Defining Moments with Dustin
Defining Moments with Dustin Heise is where leadership meets high-performance sport. Dustin, CEO of Canada Snowboard, sits down with the athletes, coaches, and leaders who know what it takes to build strong teams and values-driven cultures. Expect real conversations, practical insights, and a closer look at the world of snowboarding, from Olympic drama to grassroots beginnings.
Defining Moments with Dustin
Dustin Heise, Ben Mulroney & Tyler Turner on Canada’s Snowboarding Future & Training Strategies
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In this special segment on Defining Moments with Dustin, Ben Mulroney sits down with Dustin Heise and athlete Tyler Turner to explore the future of snowboarding in Canada. Ben leads the conversation, asking key questions about global competition, the role of strategic partnerships, and how indoor training facilities around the world are giving other countries an edge. The discussion dives deep into strategies to support young athletes, grow the snow sport community, and ensure Canada remains a leader on the podium. Insightful, inspiring, and full of ideas for anyone passionate about sport, innovation, and building a winning ecosystem.
00:00:00 – 00:00:17
Ben Mulroney: In Canada.
00:00:00 – 00:00:01
Ben Mulroney: We're an Arctic nation.
00:00:01 – 00:00:03
Ben Mulroney: We've got the Rockies.
00:00:03 – 00:00:04
Ben Mulroney: We've got…
00:00:04 – 00:00:13
Ben Mulroney: Mountains out east. There's a lot of places that you can ski and snowboard.
Question: Is that enough for us to be able to compete on the world stage against countries that want to dominate everything?
00:00:17 – 00:00:30
Ben Mulroney: I think Japan, as an up and comer… I know Australia for some reason has a strong snowboarding team.
Question: So talk to me about what we need in Canada to ensure that the reputation that we've earned on the snowboarding podium is ours for as long as we want it.
00:00:32 – 00:01:55
Dustin Heise: In certain Asian nations and China, as an example, they’ve continued to invest millions into winter and summer sports. It’s going to be really challenging for all nations to keep up. It’s an opportunity for Canadians to galvanize around sport and show that Canada is one of the greatest sporting nations on the planet.
We have that potential here in Canada, with resorts and mountains, but the entire snow sport ecosystem needs to come together, develop a strategy, and ensure we’re aligned for win-win-win. This includes supporting young athletes, maintaining healthy participation, and planning for long-term venue security.
A big part of that includes indoor facilities—being first in North America to put athletes on snow 24/7, matching other countries. Without a strategy, Canada risks being left behind.
00:01:55 – 00:02:07
Ben Mulroney: So when you say that… I remember seeing an indoor ski hill in the Middle East somewhere in Dubai… wasn’t great skiing, right? Doing great skiing.
Question: But what’s up for people to do?
Ben Mulroney: I’m thinking you’re not thinking something like that.
00:02:08 – 00:02:41
Tyler Turner: No. We’re actually traveling to Dubai to train because that’s our opportunity. We also go to the Netherlands, which has a great indoor facility, or South America in the summer. As much as it looks small, we can set up exactly what we need there to train the basics of snowboarding. These basics make a huge difference when it comes to high speeds and big jumps on the big stage.
00:02:41 – 00:02:51
Ben Mulroney: Interesting.
Question: So what you’re saying is other countries are training every second of every day, whether it’s warm outside or there’s snow on the ground, and we are missing out?
00:02:51 – 00:03:10
Dustin Heise: Exactly. We need partnerships with resorts and indoor facilities in China, Japan, and elsewhere to give athletes 24/7 access. Snowboarding is a volume-based sport, like any business, and Canada has the potential to build a profitable, sustainable system that supports young athletes and Olympic dreams.
00:03:10 – 00:03:41
Ben Mulroney: Calgary, 85% of Olympic athletes live within a stone’s throw. Let’s build this. If it’s run like a business, it’ll turn a profit, and everything needed to host the Olympics again could be in place.
Dustin Heise: We have really open minds here. Friends and colleagues across Montreal, Quebec City, GTA—we’re ready.
Ben Mulroney: Hey, let’s just build this stuff. Our athletes deserve it.
