I was talking with a guy that does canvas in Ontario a few years ago haha.
That could have been me LOL! I'm in Ontario, although I do know a few others. Canvas isn't as scary as everyone thinks, really, but maybe that's just because I know all the tricks. It's funny because I look at sail making as a black art! But if you know how to operate a sewing machine you've got the tough part down. It's the pattern making that really makes or breaks the job. And if you copy an old thing then you might be building off the other guys mistakes. The best advice I can give you in making a dodger is make a garbage one first. Make it out of bedsheets or any old cloth. You'll learn so much and get an understanding of all the parts and how they fit together and the second will be 50x better. Nobody heeds that advice but it's true.
Anyway, let's meet back here in a few years so we can relive this experience again and again!