From a media release:
Bowmanville, Ontario Vies to be the Next Million Dollar Neighbourhood New Season Premieres Sunday, January 6 at 8 p.m. ET on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada)
- New Million Dollar Neighbourhood Home Challenge Facebook app offers viewers advice on how to increase their net worth from ‘FutureYou’ financial advisor
The second season of Million Dollar Neighbourhood launches on Sunday, January 6 at 8 p.m. ET, on Corus Entertainment’s OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada), this year featuring the financially struggling residents of Bowmanville, Ontario, who have just 10 weeks to increase their collective net worth by $1 million dollars. With the help of new host, personal financial expert and financial literacy advocate Preet Banerjee, and returning host, expert psychologist Dr. Joti Samra, participating Bowmanville families take on drastic measures as they attempt to wrestle down their personal debt, reign in their spending and find new sources of income as they commit to becoming Canada’s next Million Dollar Neighbourhood.
With the new season comes the launch of the Million Dollar Neighbourhood Home Challenge Facebook app, featuring the ‘FutureYou’ Advisor. The app is available for free, exclusively on the OWN Canada Facebook Page at facebook.com/OWNCanada, and can be used on all iPhone, Android and desktop devices. This innovative new Facebook app offers advice and coaching from a remarkable source – the user’s ‘future self’. This aspect of the app is inspired by a Stanford University study that shows imagining yourself in the future motivates you to make wiser financial decisions now. This ‘older, wiser’ version of themselves keeps viewers motivated, helps them set simple, attainable goals, and provides action plans, tips and advice. Home viewers will be able to take weekly pledges that help them find simple ways to save more, earn more with the goal of increasing their net worth – just like the residents of Bowmanville. Each pledge is tied to episode themes ranging from cutting back on food costs, transportation costs and discretionary spending, to saving for the future and finding ways to increase their incomes. Every pledge made allows viewers a chance to win a variety of prizes.
Once they sign up, users will become part of an extended Million Dollar Neighbourhood virtual community stretching across Canada in order to share stories and inspire one another. The app was developed by Tactica Communications and Force Four Entertainment, in partnership with Corus Entertainment, and produced with the participation of the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund.
The new season of Million Dollar Neighbourhood will feature several guest appearances including: acclaimed singer-songwriter Paul Brandt, who will perform his hit song “Worth”; David Visentin, Host of the W Network series Love It or List It, who advises the community as they execute a major home renovation for a neighbour; Heather White and Lori Joyce, stars of The Cupcake Girls, who advise Bowmanville’s small business owners how to make their businesses more profitable.
The first season of Million Dollar Neighbourhood saw the town of Aldergrove, British Columbia reach their million-dollar goal; now, Bowmanville will have the opportunity to rethink the way they earn, spend and save money – and if the community reaches their $1 million goal, they’ll choose one family to be awarded the life-changing sum of $100,000.