series, special edition vinyls, autographs, and jewelry (there are many collections designed specifically for fandoms or with very specific themes in mind) can all be collected as well, and many people invest time and money into them.

Depending on your area of interest, there are many other items you can consider getting. Some of them might be quite rare (and pricey as well due to their scarcity), while others are more commonplace, but you can expect their value to grow in the long-run.

Where Geeks Meet in Canada

Art, Tech, and Creative Events

Most geeks are interested in either art or technology, and many are keen on both. Canada is home to many art fairs and events. Art Toronto takes place in several different galleries across the city, like the Abbozzo, the Dianna Witte Gallery, Feheley Fine Arts, Rukaj, as well as TrépanierBaer in Calgary and Smokestack in Hamilton and Slate Fine Art in Regina. Some of the other events include Art Now and Plural, whose 2026 exhibitors are yet to be announced.

As for tech events, there’s Cyber and Digital Outlooks, which takes place in Ottawa in late October and brings together industry innovators and tech disruptors to discuss the cyber challenges Canada is dealing with at the moment. The DevOpsdays Halifax welcomes around 200 attendees from the Maritimes to a three-day event that includes practical workshops, social networking events, and conferences.

Fan Events and Conventions

Many fan events take place in Canada every year, with fans pouring in from all corners of the country and even from abroad in order to take part. The Calgary Expo is one of the best-known annual comic book conventions, founded in 2005 and featuring actors since 2009. The Calgary Expo is known as the place where the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation reunited in 2012 to mark the series’ 25th anniversary, followed by the 2014 reunion of almost the entire cast of the 1986 Aliens.

The Toronto Comicon, set to take place between March 20th and 22nd 2026, blends the love for comic books with that for pop culture and includes workshops, exhibitions, presentations, as well as numerous celebrity guests. CanGames has been active since 1977 and takes place every year during the Canadian May long weekend. The core activities are focused on miniature games, RPGs, and board games. Hal-Con was also inaugurated in the 70s, then revived in 2010, continuing to be held every year in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

While originally focused on films, television, fantasy, science fiction, games, comic books, and popular art, it has grown to include many more geekdom areas, including Renaissance, anime, cosplay, subcultures such as cybergoth, and video game cultures. Celebrity Q&A sessions occur here as well, and fans can also get autographs, attend authors' readings, watch anime and shows, exhibit their fan art, join costume contests, and attend gaming demonstrations and tournaments.

VCON, a science fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention taking place in Vancouver during the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, on the second Monday of October, highlights game rooms, book launches, crafts and workshops, costume contests, dealers’ tables, and art shows.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a geek yourself, Canada has much to offer. Whether you plan to visit or would like to relocate to Canada, you definitely won’t be lonely here, as there are many communities you can join and a large number of events that take place every year to keep you occupied.