The Amazing Race Canada 4

Development and filming

On September 21, 2015, CTV announced that the show was renewed for the fourth season.

Filming of the show was reported in Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories, and more specifically at the Legislative Assembly building, on Frame Lake close to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, and at the ceremonial circle near the Royal Canadian Mounted Police "G" Division headquarters downtown. Jon Montgomery, this show's host, was spotted near a cluebox on May 10, at Prince Rupert City Hall, in British Columbia. On May 14, teams were reported racing near Kingston Penitentiary, in Kingston, Ontario, where a U-Turn board was also seen.

This season of the race visited Vietnam for two legs. However, unlike previous broadcasts in the franchise where the red and yellow race flags were replaced during Vietnam legs due to confusion with the former flag of South Vietnam, this season continued to use the normal red and yellow race flags. The reason for this is unknown.

This season featured the Nova Scotia underground coal miner's choir The Men of the Deeps, who greeted the teams at the Pit Stop of Leg 9 in their home region of Cape Breton Island.

Casting

Casting began on September 23, 2015, and as in the previous three seasons, an online site was used for submission of applications and audition videos. Casting closed on November 23, 2015. The cast includes actress and Mrs. Universe 2015 winner (and first Aboriginal woman to do so) Ashley Callingbull-Burnham, and Big Brother Canada 1 HouseGuests Jillian MacLaughlin and Emmett Blois, who won and placed 3rd, respectively. Lowell Taylor is the first legally blind contestant in any edition of the Race.

Programming

Similarly to previous seasons, a half-hour special episode titled The Amazing Race Canada: Top 20 Moments, reviewing the events of the first seven episodes, aired in place of a regular episode on August 16, with regular episodes resuming the following week. Also similar to previous seasons, a special season-end reunion/recap again titled After The Race, this time hosted by the cast of The Social, aired immediately after the season finale with 19 contestants present (minus Kate who was unable to attend) to review the season as a whole.

Marketing

Air Canada and Petro-Canada discontinued their sponsorship, Chevrolet continued sponsoring the show along with previous season's sponsor, Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Mentos. New sponsors for this season were Hotels.com and Mountain Equipment Co-op.

Results

Prizes

The prize for each leg is awarded to the first place team for that leg. Trips are provided by Hotels.com.

Episode title quotes

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.

1. "Who's Ready to Let It All Hang Out?" – Non-Racer (Roadblock clue paper at the Jasper Skytram)
2. "Deal, Guys? Deal! Deal!" – Jillian
3. "Toads! Are You Kidding Me?" – Kate
4. "Shine Your Light" – Non-Racer (The title of the song performed in the "V-Pop" Detour)
5. "The Little Blind Tugboat That Could" – Julie
6. "Am I Actually Operating the Plane?" – Steph
7. "I Could Be Prime Minister" – Kristen
8. "I Just Wanna Win" – Steph
9. "For Those About to Rock" – Joel
10. "We're Doing It Wrong! We're In Big Trouble" – Jillian
11. "Second Place Isn't Good Enough" – Ashley

Leg 1 (Northwest Territories → Alberta)

Airdate: June 28, 2016

In the first Roadblock of the Race, one team member would be equipped with a bungee cord and ride in the Jasper Skytram with their partner, which would stop in midair halfway up the mountain. At this point, the participating team member would have to climb out of the tram and cross monkey bars underneath to reach their clue on the other side. Only 3 teams were permitted in the Skytram at a time. If they fell, they would have to wait in line for the next crossing (about one hour).

For the leg's second Roadblock, teams had to drive themselves to Two Valley Creek Canyon. Here, the team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to rappel down into the canyon, then search the river valley on foot for a Parks Canada representative who would give them an avalanche beacon, with which to locate one of three caches containing their next clue.

Leg 2 (Alberta)

Airdate: July 5, 2016

During the Pit Stop, all teams were moved to the Jasper Park Information Centre to begin this leg of the race. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to rappel from the roof of the Calgary Tower. Upon reaching the street below, Seefar the Calgary Tower mascot would give them their next clue.

The first Detour of the Race was a choice between Swim or Sim. In Swim, teams traveled to the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery at the Bow Habitat Station, where they had to use a barrier to corral a school of troutlings into a confined area. Once this was done, they had to use nets to transfer them into a basket. Once all of the troutlings were in the basket, they received their next clue. In Sim, teams traveled to the Mayland Heights campus of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, where they had to use a training simulator to guide a crane's payload through a course on a simulated construction site without hitting any obstacles. If both team members successfully completed the course in a combined time of under 6 minutes, they received their next clue.

Leg 3 (Alberta → Vietnam)

Airdate: July 12, 2016

During the Pit Stop, all teams were moved to the Sunnyside end of the Peace Bridge to begin this leg of the race. In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to use a stick with a small flag attached to herd 20 ducks into a pen. After this is done, each team had to carry 2 ducks by hand to the Cái Bè Land Market and deliver them to a marked stall in exchange for the Detour clue.

At the Cái Bè Land Market, Kelly & Kate found their Speed Bump, in which they had to carry a total of 20 toads by hand through the market to a marked stall on the other side before they could continue racing.

The Detour was a choice between Hydrate or Vibrate. In Hydrate, teams had to load a sampan with 60 coconuts and row down a canal to a marked dock, where they had to unload and carry them to a nearby coconut water hut. Once all of the coconuts were delivered, they received their next clue. In Vibrate, teams traveled to Phuoc An Temple, where they had to learn and correctly perform a traditional Vietnamese drum dance to receive their next clue.

Leg 4 (Vietnam)

Airdate: July 19, 2016

In the leg's Roadblock, one team member had to correctly assemble a scooter using only an instruction manual written in Vietnamese, and a sample scooter as a reference. Once their work was approved, the mechanic would give them their next clue.

The Detour was a choice between V-Pop or Flip-Flop. In V-Pop, teams traveled to Kingdom Karaoke, and correctly memorized at least one verse per team member of the V-pop song Shine Your Light, then performed karaoke in front of an audience. If the song was performed correctly, a fan girl would give teams their next clue. In Flip-Flop, teams traveled to Glow Skybar where they would watch a demonstration of a flair bartending routine and the mixing of the bar's signature cocktail, the "Hello Vietnam". Teams will then have to recreate the routine and the cocktail exactly to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

Leg 5 (Vietnam → British Columbia)

Airdate: July 26, 2016

During the Pit Stop, all teams were moved to September 23 Park to begin this leg of the race. In the first Roadblock of this leg, one team member had to listen to six Haida storytellers, who would each tell the story depicted on one of the totem poles outside of the Haida Heritage Centre, as well as the name of its carver: Ron Wilson, Tim Boyko, Jim Hart, Guujaaw, Garner Moody, and Norman Price. They then had to correctly identify all six totem poles by carver to a judge on the nearby beach to receive their next clue.

For the second Roadblock, teams traveled to Cow Bay Marina and took a water taxi, one departing every 20 minutes, to a log boom floating in the middle of the bay. Here, the team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to choose a lane and pilot a small tugboat equipped with a dozer blade to find three small timber rafts marked with red flags and push them to a dispatcher at the other end of the lane. Once all three were delivered, they received their next clue.

Additional tasks

Leg 6 (British Columbia → Ontario)

Airdate: August 2, 2016

During the Pit Stop, all teams were moved to Sunken Gardens Park in Prince Rupert to begin this leg of the Race. In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member would be flown with an instructor in one of three vintage de Havilland Chipmunks to an altitude of over 2,000 feet (610 m), at which point they would be given control of the airplane to correctly perform a 360-degree banked turn while maintaining a constant speed and altitude between 1800 and 2200 feet. If successful, they received their next clue upon landing.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Art Rock or Dry Dock. In Art Rock, teams traveled to Collective Arts Brewing, where they had to recreate a work of spray paint art using stencils to apply coloured layers in a specific order. If their work matched a given example, they could then take it to a stage inside the brewery to receive their next clue from the band Elliott BROOD. In Dry Dock, teams traveled to Heddle Marine Service and entered the dry dock, where they suited up in protective gear and each had to properly weld an 8 inches (20 cm) section of structural steel, after which their work would be inspected for air leaks. Once both of their sections passed inspection, they received their next clue.

Additional tasks

Leg 7 (Ontario)

Airdate: August 2 & 9, 2016

This leg's Detour was a choice between On the Field or Offshore. In On the Field, teams traveled to Nixon Field at Queen's University where they had to wear Bumperz and complete a series of bubble soccer drills against Queen's University women's soccer players. They had to perform a somersault, pass a soccer ball back and forth between each other, and finally score a goal while the goalie attempted to ram the scoring team member. If they completed all of these drills in under 25 seconds, the university's mascot Boo Hoo the Bear would give them their next clue. In Offshore, teams traveled to Kingston Yacht Club where they had to properly rig a sailboat, following a completed example. Once it is approved, they had to sail it out to a buoy to retrieve their clue and return to the dock.

In this leg's Roadblock, teams traveled to Bellevue House where one team member had to dress as Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, then memorize and correctly recite one of Macdonald's political speeches, which included prompts to ring a bell, to an audience of historical players to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

Leg 8 (Ontario → Cuba)

Airdate: August 23, 2016

During the Pit Stop, teams were moved to Kingston City Hall to begin this leg of the Race. In the Detour, teams chose between Sugar or Shake. In Sugar, teams made their way to the Havana Club Rum Museum and, using a manual grinder, had to extract 15 litres (3.3 imp gal; 4.0 US gal) of sugar juice from sugar cane. Then, they must take two trays of drinks each on foot to Park Humboldt, deliver them and then make their way back to the club to get their next clue. In Shake, teams went directly to Park Humboldt and learnt a Casino Salsa routine. Once they correctly performed it, they received their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, teams traveled to Pedrito's Max Brakes, where one team member had to watch a demonstration and then correctly make three engine gaskets from old tire rubber to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

Leg 9 (Cuba → Nova Scotia)

Airdate: August 30, 2016

After completing the Route Marker task at Canadian Coast Guard College, Rita & Yvette found their Speed Bump, in which they had to deliver 2 sacks of letters from cadets to the Christmas Island post office, located near the next destination. They then had to stamp each of the letters with the office's famous postmark before they could continue racing.

This leg's Detour, at the Highland Village Museum, was a choice between Feel the Rhythm or Feel the Burn, both requiring teams to dress in traditional attire. In Feel the Rhythm, teams had to learn and correctly perform a traditional Scottish highland dance routine with a troupe to receive their next clue. In Feel the Burn, teams completed a series of three Highland Games events. First, each team member had to toss a caber so it lands end-over-end within designated lines. Then, they each had to carry or move either two heavy logs (larger logs for men) for 2 laps around a marked course, or one for 4 laps if they choose, in the "Farmer's Walk". Finally, each team member had to throw a stone so it lands on one of two targets. Upon completing all of these events, they received their next clue. After either Detour, teams traveled on foot to the blackhouse on the grounds of the Museum, where they encountered the Double U-Turn Board.

Additional tasks

Leg 10 (Nova Scotia → New Brunswick)

Airdate: September 6, 2016

During the Pit Stop, teams were moved back to Sydney to the Merchant Mariner Monument on the Sydney Harbour Boardwalk to begin this leg of the Race. In the Detour, teams chose between 1867 or 1879. In 1867, teams traveled to Moosehead Breweries where they had to choose one of five uniquely-labeled beer bottles and pull enough matching bottles from a fast-moving production line to fill five 24-beer cases. They then had to stack a full pallet of cases to receive their next clue. In 1879, teams traveled to Crosby's Molasses, where they had to follow a recipe to prepare a mixture including the company's signature molasses. If the correct consistency, then had to pull the mixture to create at least 650 grams (23 oz) of taffy candy to receive their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, teams entered the Scents and Sensitivity Garden within Kingsbrae Horticultural Garden, where the participating team member would be blindfolded for the duration of the task. They would first be led to one side of the garden by their partner, who would read them the English names of 15 plants they had to memorize, each distinguishable by a unique scent or texture: Common sage, lemon balm, lemon-scented geranium, hens and chicks, lemon daylily, mother of thyme, silvermound, ostrich fern, autumn joy, lady's mantle, golden oregano, bee balm, woolly thyme, cottage pinks, and catnip. They then had to follow a guide rope on their own to the other side of the garden and correctly identify all 15 plants by touch and smell to receive their next clue. If any were incorrect, they were led back to their partner to try again.

Additional tasks

Leg 11 (New Brunswick → Quebec)

Airdate: September 13, 2016

In the first Roadblock of this leg, teams traveled to the Montreal Biosphère on Saint Helen's Island. Inside the sphere, the participating team member had to use a mechanical ascender to climb 150 feet (46 m) to the observation deck of the museum, pull themselves horizontally across a suspended line to a platform on the outer structure, and finally, rappel down to retrieve their next clue on the exterior of the sphere.

In the final Roadblock of the Race, teams traveled to St-Viateur Bagel. The team member who did not perform the first Roadblock had to stack three orders of Montreal-style bagels on holder sticks in a specific top-to-bottom sequence by variety, three sticks per order. They then had to deliver them on foot, carrying a complete order each time, to three locations in the surrounding neighbourhood of Mile End. If the bagels were not arranged correctly, it would not be accepted. Once all deliveries were completed successfully, they returned to St-Viateur to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

Ratings

Viewership includes initial date of viewing plus seven day DVR playback.