Hazel's story

Hazel is a small, round Toronto black squirrel with a big bushy tail and an orange knit scarf she never takes off. She lives in an old oak tree above a corner cafe.

Every morning she watches the neighbourhood wake up. The baker unlocking her door. The yoga teacher with a mat under one arm. The dentist who always orders an oat latte. Hazel knows every block and every laneway.

But she noticed something. The city was full of ads, and people had learned to tune them out. Neighbours walked past the same corners every day without really meeting. Whether you were a studio down the block or a brand the whole country knew, it was hard to feel like part of the neighbourhood.

So Hazel did what squirrels do best. She started stashing. Not acorns this time, but little hellos: a sticker on a cup, a sleeve with a friendly offer, a QR code that says psst, come say hi.

That's Acornhood. Find yours.