Ground Zero
Le Host is located in a 120 year-old home in on an acre of private conservation land along the Thames River in Dorchester, Ontario. As with nature, human relationships require a solid ecosystem to thrive. From the right mix of people to create a sense of belongingness with diversity to open opportunity to cross pollination; to the physical environment of quaint Canadiana minimalism, as well as nature - these are all facets that aim to bring out the best in ourselves and each other.
Our world faces big challenges, and I believe starting as close to earth as possible is key to understand and inspire the action we need.
We also need to be at the right place at the right time. By building a continuously evolving, but stable community through Le Host, we have opportunities to bring fresh perspectives, skills, and ideas into the mix. These opportunities for cross-pollination create opportunities to spark new ideas, new relationships, and new movements.
In our modern urban world, the hustle of life keeps us locked into narrow thinking. We often fly hours or travel for days to unplug. There is a psychological phenomenon of a correlation between distance traveled and enjoyment or novelty of a new place. But this constant pursuit of the far away blocks us from grounding ourselves in our native habitat. It’s when we have the time to unplug and unwind that we re-ground ourselves. But the challenges we face in our own society require us to ground ourselves nearby. Living in a city like Toronto, it’s easy to avoid the realities of Ontario nature. Either we fly to a nice island, or escape to a luxe cottage or well preserved provincial park. In doing so, we miss opportunities to connect with the mundane nature that’s around us - the real environment.
Pandemics and world disasters ruffle the status quo. The dust is still in the air, and we have the opportunity to shape how it settles. This belief is what drives the mission of Le Host.
Creating a hospitable environment for ourselves and for nature to ground ourselves in what really matters, without stagnating. The belief that the right things coming together at the right place and the right time will plant the right seeds, is why we’re here.
Long Term
The world needs more connection: with each other and with nature. Le Host Dorchester is current evolution of this belief. Hopefully this project can create real connection, sparks, and action - and at the very least, prove viable enough to scale.
If you’re interested in partnering, investing, or contributing your skills to this project, please feel free to reach out.
The human behind Le Host.
My grandmother, a conservationist who lived along the Thames River in Mitchell, Ontario, made sure all us grandchildren had ample time to play and frolic around nature. Unfortunately it took a few decades and escaping to all corners of the world to appreciate that what we have in Ontario is quite beautiful - but must be actively preserved.
Living in Toronto, it was always a far away dream to reconnect with nature in the countryside. Luckily, recent events lined the stars to make a move and refocus on what matters.
I currently run Le Host as a passion project. My day job, I manage special projects for Air Canada, currently focused on the launch of our new Loyalty program. Before Air Canada, I was a Digital Strategy Consultant at IBM. One project in particular sent me to rural towns across Ontario, Quebec, New York and Pennsylvania, planting the seeds for my eventual return to the countryside. I studied commerce and human geography at the University of Toronto, where I was involved in the UofT Agriculture Club and HKU Rooftop Farming Club during my exchange at the University of Hong Kong.