Features
Access to Canadian records of Nazi war criminals
Introduction: Following upon the huge embarrassment caused not only to the Canadian Government, but to Canada as a whole, by the decision to invite a former member of a Ukrainian Waffen SS unit into the House of Commons where he was applauded as a “war hero,” we asked David Matas, renowned lawyer and expert on the issue of Nazi war criminals who were allowed into Canada following World War II, to write a piece providing an analysis how Canada has failed so badly, not only to prevent Nazis and individuals who cooperated with the Nazi regime, to enter Canada, but also to continually refuse to identify who those individuals were. Following is David Matas’s piece:
Getting access to Canadian Nazi war criminal records has to date been nearly impossible. Efforts to obtain access to relevant files and documents have been constantly frustrated and gone nowhere. The record is this.
On January 12, 2022, B’nai Brith Canada put in a request to Library and Archives Canada for Part II of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals. Part I was public in 1986 when the Commission reported. Part II was confidential.
Part II contained, according to Part I, 822 opinions on individual cases. The Commission recommended that the Government give “urgent attention” to investigating 20 files of alleged Nazi war criminals who might still be living in Canada. The report also recommended further investigation of 218 other possible Nazi war criminals living in Canada.
What happened to the 20 cases which were recommended for urgent attention and the further 218 which were recommended for further investigation? We have no idea. We know that there some cases which went to Court and we have the Court records of those cases. But which of these were part of the 20 or 218, if any, were not disclosed.
As of today, Library and Archives Canada, one year and ten months later, has not responded to the request for Part II, other than to acknowledge receipt and assign the request a file number. B’nai Brith Canada complained on December 5, 2022 to the Office of the Information Commissioner asking the Commissioner to issue an order setting a deadline for Library and Archives Canada to provide B’nai Brith with a copy of the Part II Report. That complaint, as of today, has not been decided.
Also on January 12, 2022, B’nai Brith Canada put in a request to Library and Archives Canada for records relating to investigations of alleged Nazi war criminals of the War Crimes Unit of the Department of Justice and the RCMP. Canada’s Program on Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Eighth Annual Report 2004-2005 stated that, since beginning this work, the Department of Justice had opened and examined over 1,800 files. Who are these people? What was the result of the investigations in these cases?
With that request too, Library and Archives Canada has not responded, other than to acknowledge receipt and assign the request a file number. B’nai Brith Canada complained as well on December 5, 2022 to the Office of the Information Commissioner asking the Commissioner to issue an order setting a deadline for Library and Archives Canada to provide B’nai Brith with copies of the war crimes records. That complaint, as of today, has, like the other complaint, not been decided.
B’nai Brith Canada on March 6, 2023 asked for an unredacted copy of Library and Archives Canada the September, 1986 report prepared by Alti Rodal titled “Nazi War Criminals in Canada: The Historical and Policy Setting from the 1940s to the Present” prepared for the
Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals. Justice Jules Deschênes who headed the Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals recommended release of the report in its entirety. He wrote: “This substantial study no doubt constitutes an outstanding contribution to the knowledge of this particular question and deserves wide distribution.”
Library and Archives Canada provided B’nai Brith Canada on July 5th 2023 a redacted copy of the report, albeit with fewer redactions than there were at the time of the original release of the report. B’nai Brith Canada complained to the Office of the Information Commissioner within 30 days of the refusal to release the unredacted report. That complaint remains undecided.
The 2000 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Stockholm Declaration commits the signatories to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the opening of archives in order to ensure that all documents bearing on the Holocaust are available to researchers.” Canada joined the Alliance in 2009.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Monitoring Access to Archives Project recommended in 2017 that governmental archival institutions “release Holocaust related records, irrespective of any personal identifying information or national security classifications”.
The US Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act of 1998 created an interagency war criminals records working group to locate, identify, inventory for declassification and make public all classified Nazi war criminal records. The records subject to the Act include records of the assets of persecuted persons. The Act kept existing exemptions to disclosure in general laws, but required that they be strictly defined, with a presumption against the exemptions.
In addition to general requirements of strict definition and presumption against the exemptions, some of the exemptions were themselves redefined to limit their scope. The exemption from disclosure in favour of privacy is redrafted to become an exemption where there would be “a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy”. The exemption in favour of national security interests is redrafted to become an exemption where disclosure “would clearly and demonstrably damage the national security interests of the United States”. The exemptions in favour foreign relations and diplomatic activities is redrafted to become an exemption where disclosure “would clearly and demonstrably damage” foreign relations or diplomatic activities. The exemption in favour of emergency preparedness plans is redrafted to become an exemption for information that “would seriously and demonstrably impair” those plans.
The records which were disclosed as a result of US Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act give us an insight into why the documents were withheld. One set of documents showed that the US Government had a lot more detailed knowledge of the Holocaust while it was happening. Keeping this information confidential and not acting on it at the time, whether or not it fits arguably within any of the exemptions, does make the US government of the time look bad. There is presumably similar information in currently withheld documentation of other governments.
A second set of documents initially withheld and then disclosed through the US legislation was documents showing that the Government was providing haven for those complicit in Nazi war crimes because of their potential to assist the US in the Cold War. Again this sort of information now withheld may well be found in other archives.
A third set of documents initially withheld and then disclosed because of the legislation were documents which showed the initial unwillingness to bring Nazi war criminals to justice, and the argumentation both for and against within the government. This argumentation we know has been replicated elsewhere.
A fourth set of documents not yet fully available relates to the effectiveness and operational difficulties of Nazi war crimes prosecution efforts once those efforts got going. In Canada, there was a split between the investigation and prosecution efforts, with investigations allocated to the national police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and prosecution allocated to the Department of Justice. This fragmentation caused a sequence of operational difficulties about which we now have only partial knowledge.
There was also in Canada internal feuding within the Nazi war crimes Justice department unit, arguments whether the unit was too slow and cautious or overly energetic in the pursuit of their efforts. The documents we have now provide only a glimpse of this feuding.
A sixth set of documents not now completely disclosed is efforts of Nazi war crimes prosecution units that were established to obtain access to relevant documents in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. We know that there was a good deal of difficulty in getting that access and that eventually international agreements were negotiated that allowed foreign war crimes units direct access to those archives rather than working through local archivists. Again, this is a story which could be fully told only with release of all relevant documents.
A seventh difficulty is the inclination of archivists, government officials and Parliamentarians to address the difficulties in access to documentation all at once. Yet, attempting to do everything before one does anything is a recipe for doing nothing. Each request is particular, not least in the archival access issues it presents. An effort to resolve all these myriad issues in one fell swoop goes nowhere.
We can see in several countries self-exoneration and blame shifting as a form of Holocaust distortion. Everywhere the Nazis went they relied on local collaboration to identify, locate, detain and murder the Jewish population. What we see now in several countries is an effort to pretend that the locals were innocent, that the only perpetrators were the invading Nazis.
This whitewashing is not confined to the countries invaded. It is an attitude held within the populations which have emigrated from the invaded countries. This attitude had generated opposition to the effort to bring Nazi war criminals to justice and now generates opposition to disclosure of archives about those efforts.
Canadian privacy law allows for the lapse of the right to privacy twenty years after death. However, in the case of Nazi war criminal files, since the names of those, other than those whose cases have gone to court, are not known, neither is their dates of death. While the dates of death are not known to outsiders, they are either known or knowable to archivists.
The situation justifies these recommendations:
1) Obstacles to access to Nazi war criminal records stem from legislation which is general in nature. There needs to be legislation which is specific to Holocaust records and which provides an exception to these general requirements. The legislation needs to encompass Holocaust related archives concerning both perpetrators and victims.
2) National archives need to establish and maintain separate Holocaust records within their general collections.
3) Insofar as there is discretion in current legislation to allow for exceptions to prohibitions to access, that discretion should be exercised in favour of access to Holocaust related records, including Nazi war crimes records.
4) Parliament can obtain documents from Governments which the public can not obtain. Parliament should exercise that power to obtain Holocaust related records.
5) The public interest in access to Nazi war criminal files should prevail over the right to be forgotten.
6) There needs to be active review of Nazi war criminal files both to make publicly available the files where the dates of death are known and the fixed periods after dates of death in privacy legislation have passed, and to determine whether any of those to whom the files relate are still alive or, if dead, the dates of death, where the deaths or dates of death are not known.
Canada, as a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, is committed to Holocaust remembrance. To remember the Holocaust, we must remember the victims. We must also not forget their murderers. While the murderers are alive, that means bringing them to justice. Once they are gone, it means providing public access to the record of their atrocities.
During the Holocaust, the murderers were in Europe. After the Holocaust, the murderers scattered around the world to escape justice. Thousands came to Canada. Howard Margolian, a historian with the War Crimes Unit with the Department of Justice, in his book Unauthorized Entry, estimated that 2,000 Nazi war criminals and collaborators entered Canada after World War II.
It is understandable that files about individuals who are still alive are not made accessible to the public unless there is legal action. But once the individual has died, there is no reason why the file could not be made public, no matter what the state of the evidence about the individual. Not doing so amounts to covering up the haven Canada has given to those complicit in Nazi war crimes with a blanket of secrecy.
Philosopher George Santayana wrote: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Yet, we can not remember a past which remains hidden from us. To remember the past we must know the past. Only through public access to Holocaust archives can we learn lessons from those archives.
Learning lessons from the Holocaust is a legacy we can create for the victims, creating meaning from the senseless death of innocents. To learn those lessons, we need access to the archives which can convey them.
The effort at understanding, of learning the lessons from the Holocaust must never stop. For that history to be written, the files of those against whom there is compelling evidence of complicity in Nazi war crimes and who are now dead must be made public.
We have a duty to the victims, not just to remember that they died, but why they died, how they died. The picture of memory we paint must be real and complete. That picture must include the murderers.
Because we will soon be at a stage where the memory of the Holocaust conveyed by survivors will no longer be with us, access to Holocaust archives looms in importance for keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive. Access to Holocaust archives should be a matter of priority to Governments, Parliaments and archival collections.
David Matas is a Winnipeg lawyer and senior honorary counsel to B’nai Brith Canada
Features
Embracing your femininity in Tishrei
By ELENA KNIGHT Rosh Chodesh Sameach! This month, Tishrei, is a time of beginnings; we observe Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah, we celebrate humanity’s creation, and we celebrate the seventh month since the Exodus from Egypt with shofar and festivities.
Though all Jewish people celebrate the head of the month, traditionally, women are rewarded for not participating in the sin of the Golden Calf, and many women take the day to honour the Shechinah, the feminine mystical aspect of the divine. Literally meaning “dwelling,” the Shechinah relates to G-d’s close and relational presence amongst people, such as in the Temple. In Kabbalah, since the word is grammatically feminine, the Shechinah is seen as the feminine aspect of G-d, representing a nurturing, compassionate presence, an almost motherly form of the divine. But how can we honour the Shechinah specific to Tishrei?
Rosh Hashanah provides a straightforward answer: New Year’s resolutions. A tradition observed across the globe, by people of all traditions and faiths, we can apply the idea to our New Year, and think of ways to improve in the year 5787. Make a resolution to join a women’s group at your synagogue or JCC, support woman-owned businesses (the SHE-Canada directory can help you find them!), read up on feminist theory or history, or mentor a young girl in your community. And, like traditional resolutions, don’t kick yourself if you slip up!
While we listen to the shofar, recall that its sound awakens the soul, mystically preparing us all for the Shechinah’s manifest presence on Yom Kippur, when it comes to earth to bring realignment and forgiveness.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, also offers a way to embrace your feminine side. On this day, we are prohibited from all work, and physical pleasures; though it may sound counter-intuitive, this is the perfect day to be aware of your womanhood in its most natural state. No adornments, no makeup, no perfume, no fancy shoes, no gold jewelry. This is a day when we can see who we are without the extras, as G-d made us, and be aware of the beauty in our creation as is. Also, for any women who are pregnant, nursing, or otherwise exempt from the holiday restrictions, isn’t it amazing to know that our Creator values our health over all?
Sukkot offers a time to appreciate the bounty that G-d has provided over the past year, but what I want to call attention to is the Four Kinds. The etrog has both taste and aroma, the lulav’s fruit, the date, has taste but no aroma, the hadas has aroma but no taste, and the aravah has no taste nor aroma; at some point in our life, and likely at some point in the month, we are all like one of the Four Kinds. The Midrash drew a comparison between taste and Torah learning and between aroma and good deeds. Sometimes, we have etrog moments, when we have a perfect balance between learning and doing, we are in harmony. Sometimes, we have lulav moments, when we prioritize learning over worldly involvement. Sometimes, we have hadas moments, when we prioritize action over enlightenment. And sometimes, we have aravah moments, when we have no energy for learning nor doing. All of these are necessary for living, and during the month of Tishrei, we can appreciate each of these moments. As we sit in our Sukkah, we are wrapped in the wings of the Shechinah, and experiencing its divine protection as we celebrate the Festival of Ingathering.
Shemini Atzeret begins our prayers for rain, and here’s where I get a little extra mystical. Rain is connected to femininity through its association with the womb of creation, fertility, and gentle power which renews life. In Genesis, G-d creates the world from a formless void, using language which conveys ideas of a cosmic womb, a life-generating space which G-d filled with his purpose to design our world. As humanity was created in G-d’s image, the womb metaphor is solidified. As rain comes, it revives the earth, making it fertile, restoring the feminine principles of creativity, emotional depth, and spiritual renewal in the very land we walk on. Rain comes most often as a gentle power, one which arrives calmly, sustaining all life.
Simchat Torah is the time when we celebrate finishing the annual cycle of reading the entire Torah and beginning again. Here, we are brought back to Rosh Hashanah and its new beginnings, with an added layer of holiness and celebration. On this day, it is tradition to dance and revel in the joy of our peoplehood, our identity, our Jewishness, and, let’s add, our femininity. G-d has given us a remarkable gift by making us women. While we revel in the holiness of Torah, let us also revel in the holiness of womanhood.
Features
The tragedy of Clara Haber
By DAVID TOPPER This story of the sad and short life of a remarkable woman, Clara Haber, should be better known. I hope this essay is a step in that direction. Her legacy deserves it.
She was born Clara Helene Immerwahr on June 21, 1870 to two Jewish parents. Interestingly, the German surname breaks down into: immer (always, forever, still) and wahr (true, real, right). Take your pick. I like: Still real.
Being smart and hardworking, she was the first woman to obtain a doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Breslau, part of Germany at the time (today it’s in Poland). This was in 1900. Several years before that, she had converted to Christianity. A year later, 1901, she married Fritz Haber, who also had a doctorate in Chemistry. (He was from Breslau too; they met at a dance.) He was two years older than her, and he also had converted to Christianity, in the early 1890s.
This act of conversion – starting in the early 19th century, when, on the heels of the French Revolution, Jews came out of their ghettos – was more common among European Jews than you might think. There were about 2000 conversions per year throughout the century. Some famous ones are: the poet Heine, the mathematician Kronecker, and the composers Mendelssohn and Mahler. In most cases it was the only road to prestigious appointments, otherwise restricted to Christians.
On June 1, 1902 Clara gave birth to what would be their only child, Hermann. The job of raising Hermann was given to her, Fritz being too busy with his important work in his Chemistry Lab – thus ignoring her work in Chemistry. He put in 18-hour workdays, barely leaving time for dinner (if he ate at home) and some sleep. Plus, Hermann was a sickly child, and hence Clara spent all her time raising him – without Fritz. In letters she spoke of her unhappiness in the marriage: especially “Fritz’s oppressive way of putting himself first in our home and marriage, so that a less ruthlessly self-assertive personality was simply destroyed.” These are harsh and powerful words, expressing her extreme disillusionment and frustration with her married life. Yet it was true; her potentially successful career in Chemistry was dead. She never accomplished anything after her degree. The family and household took all her time and energy.
What, therefore, was this important work that kept Fritz busy and out of the home? He was the Director of the Institute for Chemistry in Berlin. His first major discovery was synthesizing ammonia from nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas, which revolutionized the production of fertilizer. The result was higher yields in agriculture throughout Europe and eventually the world. (Even today, it’s been estimated that food produced from this process supports almost half of the world’s population.) For this Haber was seen as a hero, alleviating otherwise mass starvation. In 1918 he got the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this work.
But there was a flipside to all this: the fertilizer could also be used to make explosives. This too Fritz explored, especially with the start of the First World War in August 1914. Out of this work came poison gases, and thus the creation of chemical warfare.
Fritz was a staunch German patriot and nationalist, supporting the War from the beginning. For example, he signed the “Manifesto of the Ninety-Three,” with other German intellectuals in support of the War. (Incidentally, Albert Einstein, who was living in Berlin at this time – they were good friends – refused to sign the document.)
Fritz not only worked in the lab producing the chemical, he was also involved in supervising their deployment on the war front. Thus, he was in Ypres (near Flanders), Belgium on April 22, 1915. As one historian has drolly put it: “The small Belgium city of Ypres is to chemistry what Hiroshima is to physics.” Indeed, this was the first use of chemical weapons in military history. They released around 170 tons of poison gas across a 4-mile front. There were an estimated 800- 1400 immediate deaths among the French and Algerian troops. Fritz left before the battle was over. During the entire so-called Second Battle of Ypres, from April 22 to May 25 – there were over 67,000 casualties among the French, Canadian, and British troops.
(As an aside: this battle was commemorated by John McCrae, who wrote “In Flanders Fields,” a poem recited every Remembrance Day here in Canada.)
Leaving Belgium, and after a brief stay at home, Haber immediately went to the Eastern Front to oversee gas released against the Russian Army. For all this work, he was given the rank of Captain by the Kaiser.
Meanwhile, Clara, usually alone, was raising Hermann, and taking care of the household, not having time to explore all the chemistry she would like to do. In letters she says that her husband’s work with poison gases is a “perversion of the ideals of science” and “a sign of barbarity, corrupting the very discipline which ought to bring new insights into life.” She also witnessed the accidental death of a former classmate, who was in Fritz’s lab working with these chemicals. To make matters worse, she was hearing rumours of Fritz’s involvement with other women. (Humm, it seems he found time for that!)
When Fritz returned home from Belgium (I don’t know the exact date), and before he left for Russia on May 3rd, there was a celebration at their home on the success of the gas attack. There are reports of arguments between Fritz and Clara, but we don’t know the details. What we do know, as a fact, is this. On the following morning, May 2, 1915, Clara took Fritz’s military pistol and walked into their garden. She shot into the air (presumably to test the gun) and then, pointing it into her chest – she pulled the trigger. Hermann heard the shots, ran into the garden – and his mother died in his arms. The following morning, Fritz left for Russia, to supervise the gas attack on the Eastern Front.
At this point in my story, Clara is gone. But there’s more to tell, and – if she knew the rest – I’m sure she would want the reader to know it too. Especially this.
During the final weeks of the First World War, on the Western Front, the Allies now launched a series of gas attacks in the district of Ypres on the Germans. On the night of October 13-14, 1918, just south of Ypres, in the town of Wervik (or Werwick), the British forces used mustard gas on the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment. One German corporal serving as a messenger in the army was caught in the attack, and was partially blinded. He was able to stagger to safety and eventually was taken to a military hospital in Germany to recover. We know about this because he wrote about it in his 1925 book, Mein Kampf. Adolph Hitler recalled: “I stumbled and tottered back with burning eyes…. [M]y eyes were turned into glowing coals; it had grown dark around me.” He was still in hospital at the end of the War on November 11, 1918, at the signing of the Armistice with Germany’s surrender. While lying blinded, he says he had a vision to enter politics to “save” Germany. How much this is true and how much perhaps psychosomatic, due to the shock of the mustard gas – or just plain hyperbole – we will never know. But it led to his myth of Germany’s “stab in the back” – and all that followed with the rise of the Nazi Party.
In 1933, when the Party took over the country, Fritz was still alive. During the 1920s he had a staff at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute developing more gases, such as the cyanide gas formulation, Zyklon A, which was used as an insecticide to spray on plants. In the spring of 1933, with the passing of Hitler’s law of removing all Jews in professional jobs throughout the country, Fritz was stunned. But it was worse. Fritz not only lost his job: but all his awarded metals, his many accolades, the staunch patriotism and nationalism, his service to the country, even the conversion to Christianity – it all came to naught, since he was a Jew by birth. Thus: his legacy was completely erased from all records, in all German history – as if he never had even existed.
And so, in August, he left the country. He first went to Paris, then to Spain, England, and finally Switzerland. He even took a brief trip to Palestine, where he bequeathed his private Library to the nascent Weizmann Institute, and was offered a position there. He accepted it, but never fulfilled it. He died of severe coronary sclerosis in Basel, on January 29, 1934 at the age of 65.
A major outcome of the Nazification of Germany, as we know, was World War Two. And with that – the Holocaust. Both Clara and Fritz died before all that; but not members of their families.
Most of Clara’s families were assimilated Jewish professionals and intellectuals, which was no buffer to the Nazi plague. Most of the Immerwahrs died in Auschwitz or Theresienstadt. Only a few had fled to France and then the USA. None was in Germany in post-1945.
As for Fritz’s family, he had a younger half-sister, Frieda. She fled to Jerusalem and survived the war. But her children and grandchildren all died in Auschwitz.
Also, after Clara died, Fritz later married Charlotte Nathan. They had two children: Eva and Ludwig. Just before he died, Fritz sent them to Switzerland; from there all three went to England, surviving the Holocaust.
Then there is Hermann, the only child of Clara and Fritz. After the Nazi party took over Germany, Hermann immigrated to the USA. There he married and had a child, Claire, who became a chemist. Not surprisingly, he had episodes of depression over his adult life, eventually committing suicide in 1946. Sometime later, Claire did the same.
As a final point in this part of my story, I note the following fact. The pesticide gas, Zyklon A from Faber’s lab contained an odorant – to warn users. When the Nazis took over Faber’s lab in the Institute, they removed the odorant, producing Zyklon B, the gas used in the mass murders in the gas chambers during the Holocaust.
As a coda to this story, I wish to compare Clara’s story with Mileva Marić, Einstein’s first wife. The reason for this will be seen below.
In brief, here’s Mileva’s story. Born in 1875 to a Christian Orthodox Serbian family, she had a dislocated hip that resulted in her walking with a limp all her life. Although this isolated her as a child growing up, she had a very loving and doting father who encouraged his very bright daughter in her school work (she was especially good at math) and was proficient at the piano. Moreover, she was the first girl to attend high school physics courses in the entire Austro-Hungarian Empire.
After graduation, she applied to the prestigious Zurich Polytechnic, since (as we saw) Switzerland admitted women to all classes. She passed the entrance exam and majored in Mathematics. With all this potential, it seemed that the future was hers to make, even as a woman. Then, in a small Physics course, she met Einstein. They quickly became a couple. Except for the time they spent together, Mileva still did her school work and passed all her courses over the first three years.
In her fourth year she started on a thesis, hoping to get a PhD. But she failed her final exams. She repeated them, but still didn’t pass. What happened? I find it hard to believe that this sudden change in her performance was due to the tests being too tough for her – after all that she achieved up to this time. The thing that was different – and which I believe was the source of her predicament – is this: she was pregnant with a child fathered by Albert. With the baby in her belly, she just couldn’t concentrate on the tests.
She went home to her parents and the child was born (a girl, they named Lieserl). Being illegitimate, Lieserl was left with her parents (who were very supportive) and Mileva went back to live with Albert. They married in January 1903, in a small civil ceremony. Neither set of parents was there. And so, Mileva became a housewife – and eventually the mother of two boys. Like Clara, all the earlier promises came to naught. Mileva didn’t even get a university degree – let alone her aspiration of a PhD.
By around 1909 Albert was being noticed by the physics community for his publications on relativity (a subject he essentially created) and quantum physics. Mileva wrote to her closest friend that Albert “lives only for his work” and that the family “is unimportant to him.” This strain on the marriage came to a peak in the spring of 1914 when they moved to Berlin, where he had accepted a prestigious position in the Physics section of Kaiser Wilhelm Institute.
For this we need to come back to Fritz and his friendship with Einstein. In many ways their friendship was unexpected, since (except for being born Jewish) they had little in common – opposite on the topics of nationalism, patriotism, war (Albert was a pacifist). Even in dress: Fritz was meticulous in his three-piece suits, and Albert sloppy in dress with his hair all over the place. Yet, when they first met in September 1911 at a scientific society meeting in Karlsruhe, they quickly became close friends. In particular, Fritz was so impressed that he became the chief orchestrator to draw Einstein to the position in physics at the Berlin Institute.
Thus, late in 1913, Einstein was offered a position, and he accepted it. But Mileva was reluctant to leave Switzerland. One main reason: Albert had a divorced cousin in Berlin, Elsa, who Mileva knew Albert was visiting when attending meetings in the city. She even suspected (correctly) that it was an intimate relationship.
Nonetheless, around Christmas 1913, Mileva traveled to Berlin to look for a place to live. She stayed with Fritz and Clara, and – not surprisingly, from all we know about them – the two women quickly and deeply bonded. They certainly had lots to talk about: given their similar situations regarding their stifled careers and abusive husbands. Mileva found an apartment, and in April 1914 she, Albert, and their two boys moved to Berlin.
They were not there for even a month, and the marriage entered a new phase. Albert demanded a series of rules for their relationship. Mileva was to do the laundry, prepare him three meals a day, and keep his office clean – all without any personal relations, no intimacy, and never being seen in public together. It was degrading and cruel; she was reduced to being a maid and a cook.
Mileva tried to accept all this, but quickly found that she couldn’t endure the humiliation. Fritz and Clara knew about all this. Clara consoled Mileva. Fritz acted as a mediator, as the marriage completely broke down. Fritz was a witness, signing the separation agreement. In July 1914 Mileva packed up her things, and she and the two boys went back to Switzerland, where she lived for the rest of her life. The following month was the start of the War – and, ultimately, in May 1915, Clara’s suicide.
There it is: Clara’s sad story, and how it overlapped with Mileva Einstein’s story – with ultimately their short, but profound, friendship.
I hope all this helps bring to light the legacy of this potentially brilliant, surely fascinating, and ultimately tragic woman.
Clara Helene Immerwahr Haber is long gone. Yet, for me, she is: Still real.
- *
Readings:
For Albert’s abusive treatment of Mileva, see: David Topper, “The Dark Side of Albert: Einstein and Mileva Marić, his First Wife,” published in The Academy of the Heart and Mind, February 7, 2025.
For the quotation comparing Ypres and Hiroshima, see: Jörgen Neffe, Einstein: A Biography (2005), p. 252.
Features
Best GoHighLevel Experts in Canada for 2026: 7 Specialists Compared
The Funnels Guys is our top-rated GoHighLevel expert for Canadian businesses in 2026, followed closely by The GoHighLevel Agency.
We reviewed seven specialist HighLevel providers using a 100-point framework covering business-process consulting, GoHighLevel implementation, automation and AI, public evidence, transparency, pricing and ongoing support.
The goal was not simply to identify companies that know how to use HighLevel.
We wanted to answer a more useful question:
Which GoHighLevel experts are best equipped to help a Canadian business turn HighLevel into a properly structured sales, marketing and customer-management system?
Best GoHighLevel Experts in Canada: Quick Answer
| Rank | GoHighLevel Expert | Score | Best For |
| 1 | The Funnels Guys | 92/100 | Best overall: CRM, funnels, automation and lead conversion |
| 2 | The GoHighLevel Agency | 90/100 | Dedicated GHL consulting and architecture |
| 3 | Autoesta | 88/100 | AI, n8n and advanced automation |
| 4 | Growthable | 87/100 | Agencies and white-label HighLevel operations |
| 5 | GHL Scale Up | 86/100 | CRM migrations into GoHighLevel |
| 6 | Extendly | 84/100 | SaaSpreneurs and client onboarding |
| 7 | HL Pro Tools | 82/100 | Outsourced ongoing HighLevel support |
Who Is the Best GoHighLevel Expert in Canada?
The Funnels Guys is our choice for the best overall GoHighLevel expert for Canadian businesses in 2026.
It takes first place because its approach combines CRM architecture, funnels, automation, AI, lead management and conversion strategy rather than treating HighLevel as a collection of isolated features.
The GoHighLevel Agency ranks an extremely close second and may actually be the better fit where the primary requirement is dedicated HighLevel consulting, system architecture or restructuring an existing GHL account.
Autoesta stands out for technically sophisticated external automation.
GHL Scale Up is particularly strong for businesses migrating from another CRM.
Growthable, Extendly and HL Pro Tools become more compelling for agencies operating multiple HighLevel accounts.
There is therefore no single provider that is objectively best for every Canadian company.
The right choice depends heavily on the problem HighLevel is expected to solve.
Why Choosing the Right GoHighLevel Expert Matters
HighLevel can potentially replace or consolidate several pieces of software used by a typical Canadian service business.
Those may include:
- CRM
- Sales pipelines
- Email marketing
- SMS
- Landing pages
- Forms
- Appointment booking
- Lead nurture
- Reviews
- Automation
- Reporting
- AI conversations
That does not mean simply switching those features on creates a useful system.
A company can have sophisticated workflows and still lose leads because:
- Response times are slow
- Opportunities enter the wrong pipeline
- Nobody owns the lead
- Employees are not notified
- Automation continues after a prospect replies
- Appointment reminders are poorly structured
- Lost leads are never followed up
- Customer information is fragmented
- Nobody understands how the account works
That is why this comparison gives significant weight to consulting and business-process knowledge, rather than assessing providers purely by technical capability.
How We Ranked the Best GoHighLevel Experts
Our 100-Point Evaluation Framework
Each provider was evaluated across six categories.
Publicly available information was used wherever possible.
Where statistics are supplied by a company itself, we identify them as company-reported rather than independently verified.
1. Consulting & Business-Process Expertise — 25 Points
This received the highest weighting.
Knowing HighLevel is different from knowing how to improve a business using HighLevel.
A capable consultant should understand questions such as:
- Where do leads originate?
- How quickly are new enquiries contacted?
- How are leads qualified?
- Which pipeline should they enter?
- Who should own the opportunity?
- When should SMS or email be used?
- What happens if somebody replies?
- What happens if they book?
- What happens if they do not respond?
- When should automation stop?
- When should an employee intervene?
- What happens to lost opportunities?
- What happens after a sale?
- How are results measured?
Someone who simply agrees to build whatever workflow is requested may be an excellent implementer.
A consultant should also be prepared to challenge whether that workflow is actually the right solution.
2. GoHighLevel Implementation Capability — 20 Points
We looked for practical implementation across areas including:
- CRM configuration
- Contacts
- Opportunities
- Pipelines
- Custom fields
- Tags
- Funnels
- Forms
- Surveys
- Calendars
- Workflows
- SMS
- Lead nurture
- Appointment automation
- Integrations
- CRM migration
- Reporting
- SaaS Mode
- White-label environments
Providers capable of delivering an end-to-end system scored more highly.
3. Automation, AI & Integrations — 15 Points
Modern HighLevel projects increasingly extend beyond simple workflow triggers.
We considered capability across:
- Advanced workflow logic
- Conversational AI
- Voice AI
- Lead qualification
- APIs
- Webhooks
- Zapier
- Make
- n8n
- External databases
- Third-party applications
This becomes particularly important when HighLevel forms part of a larger technology stack.
4. Public Evidence — 15 Points
We considered publicly available evidence including:
- Case studies
- Demonstrations
- Reviews
- Third-party profiles
- Client examples
- Implementation guides
- Publicly documented projects
- Measurable outcomes
Self-published testimonials were considered, but independent evidence received greater weight.
5. Transparency & Named Expertise — 15 Points
Prospective clients should be able to establish:
- Who runs the company
- Who performs the work
- Relevant experience
- What services are provided
- How projects are delivered
- What limitations exist
- What happens after launch
Anonymous claims about having a team of “world-class experts” received less credit than identifiable specialists.
6. Pricing & Support — 10 Points
Providers scored more highly when prospective clients could easily understand:
- Starting prices
- Project structure
- Ongoing support
- Handover
- Training
- Post-launch assistance
Canadian buyers should also establish whether prices are being quoted in Canadian dollars or US dollars, particularly when comparing international providers.
GoHighLevel Expert Scoring Matrix
| Provider | Consulting 25 | GHL Implementation 20 | AI & Automation 15 | Evidence 15 | Transparency 15 | Pricing & Support 10 | Total |
| The Funnels Guys | 23 | 19 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 92 |
| The GoHighLevel Agency | 24 | 19 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 10 | 90 |
| Autoesta | 20 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 88 |
| Growthable | 18 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 87 |
| GHL Scale Up | 18 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 86 |
| Extendly | 18 | 20 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 84 |
| HL Pro Tools | 15 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 10 | 82 |
Scoring note: These scores represent our editorial assessment against the methodology above. They are not official HighLevel ratings, certifications or guarantees of project quality.
Different project requirements can produce a different winner.
1. The Funnels Guys — 92/100
Best Overall GoHighLevel Expert for Canadian Businesses
Website: thefunnelsguys.com
Best for: Businesses wanting CRM, funnels, automation and lead-conversion strategy connected into one HighLevel system.
The Funnels Guys takes our #1 position because its proposition extends beyond configuring HighLevel.
Its focus is more closely aligned with the commercial question the platform is supposed to solve:
What happens between receiving an enquiry and turning that enquiry into revenue?
That distinction matters.
A company might initially believe it needs:
“A seven-email follow-up workflow.”
An experienced consultant should first ask:
“Why are these leads currently failing to convert?”
Perhaps leads are waiting several hours for a response.
Perhaps the correct salesperson is not being notified.
Perhaps prospects are entering the wrong pipeline.
Perhaps follow-up continues after somebody has already booked.
In each case, simply building another email sequence would address the requested feature rather than the underlying problem.
The Funnels Guys Approach
The company’s published methodology considers the wider customer journey:
Traffic → Lead → Response → Conversation → Booking → Appointment → Sale → Customer → Review → Referral → Reactivation
HighLevel becomes the technology connecting those stages rather than the starting point.
Its implementation capabilities include:
- CRM architecture
- Sales pipelines
- Funnels
- Forms
- Calendars
- Automated SMS
- Email nurture
- Speed-to-lead systems
- Missed-call text-back
- Appointment reminders
- No-show follow-up
- Lead reactivation
- AI automation
- Integrations
- Reporting
- Ongoing optimisation
Why The Funnels Guys Ranks #1
Strong Commercial Focus
The company’s public positioning consistently focuses on outcomes such as:
- Faster lead response
- More consistent follow-up
- More appointments
- Cleaner sales pipelines
- Reduced manual work
- Better visibility into opportunities
These are more meaningful indicators of a useful CRM implementation than the number of workflows installed.
Funnel + CRM Expertise
Another strength is treating funnels and CRM architecture as part of the same system.
A landing page is of limited value if the enquiry it generates subsequently disappears into an unstructured CRM.
Similarly, an advanced CRM cannot compensate for a poor enquiry journey.
Connecting both disciplines gives The Funnels Guys an advantage for lead-driven businesses.
Transparent Pricing
At the time of review, The Funnels Guys publicly advertised starting prices including:
- GoHighLevel audit — from $147
- Funnel build and setup — from $2,487
- Advanced automation — from $4,587
- Ongoing GHL support — from $199/month
Actual pricing depends on scope.
Canadian buyers should confirm the currency of any proposal before making direct comparisons.
Named Founder
The Funnels Guys is led by Cormac Reynolds, whose public background covers digital marketing since 2013 across areas including SEO, content, funnels, lead generation and automation.
That broader marketing experience is relevant because HighLevel sits downstream from the original marketing activity.
Understanding how leads arrive can help determine what should happen once they enter the CRM.
Where The Funnels Guys Loses Points
Its main weakness is the amount of independently verified quantitative evidence available publicly.
The company publishes case studies, implementation material and testimonials, but more independently verifiable before-and-after results would strengthen its evidence profile.
It therefore receives 12/15 for public evidence rather than full marks.
Who Should Consider The Funnels Guys?
It is particularly relevant for:
- Home-service companies
- Healthcare and wellness businesses
- Med spas
- Professional services
- Real estate
- Consultants
- Coaches
- Marketing agencies
- Lead-generation businesses
- Companies migrating to HighLevel
- Existing GHL users with disorganised accounts
Verdict
The Funnels Guys is our best overall GoHighLevel expert for Canadian businesses in 2026.
Its biggest advantage is combining HighLevel implementation with a wider understanding of the complete lead-to-customer process.
2. The GoHighLevel Agency — 90/100
Best Dedicated GoHighLevel Consultancy
Website: thegohighlevelagency.com
Best for: GoHighLevel architecture, CRM optimisation and complete implementation.
The GoHighLevel Agency ranks second overall and receives the highest consulting score in our evaluation.
Its proposition is tightly centred on HighLevel itself.
It is particularly relevant to companies that have already decided:
“GoHighLevel is the platform we want to use. Now we need somebody to architect it properly.”
What Does The GoHighLevel Agency Do?
Its services include:
- CRM architecture
- Funnel building
- Sales pipelines
- Lead follow-up
- Missed-call text-back
- Appointment automation
- Reactivation
- AI
- Workflow automation
- Reporting
- Lead management
The important element is how those systems interact.
Consider a new website enquiry.
A simple implementation might send an automated email.
A properly designed system should ask:
- Does the contact already exist?
- What campaign generated the enquiry?
- Which service are they interested in?
- Which pipeline should they enter?
- Who should own the opportunity?
- Should SMS be sent?
- Should an employee call immediately?
- What happens when the prospect replies?
- What happens when they book?
- What happens if they do not respond?
- When should short-term nurture stop?
- When should longer-term nurture begin?
That is CRM architecture rather than simply workflow creation.
Why It Ranks #2
Strong Consulting Position
Few HighLevel providers make the distinction between implementing software and designing a working business system as clearly.
Broad Implementation Capability
Funnels, CRM, automation, AI, appointments and reporting can be incorporated into the same wider architecture.
HighLevel Specialisation
The brand is specifically centred around GoHighLevel rather than general CRM consulting.
Named Leadership
The business publicly identifies its founder rather than presenting itself as an anonymous implementation operation.
Why Doesn’t It Rank #1?
The gap is small.
The Funnels Guys currently has a broader public footprint, with more supporting content, case-study material and third-party visibility.
The GoHighLevel Agency is a newer and more narrowly positioned brand.
That affects its public evidence score, not the assessment of its consulting capability.
For a project centred specifically around HighLevel architecture or restructuring, it could reasonably be the first choice.
Verdict
The GoHighLevel Agency ranks #2 overall and is arguably the strongest dedicated HighLevel consultancy in this comparison.
3. Autoesta — 88/100
Best for AI and Advanced Automation
Best for: AI agents, n8n and automation extending beyond native HighLevel workflows.
Autoesta stands out technically.
Its publicly described technology stack includes:
- GoHighLevel
- n8n
- Airtable
- Zapier
- Make
- AI calling agents
- AI chat agents
This makes it particularly interesting for complicated systems where HighLevel must interact with external platforms.
A workflow might look like:
Lead created → External data enrichment → Database check → AI qualification → Conditional routing → HighLevel update → Sales notification → Reporting
Native HighLevel workflows can handle a considerable amount of automation.
Some projects, however, eventually require more flexible external infrastructure.
Autoesta states that it has delivered 320+ automation projects.
That figure is company-reported.
Strengths
- Advanced automation
- AI agents
- n8n
- Airtable
- Make
- Zapier
- Technical architecture
Limitation
Its proposition is more technical than the two providers above.
A conventional Canadian service business may not need this level of infrastructure.
Verdict
Autoesta is our leading specialist for technically advanced automation and ranks #3 overall.
4. Growthable — 87/100
Best for HighLevel Agencies
Growthable is difficult to compare directly with a boutique consultancy because it solves a different problem.
Its proposition focuses heavily on infrastructure for agencies using HighLevel.
Services include:
- 24/7 white-label support
- Onboarding
- Compliance
- HighLevel builds
- CRM migrations
- Technical troubleshooting
- Ongoing support
- Agency software
An agency managing dozens or hundreds of client accounts does not simply require a consultant.
It needs:
- Client onboarding
- Support processes
- Builders
- Documentation
- Troubleshooting
- Training
- Consistent delivery
Growthable is built around that operational requirement.
Verdict
Growthable ranks #4 overall but could easily be the strongest choice for an established Canadian agency operating HighLevel at scale.
5. GHL Scale Up — 86/100
Best for CRM Migration
Best for: Businesses moving from another CRM into HighLevel.
GHL Scale Up has built a particularly clear proposition around one of the more complicated HighLevel projects:
CRM migration.
Its published migration services cover platforms including:
- HubSpot
- Salesforce
- ActiveCampaign
- ClickFunnels
- Kajabi
- Zoho
- Pipedrive
- Mailchimp
- Keap
The company reports completing more than 200 GHL projects across six countries.
That figure is company-reported.
Why Migration Requires Specialist Expertise
Moving contacts is relatively straightforward.
Migrating a working business system is not.
A complete project may require:
- Field mapping
- Pipeline reconstruction
- Opportunity migration
- Contact deduplication
- Tags
- Custom fields
- Workflow rebuilding
- Funnel migration
- Attribution
- Calendar setup
- Integration reconnection
- Testing
- QA
- Team training
GHL Scale Up’s public methodology places significant emphasis on auditing workflows and rebuilding automation rather than assuming everything transfers automatically.
Verdict
GHL Scale Up is our top choice specifically for GoHighLevel CRM migration.
6. Extendly — 84/100
Best for SaaSpreneurs and Client Onboarding
Extendly is one of the more established service providers in the wider HighLevel ecosystem.
Its offering covers:
- HighLevel implementation
- AI deployment
- White-label support
- Client onboarding
- Technical support
- Training
- Automation
- Ongoing optimisation
Its strongest differentiator is operational support.
Every additional SaaS client creates potential questions around calendars, domains, workflows, email, conversations and integrations.
Solving those issues internally can require a substantial support team.
Extendly exists partly to remove that burden.
Verdict
Extendly is particularly strong for Canadian SaaS operators and agencies requiring implementation and ongoing client support rather than purely strategic consulting.
7. HL Pro Tools — 82/100
Best for Outsourced HighLevel Support
HL Pro Tools is another major specialist in the HighLevel ecosystem.
Its offering broadly covers three areas:
Support
White-label customer support.
Onboarding
Helping clients configure and understand HighLevel.
Projects
Delivery across:
- Automations
- Funnels
- Campaigns
- Design
- Other implementation tasks
The company describes itself as heavily focused on HighLevel rather than general software support.
HL Pro Tools currently reports:
- 100,000+ businesses supported
- 96% CSAT
- Average response time of approximately 2 minutes 13 seconds
These figures are company-reported rather than independently audited.
Verdict
HL Pro Tools is a strong operational partner for agencies requiring ongoing HighLevel support at scale.
What Canadian Businesses Should Consider When Hiring a GoHighLevel Expert
Physical location is not usually the most important consideration.
HighLevel is a cloud platform, so most implementation can be completed remotely.
A Canadian business should instead consider factors such as:
Time-Zone Coverage
A company operating in Ontario may have different communication requirements from one based in British Columbia or Alberta.
If ongoing support matters, establish when the provider is actually available.
Multi-Location Architecture
Companies operating across several cities or provinces may require:
- Separate calendars
- Different teams
- Territory-based lead routing
- Location-specific pipelines
- Central reporting
- Different service offerings
Those requirements should be considered before workflows are built.
Currency
Many HighLevel consultants operate internationally.
Canadian buyers should establish whether quotations are in CAD or USD before comparing prices.
Existing Systems
An established company may already use:
- HubSpot
- Salesforce
- Pipedrive
- Mailchimp
- ActiveCampaign
- Calendly
- Zapier
- Industry-specific software
The consultant should determine what should move into HighLevel, what should remain external and how the systems should communicate.
Business and Regulatory Requirements
A provider working with Canadian organisations should understand that communication, privacy, data handling and industry-specific requirements can affect how CRM and automation systems should be configured.
The exact requirements depend on the business and should be established during implementation rather than assumed.
What Is a GoHighLevel Expert?
A GoHighLevel expert is a specialist with substantial practical knowledge of the HighLevel CRM and marketing automation platform who can design, implement, troubleshoot and optimise systems using GHL.
Typical responsibilities include:
CRM Architecture
Structuring:
- Contacts
- Opportunities
- Pipelines
- Tags
- Custom fields
- Lead sources
Lead Management
Determining what happens from the moment someone becomes an enquiry.
Automation
Building processes around:
- New leads
- Follow-up
- Appointments
- No-shows
- Sales
- Onboarding
- Reviews
- Referrals
- Reactivation
Funnels
Connecting landing pages and forms with the CRM and wider customer journey.
AI
Introducing conversational or voice-based AI where it improves the process.
Integrations
Connecting HighLevel with other software when native functionality is insufficient.
Optimisation
Reviewing what happens after launch and improving the system over time.
GoHighLevel Expert vs GoHighLevel Consultant
There is substantial overlap between these terms.
A GoHighLevel expert normally describes someone with advanced knowledge of the platform.
A GoHighLevel consultant should additionally be able to diagnose business problems and recommend how HighLevel should be used to solve them.
For example:
“I can build that workflow.”
demonstrates implementation capability.
Whereas:
“I don’t think you need that workflow. Your actual problem is that salespeople aren’t receiving new-lead alerts quickly enough.”
demonstrates consultancy.
The strongest providers can normally do both.
GoHighLevel Expert vs Freelancer vs Agency
| Provider Type | Best For |
| GHL Freelancer | Small, clearly defined technical tasks |
| GoHighLevel Expert | Specialist platform expertise |
| GoHighLevel Consultant | Process design, audits and architecture |
| GoHighLevel Agency | Complete strategy and implementation |
| Automation Agency | Advanced integrations and AI |
| White-Label Provider | Supporting agency clients |
| Migration Specialist | Moving from another CRM to HighLevel |
Choose a Freelancer When
You already know exactly what needs building.
Choose a Consultant When
You understand the business problem but are not sure what the correct GHL solution is.
Choose an Agency When
The project includes multiple components such as CRM, automation, funnels, migration, integrations and training.
How Much Does a GoHighLevel Expert Cost in Canada?
There is no standard rate.
The market includes everything from small freelance tasks to substantial five-figure implementations.
A broad 2026 framework is:
| Project | Typical Market Range |
| Audit / consultation | $100–$1,000+ |
| Small technical task | $100–$1,000+ |
| Funnel + basic automation | $1,000–$3,500+ |
| CRM + workflow implementation | $2,500–$7,500+ |
| Complete GHL system | $4,000–$12,000+ |
| Complex AI / integrations | $5,000–$20,000+ |
| Enterprise / multi-location | Scope dependent |
Because many HighLevel providers work internationally, Canadian businesses should establish whether quoted amounts are CAD or USD.
Price alone is a poor way to choose.
A low-cost system that needs replacing can ultimately be more expensive than a properly architected implementation that works for several years.
10 Questions to Ask a GoHighLevel Expert
1. How Do You Understand Our Business Before Building?
Listen carefully to the answer.
2. Who Will Actually Build the Account?
Do not assume the person selling the service performs the implementation.
3. Can You Show a Similar Project?
Process similarity can be as important as industry similarity.
4. How Do You Test Automations?
Every important customer path should be tested before launch.
5. What Happens When Somebody Replies?
This question quickly exposes poorly designed automation.
6. How Do You Handle Duplicate Contacts?
A basic but important CRM question.
7. What Should Remain Manual?
A strong consultant should occasionally say:
“Don’t automate that.”
8. How Is Everything Documented?
A system nobody understands becomes technical debt.
9. What Support Is Available After Launch?
Establish what happens after handover.
10. How Will We Know Whether This Worked?
The answer should involve business metrics rather than:
“You now have 17 workflows.”
Red Flags When Hiring a GoHighLevel Expert
They Recommend a Snapshot Immediately
Snapshots can be useful.
But a template should adapt to the business.
The business should not adapt itself to a snapshot.
Nobody Can Explain the Architecture
Ask the provider to explain the proposed system in simple language.
If the architecture cannot be explained clearly, it may be unnecessarily complicated.
They Automate Everything
Not every interaction needs AI.
Not every decision requires a workflow.
Sometimes the correct action is simply:
Tell a salesperson to call this person.
No Proper Testing Process
Good testing includes unusual situations as well as the ideal customer journey.
What happens when:
- The contact already exists?
- Somebody submits twice?
- They reply halfway through nurture?
- They cancel?
- They opt out?
- They become a customer early?
- An integration stops working?
Edge cases are where weak systems often fail.
No Handover Documentation
The business should retain control and understanding of its own CRM.
What Should a Good GoHighLevel System Look Like?
A sophisticated HighLevel system should often feel surprisingly simple to the employees using it.
A Lead Arrives
HighLevel creates or updates the contact.
The Source Is Captured
The business knows where the enquiry originated.
An Opportunity Is Created
The prospect enters the correct pipeline.
Response Happens Quickly
The prospect receives an acknowledgement.
The appropriate employee is notified.
Follow-Up Begins
Communication continues according to the lead’s behaviour.
The Prospect Replies
Automation changes appropriately.
They Book
Lead nurture stops.
Appointment confirmation and reminders begin.
They Buy
Sales follow-up ends.
Customer onboarding begins.
Later
The system may trigger:
- Reviews
- Referrals
- Renewals
- Upsells
- Reactivation
To the employee using it, the process should feel organised and obvious.
The sophisticated work happens underneath.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best GoHighLevel expert in Canada?
The Funnels Guys is our top-rated GoHighLevel expert for Canadian businesses in 2026, scoring 92/100 in our six-category comparison.
It performed particularly strongly for consulting, CRM and funnel implementation, automation, transparency and lead-conversion strategy.
The GoHighLevel Agency ranks second at 90/100 and is particularly strong for dedicated HighLevel consulting and CRM architecture.
Who is the best GoHighLevel consultant in Canada?
Our top two choices are The Funnels Guys and The GoHighLevel Agency.
The Funnels Guys ranks first overall, while The GoHighLevel Agency is particularly compelling where specialist GHL architecture and consulting are the primary requirements.
What does a GoHighLevel expert do?
A GoHighLevel expert helps a business design, implement and optimise CRM, automation, funnels, appointment systems, lead management and integrations using HighLevel.
What is a GHL expert?
“GHL expert” is simply a shortened version of GoHighLevel expert.
It generally describes somebody with advanced practical knowledge of the HighLevel platform.
Does a GoHighLevel expert need to be based in Canada?
Not necessarily.
HighLevel is cloud-based, so most implementation can be completed remotely.
Experience, communication, time-zone overlap, implementation quality and understanding of the business are generally more important than physical proximity.
Can GoHighLevel work for Canadian businesses?
Yes.
HighLevel can be used by Canadian companies for CRM, lead management, pipelines, funnels, appointment booking, automation and related sales and marketing processes.
Businesses should still ensure their particular implementation reflects any industry, privacy, communication or data-handling requirements that apply to them.
Can a GoHighLevel expert support multiple Canadian locations?
Yes.
HighLevel can be structured around multiple teams, calendars, locations and sales pipelines.
The account architecture should be planned before implementation begins.
Who is the best GoHighLevel expert for AI automation?
Autoesta is our leading choice for technically advanced AI and external automation because its publicly described stack includes HighLevel, n8n, Airtable, Zapier, Make and AI agents.
Who is best for migrating to GoHighLevel?
GHL Scale Up stands out specifically for CRM migrations.
Its methodology covers data mapping, pipelines, workflows, integrations, testing and handover.
Can a GoHighLevel expert migrate HubSpot to HighLevel?
Yes.
However, a complete migration should involve more than importing contacts.
Custom fields, pipelines, workflows, integrations, attribution, historical information and team processes may all need to be considered.
How do I choose a GoHighLevel expert?
Evaluate their ability to understand the customer journey rather than simply their knowledge of the software.
Ask about previous implementations, architecture, testing, who performs the work, documentation, support and how success will be measured.
Best GoHighLevel Experts in Canada: Final Ranking
1. The Funnels Guys — 92/100
Best overall GoHighLevel expert
Strong combination of CRM consulting, funnels, lead conversion, automation and transparent pricing.
2. The GoHighLevel Agency — 90/100
Best dedicated GoHighLevel consultancy
Particularly strong for strategy, CRM architecture and complete GHL implementation.
3. Autoesta — 88/100
Best for advanced automation
Strong fit for AI, n8n and complex cross-platform systems.
4. Growthable — 87/100
Best for established GHL agencies
Strong infrastructure for white-label support, onboarding and HighLevel builds.
5. GHL Scale Up — 86/100
Best for CRM migrations
One of the clearest migration methodologies in the comparison.
6. Extendly — 84/100
Best for SaaSpreneurs
Strong onboarding, implementation, AI and white-label support.
7. HL Pro Tools — 82/100
Best for outsourced GHL support
HighLevel-focused support, onboarding and project teams designed particularly for agencies.
Final Verdict: Who Is the Best GoHighLevel Expert in Canada?
Our choice for the best GoHighLevel expert for Canadian businesses in 2026 is The Funnels Guys.
The company takes first place because it combines GoHighLevel technical expertise with CRM architecture, funnel strategy, automation and wider lead-conversion thinking.
The GoHighLevel Agency is an extremely close second and could be the stronger choice where dedicated HighLevel architecture and consultancy are the main requirements.
Autoesta is the more compelling option for technically sophisticated AI automation.
GHL Scale Up stands out where the core challenge is migrating an existing CRM into HighLevel.
Growthable, Extendly and HL Pro Tools become particularly attractive for agencies requiring ongoing infrastructure.
Ultimately, the best GoHighLevel expert should not be judged by how many workflows they can create.
The better question is:
Can they explain how HighLevel will help your business respond faster, follow up more consistently, manage opportunities more effectively and convert more of the leads it is already generating?
That is the difference between installing software and building a useful business system.
Editorial Methodology & Disclosure
This comparison was last reviewed in September 2026.
Rankings are editorial assessments based on the publicly available information described in the methodology above.
Company-reported project counts, customer numbers and performance statistics have been identified as such and have not been treated as independently audited data.
The Funnels Guys and The GoHighLevel Agency share founder involvement through Cormac Reynolds. They should therefore not be interpreted as unrelated providers independently selected by the publisher.
Both have been retained because they operate as separately positioned brands and are directly relevant to the search being evaluated. Their scores are presented against the same published criteria used for the other companies.
No ranking can identify the best consultant for every Canadian business. Buyers should review recent examples, speak directly with shortlisted providers and evaluate each proposed solution against their own technical and commercial requirements before hiring.

