To be fifteen in Canada in 2002 was to have “How You Remind Me” by Nickelback everywhere, Spider-Man on every screen, and Trailer Park Boys on after school. That year, gas cost ~$0.73/L and The BlackBerry becomes an actual phone for the first time. was the new thing. Born in 1987? You turned 15 in 2002 — a teenager from 2000 to 2006, right in the window a soundtrack bonds to you for life.
Compiled by the Original Lore archive from period charts, box-office and price records. How we build these · sources noted throughout.
Sk8er Boi — Avril LavigneNapanee's Avril made suburban heartbreak a punk fairy tale, and every girl felt seen in that skater sneer.
Hero — Chad Kroeger feat. Josey ScottKroeger's Spider-Man anthem was inescapable, the post-9/11 rock ballad blaring from every mall and movie.
Youth of the Nation — P.O.D.P.O.D.'s roll call of tragedy hit hard and heavy, the song that made a whole grade go quiet.
Nothing Could Come Between Us — Theory of a DeadmanTheory of a Deadman arrived on Nickelback's coattails and gave Canada another gravel-throated summer hook.
I'm Gonna Getcha Good! — Shania TwainShania winked through a rock-tinged strut, proof a Timmins girl could conquer any radio she wanted.
Hanna, Alberta's gravel-voiced Chad Kroeger turned a breakup into the one CD-changer track that outplayed everything else on Canadian radio that whole year.
the year-end #1 was Juno Award for Single of the Year, 2002; #1 on Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS); released July 2001 off Silver Side Up, it dominated well into 2002 and was later named Billboard's most-played North American radio song of the entire 2000s.
what topped the Canadian box office in 2002
Spider-Man
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Men with Brooms
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Austin Powers in Goldmember
the tv shows you are binging in 2002
Trailer Park Boys
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Just for Laughs: Gags
Da Vinci's Inquest
Hockey Night in Canada
the games you are playing in 2002
Animal Crossing
Kingdom Hearts
Neopets
Super Mario Sunshine
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
what things cost in 2002
What things cost in 2002
Gasoline
~$0.73/L
Minimum wage (Ontario)
$6.85/hr
Movie ticket
~$7.25
Canada Post domestic stamp
$0.48
the average income
~$30,300 avg individual income (approx., StatCan)
trending this year
AI-generated illustrationMen with BroomsPhoto by włodi from London, UK (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22Grand_Theft_Auto_Vice_City%22_Goodies_(1296618216).jpg · CC BY-SA 2.0Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityWikimedia Commons, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_George_W._Bush_and_other_leaders_at_the_G8_Summit_in_Alberta,_Canada.jpg · Public domainKananaskis G8 SummitPhoto by Uncleweed (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canadian_men%27s_ice_hockey_team_in_2002.jpg · CC BY-SA 2.0Olympic double hockey goldAI-generated illustrationKyoto Protocol ratification
the gadgets you just got
Tomasz Sienicki (User:Tsca), via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0BlackBerry 5810Serenity, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsNokia 3310ajay_suresh, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0Xbox LivePhoto by Marek Ślusarczyk (Tupungato) (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Olympus_Camedia_C-3020.jpg · CC BY 3.0Digital camerasWikimedia Commons, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nintendo_GameCube_memory_card.png · CC BY-SA 3.0GameCube memory cards
what everyone is snacking on
Photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_pile_of_All_Dressed_potato_chips_on_a_paper_towel.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0All-dressed chipsWikimedia Commons, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Smarties-UK-Candies.jpg · CC0SmartiesAI-generated illustrationMr. Big barPhoto by Bondolo (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:W._T._Hawkins_Cheezies.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0Hawkins CheeziesWikimedia Commons, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Timbits.jpg · Public domainTimbits
what everyone is drinking
Photo by Glenn Samonte - Own Work (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tim_Hortons_Medium_Iced_Capp_Canada_(54688753150).jpg · CC BY 4.0Tim Hortons Iced CappuccinoPhoto by Kiliweb (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President%27s_Choice_Cola.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0President's Choice colaPhoto by Lynette (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canada_Dry_ginger_ale_bottles.jpg · CC BY 2.0Canada Dry ginger aleAI-generated illustrationKool-Aid JammersAI-generated illustrationSprite slushes
what made the news in 2002
The loonie stays stuck below 65 cents US for most of the year.
Roots Canada dresses the Canadian Olympic team in its now-iconic red beret.
Air Canada struggles under post-9/11 industry pressure.
Softwood lumber tariffs escalate the ongoing Canada-US trade dispute.
Photo by Uncleweed (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canadian_men%27s_ice_hockey_team_in_2002.jpg · CC BY-SA 2.0Team Canada wins Olympic gold in both men's and women's hockey at the Salt Lake City Winter Games, ending a 50-year men's drought.Photo by Eric Draper (White House) (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_George_W._Bush_and_other_leaders_at_the_G8_Summit_in_Alberta,_Canada.jpg · Public domainKananaskis, Alberta hosts the G8 Summit, the first ever held in the Canadian Rockies.Photo by Mrmullet (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Big_loonie.jpg · Public domainThe Canadian dollar hits an all-time low of 61.79 cents US on January 21.Photo by Flemmong (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kyoto_Protocol_Commitment_map_2008.png · Public domainCanada formally ratifies the Kyoto Protocol on climate change in December.Photo by Iouri Goussev (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nortel_-_Carling_Campus_(3443785027).jpg · CC BY-SA 2.0Nortel Networks, once Canada's most valuable company, keeps shedding thousands of jobs in the tech bust.
what everyone is saying
"Two-four"a case of 24 beers
"Beauty"high praise for anything great
"Klick"a kilometre
"Double-double"coffee, two cream two sugar
"Out for a rip"going for a drive, no destination needed
