Am I correct to assume that you care about the pedigree of the school because it matters back in Canada? Would make perfect sense to care about such things in my opinion given your circumstance. Ultimately where you are going to seek employment matters.
For example a kid in my local northeast community can’t find a job consistent with his communications degree from a huge southern school. People view the school as a “cliche “sports” school with no local connections. He is for now basically stuck checking members in at the local gym. His brother who graduated a year earlier from an Ivy is working for a prominent consulting firm.
As others have said I would be true to your interests in pursuing extracurriculars but nothing wrong with seeking out schools that have cache back in your local job market.