Echo Podcast Summit

Former Halifax mayor and current Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Mike Savage kicks off the Echo Podcast Summit in Halifax with one of the least-stuffy, most entertaining welcome addresses you’ll ever hear.

Savage riffs on:
  • Why podcasts beat traditional media for real conversation
  • How storytelling builds community in Atlantic Canada and beyond
  • The role of diverse voices and immigrant stories in shaping Nova Scotia
  • Why Halifax is secretly one of the world’s top party cities
  • Plus some classic crowd work, jokes, and a very unofficial “tell the cops I sent you” line.
00:00 – “Podcasts create space for thoughtful conversation” – cold open
00:10 – Rhys sets the stage: Echo Podcast Summit 2026 & theme of community
02:29 – Mike Savage takes the mic: jokes, intros & who’s in the room
04:30 – Land acknowledgement & treaty relationships in Nova Scotia
06:59 – Why podcasting matters: storytelling, community & diverse voices
09:40 – Atlantic Canadian stories reaching a global audience
11:48 – How podcasts replaced radio in Mike’s daily life
13:07 – Audience interaction: first-timers in Halifax & party-city cred
13:46 – Halifax tips, SailGP, and “tell the cops the Lieutenant Governor sent you”
15:35 – Rhys’ closing: thanks, sponsors, and Echo’s future plans

Recorded live at the Echo Podcast Summit (June 18, 2026) at the Halifax Convention Centre.

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echopodcastsummit.com

What is Echo Podcast Summit?

In a media climate dominated by digital voices and one-sided relationships between creators and audiences, trust in podcasting has become one of the most urgent conversations of our time. On June 19, 2025, Halifax hosted Echo Podcast Summit, the largest podcast event Atlantic Canada has ever seen, bringing together global leaders, creators, and critical thinkers to explore the future of trust in media.

Brought to you by Halifax-based podcast strategy company Podstarter and global podcasting powerhouse Acast, the summit will be held at the iconic Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in downtown Halifax. It promises a day of sharp insight, bold questions, and boundary-pushing conversation about how trust is built, challenged, and reshaped in today’s fractured media landscape.

Proudly sponsored by Acast, the world’s leading independent podcast company, the event reflects a shared mission to foster integrity and openness across the podcasting space.