SWNA’s Better Newspapers Competition has announced the finalists for its 2021 BNC awards. Click here to see a list of the 2021 finalists.
Each year, SWNA member papers submit hundreds of entries showcasing their talent. It is also a celebration of the vibrancy and health of community newspapers across Canada.
Winners will be announced through an online awards presentation on Monday, May 17th.
For further information please contact Nicole Nater at 306-649-1405 or by email nnater@swna.com.
“The LJI reporter will be assigned to the underserved communities of Morrin, Carbon, Rowley, Rumsey, Hussar, Standard, Rosebud, Delia, Craigmyle, Big Valley, Rockyford, Starland County, Kneehill County, and Wheatland County. Civic institutions they would be covering could include:
– Provincial and Queens Bench Court
– Drumheller Town Council
– Civic Councils in: Delia, Morrin, Hussar, Carbon, Standard, Big Valley, Munson and Rockyford
– County Councils: Starland County, Wheatland County, Kneehill County
– School Boards including Golden Hills, Prairieland, Christ the Redeemer and other regional governance boards (i.e. Solid Waste)
The reporter will consistently attend municipal council meetings and school board meetings. The reporter will also explore how these bodies interact with provincial and federal decisions. We will brand the content within our publication and online with place lines or special headers distinguishing regional news or school news. Our coverage of schools will go beyond simply meeting coverage but flesh out important stories that affect their community.
On the civic side, our coverage will also go further than simple meeting coverage, it will also encompass coverage of projects within the community, issues in front of the council, and how council’s decisions affects residents.”
“The ECA Review will position the new full-time journalist in Hanna in their proposed Business Hub. The addition of a full-time LJI reporter with a journalism degree would augment and further expand the number of communities and civic meetings the ECA Review could cover. The publisher, office manager, reporter and new hire will work as a team to add new communities and realign current assignments to minimize travel times for full-time journalists and freelance reporters. Objectives:
1) Expand coverage of civic meetings in eight towns and villages and two school boards;
2) Establish physical presence in Hanna, similar to our satellite office in Stettler;
3) Provide more breaking news stories and features throughout the region;
4) Connect with more community leaders and residents.”
“The LJI reporter will cover La Ronge and the communities and industries surrounding it, including First Nations communities. Ideally the reporter will be from a First Nations community in the area and have a working knowledge of the major Cree dialect. We will create a special section on the National Observer website for this coverage, and frame it with an explanation that this is a special project funded by LJI. This section will have its own URL NationalObserver.com/LaRonge and it will have localized branding and feel to it.”
Cardston Alberta and surrounding communities: Aetne, Glenwood, hill Spring, Mountain View, Spring Coulee, Magrath and Raymond. The LJI reporter will be expected to attend all major civic events and meetings including town and county councils plus the local court and school board. He will also do follow-up stories.
Town & Country News is a weekly heritage newspaper established in 1956. We are the only local news source serving communities across the County of Grande Prairie. Our readership area covers 5,863 sq. kilometres and is sparsely populated and includes five municipalities: Sexsmith, Beaverlodge, Hythe, Wembley and the County of Grande Prairie. The LJI reporter will be required to regularly attend municipal, band and school board meetings to produce content that objectively drills down to the core issues. We will also cover the issues that may arise from the Alberta government asking for increased inter-municipal collaboration from all jurisdictions. We will also increase coverage of our local First Nations community (Horse Lake).
One full-time reporter will cover the two islands. When possible, this reporter will cover the other remote islands in this underserved area as well. We will create a special section on the National Observer website for this coverage, and frame it with an explanation that this is a special project funded by LJI. This section will have its own URL NationalObserver.com/CortesQuadra and it will have localized branding and feel to it.
The oil industry has and enormous impact on all aspects of life and also local politics. The LJI will allow to report on civic issues of a wide variety, including the oil industry, municipal politics, education and indigenous communities.
The publisher will use the LJI funding to add six hours per week to the existing reporter to allow for more detailed RCMP coverage as well as begin coverage of proceedings in provincial court and Court of Queen’s Bench in Hinton that would include being present for docket day and working with the Crown prosecutor’s office and the court system to provide coverage of any relevant cases that go to trial. The reporter will also cover our two school divisions (GYPSD and Evergreen’s Catholic).
The LJI reporter will cover council meetings for Pincher Creek, Pikani Nation, Village of Hill Spring and Village of Glenwood. We also will have regular sessions with provincial and federal government and cover meetings of the Livingstone Rage and Holy Spirit school division, local police and fire services.
Great West Newspapers owns the Gazette and approximately 14 other titles in communities surrounding Edmonton and Calgary. We would like to produce several series of articles that dig into issues impacting the communities we serve. These complex issues are ones we have not traditionally had the resources to take a hard look at. These proposed stories would include localizing decisions made at the provincial level with deeper looks at how legislation affects the communities we cover. The reporter would be based out of Great West Newspapers’ head office, which is in St. Albert. They would travel as needed and collaborate with our other newsrooms across the province for sources and background information. Our intent is for this reporter to produce a mixture of both long-form and short-form stories. We envision many series on issues that are important to Albertans during this reporter’s tenure.
The LJI reporter will be responsible for writing concise informative news stories on breaking news, updates on local issues and events, cover town council meetings, Pembina Hills School Board District meetings, Chamber of Commerce, work with RCMP to provide community updates, court proceeding reports, education articles on Canadian Law and citizen responsibilities, and search out and report stories on other topics of public interest. The LJI reporter will interview civic leaders on local, regional, provincial and federal initiatives and programs. S/he will research civic information including local by-laws, taxation, citizen responsibilities, seniors programs, youth and family initiatives, etc.
Our objective is to be able to provide the community of Fox Creek the news coverage they deserve and need as a community, in which they do not currently have. Coverage includes Municipal council meetings reporting such as planning and development, policy updates, public notices, taxes, facilities, parks and recreation, leisure, anything that pertains to the community, The Fox Creek school keeping up to date with school matters and reporting, Fox Creek Chamber of Commerce, keeping residents informed of ongoing news items etc. Keeping up to date with court, what’s going on with the community in regards to policing, Any and all other news in Fox Creek.
This LJI reporter is to serve the Indigenous population of Syilx Territory in the Okanagan Valley. The gap we intend to fill is in providing in-depth civic reporting, covering Indigenous institutions and other public institutions that serve Indigneous citizens. Issues that impact local Indigenous people in Syilx Territory including but not limited to: (1) the local implications of BC being the first Canadian province to implement UNDRIP, including local efforts to establish self determination and economic development; (2) land management and forestry issues; (3) accountability and efforts being made to address disproportionately high levels of local children and families impacted by the child welfare system; (4) local impacts and efforts to address the opioid epidemic; and (5) economic development initiatives in this large area to provide insight on how First Nations communities are working to give themselves tools to become self-reliant as well as providing employment opportunities to their citizens in ways that reflect their cultural and spiritual values in relation to the use of their traditional territories.
This LJI reporter is to serve the Indigenous population of Syilx Territory in the Okanagan Valley. The gap we intend to fill is in providing in-depth civic reporting, covering Indigenous institutions and other public institutions that serve Indigneous citizens. Issues that impact local Indigenous people in Syilx Territory including but not limited to: (1) the local implications of BC being the first Canadian province to implement UNDRIP, including local efforts to establish self determination and economic development; (2) land management and forestry issues; (3) accountability and efforts being made to address disproportionately high levels of local children and families impacted by the child welfare system; (4) local impacts and efforts to address the opioid epidemic; and (5) economic development initiatives in this large area to provide insight on how First Nations communities are working to give themselves tools to become self-reliant as well as providing employment opportunities to their citizens in ways that reflect their cultural and spiritual values in relation to the use of their traditional territories.
The LJI reporter will cover provincial court cases regularly and systematically, developing a depth of knowledge and sourcing that will not only provide regular content related to the justice system for community media, but will result in more nuanced, balanced and comprehensive coverage of major cases that appear in these courts as they arise. The LJI reporter assigned to this beat would be headquartered out of the offices of the Alaska Highway News, where s/he would have access to office facilities, administrative support and colleagues to liaise with and be within reach of all necessary courthouses for regular attendance. S/he would do a daily court docket for all the communities mentioned in Part “C” above to supplement the community news coverage of 10 different community newspapers.
The LJI reporter will cover provincial court cases regularly and systematically. The reporter will also cover the Lower Nicola Indian Band. Coverage will include provincial and federal responsibilities to the band, band governance, land management and environmental stewardship, development issues, interaction with local government, cultural values, societal needs of the community, as well as economic initiatives and challenges.
The LJI reporter will cover mainly Kaslo and Nakusp, but also benefit New Denver, Silverton, Slocan, Winlaw, Slocan Park, Crescent Valley, South Slocan, Nakusp, Burton, Fauquier, Edgewood, Trout Lake, Galena Bay, Kaslo, Ainsworth Hot Springs, Meadow Creek, Argenta, Johnsons Landing. The reporter will cover council meetings and other public meetings in Kaslo and Nakusp, Nakusp court hearings and Regional District of Central Kootenay board meetings.
The LJI reporter will cover the Osoyoos Indian Band (NK’Mip). Coverage will include provincial and federal responsibilities to the band, band governance, land management and environmental stewardship, development issues, interaction with local government, cultural values, societal needs of the community, as well as economic initiatives and challenges.
The underserved community to be covered is Port Hardy. Additional communities are Port McNeil, Port Alice, Alert Bay and Sointula. Some of the issues: health care, educational opportunities and employment. The LJI reporter will allow coverage of civic government activities and meetings, in-person coverage of court proceedings, school board, regional health districts and indigenous band councils.
The LJI reporter will cover provincial court cases regularly and systematically, resulting in nuanced, balanced and comprehensive coverage of major cases that appear in the courts. S/he would do a daily court docket for all the communities of Prince George, Fort St.John, Dawson Creek, Hudson Hope, Taylor, Fort Nelson, Charlie Lake, Prepatou, Rose Prairie, Baldonnel, Montney, Cecil Lake, Buick Creek, Altone, Wonowon, Goodlow, Pink Mountain, North Pine, Clayhurst, Chetwynd, Pouce Coupe, Bonanza, Arras, Tomslake, Baytree, Groundbirch, Rolla, Farmington, and Progress, to supplement the community news coverage of the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror for cases that arise from those communities. The LJI reporter will be headquartered out of the offices of the Prince George Citizen.
The LJI reporter will be based in Masset and cover the region of Haida Gwaii. The reporter will fully explore the issues of the environment, petroleum-related economics and coastal conservation, sustainability, housing, transportation, tourism and Indigenous matters, and those which are brought to the attention of the reporter by local residents.
“The LJI reporter will cover civic politics, hospital, and schools. S/he will also cover the fishing industry, the port authority, Vancouver International Airport, major industry, international and national sporting events.”
“The LJI reporter will be based in Smithers and will cover the Hwy 16 communities. The stories will be published in the Burns Lake Lakes District News, Houston Today, Vanderhoof Omineca Express, Fort St. James Courier, Terrace Standard, Kitimat Northern Sentinel and the Prince Rupert Northern View. The reporter will provide in-depth coverage on topics such as the environment, wildlife conservation, pipeline-related economics, land use, natural resource industry with a focus on forestry and mining, transportation and indigenous issues.
These communities reflect many of the issues affecting rural B.C. towns, such as health care, access to clean water, educational opportunities, housing and employment.
The reporter will provide coverage of civic government activities and meetings, as well as in-person coverage of court proceedings, school board, regional health districts and indigenous band councils.”
The LJI reporter will be based in Victoria and cover the BC legislature from a rural/remote and sometimes northern perspective. The coverage will centre on working people who live in far-flung locations but who underpin B.C.’s key industries such as forestry and energy. The reporter will report on legislation that affects rural B.C. residents and industry.
The LJI reporter will be based in Williams Lake, at the Williams Lake Tribune, with a mandate to explore key indigenous issues. The issues surrounding indigenous peoples and communities are myriad, such as climate/energy, land use/natural resources, health, education, racism and reconciliation. The reporter will be responsible for preparing content for Black Press Media community newspapers, as well as contribute daily to the associated websites, which will include photos and video. The reporter would be expected to produce one video per week, and one Instagram or Facebook photo gallery per week. The majority of stories will be accompanied by original photos associated with the topic. Over the course of a year, we hope to produce quarterly features involving a three-part series on a range of topics that advance the understanding, inclusion and appreciation of Indigenous people in B.C.
The Narwhal proposes to hire an environment beat reporter to provide news coverage of environmental issues affecting Yukon Territory and the Arctic. No existing media outlet–be it local, regional or national–has an environment beat reporter covering issues in Canada’s Arctic. Given the profound ecological changes underway and huge development projects proposed for the region, this is a major gap in civic reporting. A dedicated environment reporter based in Whitehorse can address this gap by filing regular new reports that will be available to all media and serve the public interest. Due to the high cost of travel in the region, we are very keen to have a reporter in residence in the North. The Narwhal’s Yukon/Arctic reporter will monitor and report on the processes and decisions of the civic institutions that are charged to regulate industrial developments such as the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board, the Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, the National Energy Board, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and local municipal councils.
The Tyee wishes to cover health issues in British Columbia through the Local Journalism Initiative. BC is a province with a number of major health research institutions producing new findings at a rapid clip. The population of the same province is extremely diverse, living differently because of income levels, cultural practices, geographic locations and job-related challenges to well-being. Yet BC’s news media has very few dedicated health reporters with the mission of making such connections. The Tyee is a proven incubator of in-depth explanatory feature writing, garnering a wide and influential audience. A health reporter based at The Tyee would be given the resources, editorial support and platform to mobilize knowledge and bring to attention opportunities to improve the well-being of British Columbians.
The LJI reporter will be based out of the Brandon Sun newsroom and will work the Indigenous affairs beat. This will include regular visits to reserves, taking in band council meetings, following announcements on social media and websites, making calls to federal, provincial and municipal contacts in relation to stories about First Nations, reaching out to Indigenous organisations such as the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Southern Chiefs Organization, and investigating news tips potentially provided by band members.
The LJI reporter will be based in Winnipeg. The reporter will be dedicated to climate change. The beat will include the politics, the economics, the cultural , the social and the environmental aspects of climate change. We will tell stories that need to be on the public record from around the province. We do it on the farm. We do it in the oil patch. We do it where the permafrost is melting. We do it at forestry operations and in the classroom. Coverage will include local scientific research and impact of climate change on the province both environmentally and economically. Coverage will be balanced and include both the warnings that need to be heeded but also new solutions that will provide hope that a greener future is still within reach.
The LJI reporter will be based in Winnipeg. The reporter will be dedicated to education. The reporter will cover stories all the way from kindergarten classes to university labs. The reporter will find out what is happening in school boards, and not just those in Winnipeg. The reporter will track the provincial review of public education, will be at Question Period, will connect with parent groups.
The LJI reporter would be based in Winnipeg and cover the northern communities north of Winnipeg including Gimli, The Pas and Flin Flon, the Interlake region and Thompson, Lynn Lake and Churchill and the First Nation communities. The LJI reporter will work closely with the local editor and staff to prioritize which communities and stories should be covered. Stories will be relevant to be shared and will illustrate the bigger picture that may be relevant to others across the region or the country. Covering municipal and village councils in person whenever possible will help the reporter create contacts in those overlooked communities.
The LJI reporter will be based in Central Newfoundland. The reporter will be dedicated to Central Newfoundland including the region from Eastport to Springdale and the larger centres of Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor. The reporter will cover the community councils, health boards and other decision making entities in the region, as well as issues facing central Newfoundland. Those include lack of affordable housing, employment and recreation as well as the difficulty of keeping young people in the community, of keeping seniors at home, the challenges in rural mental health and addiction treatment and access to doctors.
The LJI reporter will be based in Goose Bay. The reporter will be assigned to the Central Labrador region which includes Happy Valley-Goose Bay and North West River. The reporter will cover community councils and other decision making entities in the region as well as issues facing people in the area. These include the economy, climate change, procurement, resources development.
The LJI reporter will be based in St. John’s. The reporter will be assigned to the Health beat for Newfoundland and Labrador. The reporter will provide accountability journalism, solutions journalism, and in depth analysis of decisions and issues. The reporter will follow the challenges and successes of the department’s initiatives and investigate tips from a variety of sources.
The LJI reporter will be based out of the village of Sherbrooke. The reporter will cover underserved area of the District of St.Mary’s and the Eastern Shore up to and including the Sheet Harbour area and will travel as needed. The reporter will cover city councils and report on civic institutions and public policy that impact the residents of this region.
The LJI reporter will be based in Halifax. The reporter will be assigned to the Health beat for Nova Scotia. The reporter will provide accountability journalism, solutions journalism, and in depth analysis of decisions and issues. The reporter will follow the challenges and successes of the department’s initiatives and investigate tips from a variety of sources.
The LJI reporter will be based in Halifax. The reporter will be assigned to write for and about newcomers to Nova Scotia. The stories will include changes to the business community, to spiritual life, to the restaurant scene and society in general. Also, from a newcomer’s perspective, we will show the difficulties of finding work or appropriate work, and difficulties integrating fully the society.The reporter will provide accountability journalism, solutions journalism, and in depth analysis of issues.
The LJI reporter will be based in Queens County. The reporter will be assigned to the Queens County area. The reporter will cover community councils and other decision making entities in the region.
The LJI reporter will be based in Port Hawkesbury. The reporter will be assigned to cover the First Nations communities of Paq’tnkek, Potlotek, Wagmatcook, and We’koqma’q. The reporter will cover local government, courts, and provincial and federal government news that directly affect the local First Nations. These communities are getting larger, have a unique demographic (the average age is well below other communities), businesses and industries are growing and developing regularly. Band councils in these communities operate with little or no scrutiny. The LJI reporter will provide this, allowing community members and our larger readership to see how their affairs are being handled in a more transparent way.
The LJI reporter will be based out of Sydney. The reporter will cover issues facing the five indigenous communities of Cape Breton, We’koqma’q, Wagmatcook, Membertou, Eskasoni and Potolek. Issues will include clean water, reconciliation, education, employment and poverty. The reporter will also write about trends affecting indigenous communities. The approach will be to look for solutions and not be satisfied with just saying “the sky is falling” but find out what can be done and what is being done locally or elsewhere around the world.
The LJI reporter will cover the two local governments, courts, and provincial and federal government news that directly affect the Oxford and Pugwash areas. The reporter will provide written content for The Light, as well as online content for the website, including video and audio.
The LJI reporter will be based in Bancroft. The reporter will be providing coverage of municipal institutions and meetings for Limerick, Tudor Cashel, Carlow Mayo, Faraday, and South Algonquin. The reporter will investigate issues that impact the population of these localities but that may also be occurring elsewhere and be of interest for other regions.
The LJI reporter will be based out of Baddeck. The reporter will cover the Mi’kmaq first nation in Cape Breton/Unama’ki. The reporter will also cover local government and civic issues.
The LJI reporter will be trained in Yellowknife for one month prior to deployment to the Dehcho. The reporter will cover the affairs, at political and operational level, of the following institutions: the municipalities of Fort Simpson and Fort Liard; the designated authorities of Nahanni Butte, Jean Marie River, Wrigley, and Sambaa K’e; the Dehcho First Nations tribal council and its 10 component First Nations; and the Acho Dene Koe First Nation, currently not affiliated with the Dehcho First Nations. This includes regular meetings of councils as well as attendance at assemblies of the Dehcho First Nations and, travel permitting, attendance at territory-wide events where the concerns of Dehcho residents are considered of particular relevance. In addition, the LJI reporter will be expected to report on the role of the territorial and federal governments in Dehcho affairs, including important decisions and developments in the currently troubled areas of education, healthcare, child protection, and land claim negotiation. Lastly, Cabin Radio’s LJI reporter will separately be tasked with responsibility for coverage of housing in the Northwest Territories. This issue is keenly felt in the Dehcho, where Cabin Radio has recently reported on shortages of adequate public housing stock, a failure to address deficiencies in housing, the abandonment of housing, and the infestation of housing with vermin and bedbugs. However, those housing issues are applicable to almost all Northwest Territories communities and urgent investment in housing here is both a federal and territorial priority.
The LJI reporter will be in a new bureau in Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay. The reporter will serve the Kitikmeot region. The coverage will include hamlet council meetings, activities in Kullik Llihakvik Elementary School, Kiilinik High School and Nunavut Arctic College. Also initiatives at the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, a key institution for the study of the effects of climate change on the Arctic. The reporter will also report on the travelling territorial court circuit to Cambridge Bay. Other stories will include the rapid development taking place in Kitikmeot.
The LJI reporter will cover the territorial legislature in Iqaluit, the regional government in Kuujjuaq, and smaller communities institutions such as hamlet councils, circuit courts, disctrict education authorities and hunters and trappers associations, and community issues such as health, addictions, housing, the high price of food.
The LJI reporter will be based in Beeton. The reporter will cover Beeton and Tottenham institutions such as the local councils and school boards. The reporter will also report on local issues emanating from decisions made at the Ontario legislature. The reporter will also investigate issues raised by local residents that are of public interest.
The Intelligencer wishes to cover the town of Trenton through the Local Journalism Initiative. Trenton is home to a major Canadian Forces Base, gets little news media coverage while playing an oversized role in the region because of its military ties. Located just west of Belleville, with a population just over 20,000, the city is a lively tourist destination in summer. The largest employer in the city, the military is the main driver of the economy in a busy region along the Highway 401 corridor. Local government could be better covered, while gaining access to stories related to the base would broaden the picture of the Belleville region. The Intelligencer has been covering the area for a long time. The LJI reporter would work closely with the local editor and staff to prioritize which communities and stories should be covered. Both breaking news and investigative journalism would appear in both print and digital platforms. This type of civic journalism can be accomplished by covering municipal councils and village meetings.
The Pointer wishes to hire an LJI reporter to be assigned to a specific investigative beat, covering local/provincial land use policies and the development industry. Peel Region, the focus area of The Pointer, is expected to grow by approximately 1 million additional residents over the next three decades, by far the largest single growth-region in the GTA. The public needs aggressive accountability journalism to ensure that future land use and development is done with the public interest in mind, not to serve private and political interests. An LJI reporter will focus on the GTA West Corridor, also known as the GTA West Highway plan, that certain interests are promoting after the previous provincial government scrapped the project. The encroachment into the Greenbelt by certain interests will also be a key focus, along with the alarming developer take-over of the massive Mississauga lake-front re-development initiative. Numerous other development plans that do not conform with sustainable, anti-sprawl, smart growth policies will also be heavily reported on.
The Recorder and Times is seeking an LJI reporter to cover Gananoque and Leeds-Thousand Islands, located about 50 km west and southwest of Brockville. While the population is roughly 10,000 to 15,000 total, spread out over the area, the number of hamlets and villages in the region are not well covered, particularly the local councils and public meetings. Staying ahead of these stories and not relying on locals to tip us off when something major is occurring would provide a better service to the region. We have the contacts and the audience that would make us a logical choice to offer more journalistic penetration into the region. The LJI reporter would work closely with the local editor and staff to prioritize which communities and stories should be covered. Both breaking news and investigative journalism would appear in print and digital platforms.
The Chatham Voice wishes to hire an LJI reporter to better cover the Chatham-Kent area. Chatham-Kent council has its regular meetings covered by 2 radio and 1 daily news reporters, usually. But staffing levels at these outlets just don’t allow for detailed investigative journalism. It’s event-coverage journalism. At this point, we are unable to attend municipal council meetings or school board meetings. An LJI reporter would allow the Chatham Voice to delve deeper and in a more timely fashion into items and issues that come up through municipal council, as well as the regional boards of education. Currently too many one-and-done stories take place. Many times, follow-up stories are warranted, but no one has the personnel to assign to these. The goal is to provide more information for area residents on what is transpiring here, the good and the bad, in terms of municipal government and day-to-day delivery of services.
The LJI reporter will be based out of Collingwood and assigned to cover the areas west and south of Collingwood including The Blue Mountains, and the amalgamated townships that make up Grey Highlands. The reporter will cover municipal councils as well as Bluewater District School Board, Grey Sauble Conservation Authority and Grey County Council.
The LJI reporter will cover West and Central Renfrew County including Egansville, Killaloe, Barry’s Bay, Cobden, Renfrew, and Pembroke. The reporter will be assigned to focus on the municipal councils as well as the Pikwsakanagan First Nation and matters of federal or provincial significance of interest to our readers.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to covering the 9 municipalities/townships and 10 first nations on the territory covered by the Fort Frances Times. (An area 170 km east to west and 60 km north to south.)
The LJI reporter will be based out of the GuephToday newsroom and cover Wellington County, including the towns of Fergus, Elora, Erin and Rockwood. The reporter will cover town/municipal councils, three conservation areas, and the issues that are important to the communities.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to cover the Grand River Watershed, an environmentally sensitive area that plays an essential role for many municipalities, Indigenous communities and the province. The reporter will investigate and report on social, economic and environmental issues that have an impact on the more than one million people that live in the area.
The LJI reporter would cover the rural communities of Haldimand, including Caledonia, Dunnville, Hagersville, Jarvis and Cayuga. The reporter will cover municipal institutions in the region and investigate issues that are relevant to the residents of the region including rural-urban issues, small town economic development, Indigenous affairs, the environment.
The LJI reporter will cover Listowel and the surrounding communities including Atwood and Monkton. The reporter will cover county council, town or city hall council, local school boards and hospital board. The reporter will also investigate issues of interest to the local communities.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to cover the small farming communities between lakes Erie and Huron and Chatham-Kent to Woodstock including Norwich, Ingersoll, Thames Centre, Port Burwell and Port Stanley, Glencoe, Bothwell, Thamesville, Blenheim, Dresden, Watford, and Lambton Shores. The reporter, with editorial management and the network of local newsrooms, will identify rural issues in smaller communities, travel to them and surface them in print, online and on social media.
The LJI reporter will cover York Region, and the Chinese ethnocultural group. The reporter will cover issues and civic institutions related to education and York Region District School Board, City Council, local Chinese non-profit community groups in the region. In addition, the reporter will also connect with Chinese businesses and cover stories related to economic developing, settlement and their perspective on local civic issues and international issues that have an impact locally. All stories will be translated both in Cantonese and Mandarin.
The Morrisburg Leader will upgrade one part-time journalist to full-time status to allow for increased civic coverage. The LJI reporter will cover the municipality of South Dundas and surrounding area. The reporter will cover municipal proceedings, school board decisions Business improvement associations, Chamber of commerce and other committees important to the growth of the community, including the Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committees. The reporter will also investigate and report on federal or provincial policy that have an impact in the region and on any issue of importance to the community.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to cover civic meetings in the area of New Liskeard, Temagami, Englehart and Elk Lake. The reporter will also cover band meetings in first nation communities. The reporter will also do in-depth reporting on local issues of importance to the community.
The LJI reporter will be covering higher education, secondary schools and elementary schools in the Regional Municipality of Niagara. Issues would include the cost of education, emerging fields, program and employment opportunities, teachers, faculty and administrators as well as student-related topics such as mental health, wellness, digital technologies, and student life.
The LJI reporter will be assigned primarily to the Highway 11 corridor from North Bay south towards the Muskoka districts and Parry Sound. The reporter will do civic journalism by covering municipal councils and village meetings as well as investigate and report on issues of concern to local communities.
The LJI reporter will be based out of the OrilliaMatters newsroom and cover Midland, Penetangueshene, Tiny and Tay Township municipal councils as well as offer hospital board coverage and coverage of both the high-security Central North Correctional Centre and the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. The reporter would also pursue other issues of importance to the community as warranted.
“Le/la journaliste de l’IJL sera basé à Queen’s Park. Il/elle suivra l’action du gouvernement et celle des différents ministères et écrira sur les principales initiatives et décisions ayant de l’impact sur la vie des citoyens. Il/elle s’intéressera également à la vie des partis politiques, de même qu’à l’action des groupes de pression à l’égard du gouvernement provincial. Il s’agit d’une couverture quasi quotidienne, sauf pendant la période estivale alors que les
parlementaires ne siègent pas. Ce sera allors le moment de développer des dossiers de manière plus approfondie.”
The LJI reporter will be assigned to the rural communities around Sault Ste. Marie. The reporter will cover municipal councils and village meetings and investigate issues of importance for the local communities.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to covering the courts within Lambton County and the municipality of Lambton Shores. The reporter will cover bi-weekly council meetings and various community events. The reporter will investigate and report on issues of concern to the community.
Peterborough is the fastest-growing city in the country, with a population increase of 3.1 percent from 2017 to 2018, according to Statistics Canada. Given the growth and large geographic area, there is an unmet need to cover a wide range of socioeconomic issues. Currently, the area struggles with sporadic media coverage that is unable to report on critical issues that impact the area. An LJI reporter is much needed to cover topics such as education, employment, economic development and the emerging dynamics between growing student and senior populations, as well as urban and rural issues. There is a great need to report on large civic institutions including, but not limited to, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, City of Peterborough, Trent University, Ministry of Natural Resources, etc. While there area few news outlets in the area, there is a lack of full-time reporters to cover and investigate many of the emerging trends and developments with a high level of rigor.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to an entirely new beat focused on diversity, cultural sharing and cultural learning. The reporter ideally comes from the Indigenous or otherwise racialized community and the ability to speak French is high on the list of skills we are looking for. The reporter focuses on the Indigenous community, on the ethnocultural community and on the francophone community.
The Sudbury Star seeks an LJI reporter to cover Elliot Lake and Espanola, located 70 km west of Sudbury and with a population of about 20,000. While the regional economy was once dominated by forestry and mining in particular, the resource-based industry has given way to the sizeable retail, health and educational centres in the area. Municipal councils and local governments, particularly those west of the city of Sudbury operate with little oversight from the public with limited media coverage. Like many rural areas, the population is shrinking and the town is fighting to stay afloat as urbanization draws the population into the bigger cities. The region has also seen a rise in the number and intensity of forest fires in recent years,m a major threat to the population centres and industrial community. The LJI reporter would work closely with the local editor and staff to prioritize which communities an stories should be covered. Both breaking news and investigative journalism would appear in print and digital platforms.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to the Delaware First Nation – a community of over 500 people which has been in existence since 1792. The part-time journalist – 24 hours per week – preferably is a resident of Eelūnaapèewii Lahkèewiit. Their time will be spent developing stories and photos from their home community in areas such as civic government, health, lifestyle and sports stories.
The Timmins Daily Press wishes to hire an LJI reporter to cover the Timmins and Kirkland Lake region. Like many of the towns and cities in northeastern Ontario, Timmins was founded on the mining resources in the region. While mining is no longer the driver of the economy it once was, the fourth-largest city in northeastern Ontario continues to thrive as a service centre for the region. Much like in other parts of Canada, population movement towards larger urban centres is changing towns. How cities like Timmins deal with a decreasing population and contracting industries is fodder for stories that are not well covered. The LJI reporter would work closely with the local editor an staff to prioritize which communities and stories should be covered. Both breaking news and investigative journalism would appear in print and digital platforms.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to the affordable housing situation in the Greater Toronto Area and in the city of Toronto. The reporter will attend public meetings related to this issue and conduct original analysis and in-depth investigations on public housing providers and their practice and examine how this issue impacts marginalized communities (indigenous peoples, people of colour, LGBTQ2S, newcomers, people with disabilities etc.). The reporter will also look at the general social and economic impact of the housing situation on the city and region as a whole.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to the rising criminal activity in Peel region. Some issues that will be investigated include police accountability, the court systems, and social justice. The reporter will also investigate overcrowding of jails, quality of forensics work and youth incarceration.
The LJI reporter will cover the urban Indigenous community in the City of Toronto and cover issues of concern to urban Indigenous peoples. Issues will include housing and homelessness, education, the criminal justice system, the environment, education, employment, systemic inequities and anti-racism initiatives.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to the Walkerton and surrounding area and will cover municipal meetings of Brockton, Bluewater District School Board, Bruce Grey Catholic District School Board, Saugeen Conservation Authority, and important civic events that will affect residents in their every day lives. The reporter will also investigate and report on federal, provincial and other issues of interest to the community.
The LJI reporter will cover Huron County Council, Perth Huron Catholic School Board, Avon Maitland District School Board, and Wingham District Hospital Board. The reporter will also cover both Federal and Provincial government issues that matter to the local communities and subjects of interest for the residents that will include housing and employment issues.
The LJI reporter will cover municipal and provincial forums held at night on PEI. The reporter has a constant contact with the people of this area and tells their stories, highlights their concerns and chronicles their lifestyle. He also follows up on issues of importance for the communities and responds to breaking news.
The LJI reporter will look at policies, legislation and initiatives of the Government of PEI through a rural prism. We will read provincial, regional and federal reports, we will study trends including demographics, we will use FOIPP to shine a bright light on issues impacting rural communities. Topics of interest will include Fisheries, agriculture and the changing demographics, the green economy and it’s impact on rural areas.
“The LJI reporter will provide civic news to the underserved communities of Semans, Raymore, Bulyea, Earl Grey, Silton, Southey, Craven, Lumsden, Regina Beach, Buena Vista, and Bethune. The reporter will attend town and village council meetings and follow up on issues raised at these meetings or of importance to the communities. With the understanding that the LJI grant is to be used solely for civic matters and events of public importance to society, if this same journalist write other types of articles they will be paid separately as a contractor with records to ensure that the separate grant funding is being allocated properly.”
The LJI reporter will be based at the press gallery of the provincial legislature in Regina, and report to the Estevan Mercury for office facilities, administrative and editorial support. The reporter will cover provincial politics from the perspective of the communities covered by the Prairie Newspaper Group, which include La Loche, La Ronge, Tisdale, Melfort, Hudson Bay, Estevan, Humboldt, Kamsack, Kipling, Preeceville, Unity/Wilkie, Weyburn, Yorkton, Battleford, and North Battleford.
Le journaliste de l’IJL couvrira le l’information civique et tout ce qui touche la communauté Franco-Ontarienne. Les enjeux traités comprennent la commission scolaire, les dossiers politiques francophones pour la population minoritaire. Le reporter couvrira aussi les réalités des communautés autochtones au niveau des décisions du conseil de bande, de leurs défis organisationnels, des enjeux territoriaux.
Le journaliste de l’IJL couvrira le Haut-du-Lac-Saint-Jean, où sont les localités de La Doré, Normandin, Albanel, Girardville, Sainte-Elizabeth-de-Proulx, Lac-Bouchette, Saint-André, Sainte-Hedwidge et Saint Ludger-de-Milot. Le reporter couvrira les activités municipales, le Palais de justice de Roberval, les activités du Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux et la Commission scolaire du Pays-des-Bleuets et les deux MRC du territoire.
The LJI reporter will be based at Quebec’s National Assembly. The reporter will be tasked with contextualizing news events and legislation at the National Assembly, particularly around the topics of immigration, secularism, the relationship between the governing CAQ and the reborn separatist Bloc Québécois and other burgeoning topics in that region, especially the rise of far-right movements such as La Meute, Atalante Québec and Soldiers of Odin Québec, many of which have chapters based outside Montreal. The reporter will also cover traditionally anglophone regions that are not now covered, including the Eastern townships, the Lower North Shore and the Magdalen Islands.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to Western Prince Edward Island, from Cape Egmont to Tignish. The reporter will find and tell local stories, cover town councils and other decision making entities in that portion of the island. He will also report on the issues facing people there such as affordable housing, employment and recreation, the difficulty of keeping young people, of keeping seniors at home and access to doctors. The reporter will not only document problems but seek solutions and give examples of things done elsewhere.
The LJI reporter will be based out of the offices of the Battlefords News-Optimist. The reporter will cover provincial court cases in Saskatoon and Prince Albert regularly and systematically. The reporter will do a regular court docket for the communities of La Loche, La Ronge, Tisdale, Melfort, Hudson Bay, Estevan, Humboldt, Kamsack, Kipling, Preeceville, Unity/Wilkie, Weyburn, and Yorkton. S/he would also be in a position to embark on an in-depth editorial series about First Nations issues in the justice system as it pertains to residents of these communities. The News-Optimist website would be configured to have special sections for each of the communities in the reporter’s coverage area for readers to easily find stories about their home town.
The LJI reporter will be based out of the offices of the Battlefords News-Optimist, where s/he will have access to office facilities, administrative support and colleagues to liaise with. The reporter will cover the underserved communities of La Loche, La Ronge, Tisdale, Melfort, Hudson Bay. S/he will do a regional news roundup of these areas’ municipal governments, aiming for coverage of every meeting via livestream or, where livestreaming is not available, post-meeting followups with municipal personnel, as well as in-person attendance in each community at least once per quarter. S/he will also embark on an in-depth editorial series about First Nations issues in these communities. The News-Optimist website would be configured to have special sections for each of the communities in the reporter’s coverage area for readers to easily find stories about their home town.
“The LJI reporter will be assigned to the underserved communities of The City of Prince Albert along with the surrounding Rural Municipalities, including the RM of Buckland RM of Prince Albert and RM of Garden River. The LJI reporter will primarily cover the elected councils of the RMs of Buckland and Prince Albert as well as the elected school division boards of the publicly-funded Saskatchewan Rivers and Prince Albert Catholic school divisions.
Their secondary focus will be on the councils of the RMs of Garden River, Duck Lake, Shellbrook and Birch Hills. Any unaccounted for time will be spent assisting in the Daily Herald’s existing coverage of Prince Albert City Council.”
“The LJI reporter will be assigned to Prince Albert and the surrounding underserved communities of La Ronge, Beauval, Black Lake, Buffalo Narrows, Canoe Narrows, Chitek Lake, Cole Bay, Creighton, Cumberland House, Denare Beach, Deschambault Lake, Dillon, Flin Flon, MB, Fond Du Lac, Green Lake, Ile-A-La-Crosse, Kinoosao, La Loche, La Ronge, Leoville, Marcelin, Mildred, Mont Nebo, Parkside, Patuanak, Pelican Narrows, Pinehouse Lake, Sandy Bay, Shell Lake, South End, Spiritwood, Stanley Mission, Stony Rapids, Timber bay, Turnor Lake, Uranium City, Weyakwin, and Wollaston Lake. The reporter will build relationships and look at some of the bigger issues, to also tell the stories of what is being done locally to address gaps in health care and other supports, and to continually shine a spotlight in an area that sees woefully little consistent media coverage. The Civic issues we intend to cover include equitable access to health care and education, resource development, climate change, mental health and reconciliation.”
The LJI reporter will be assigned to the underserved communities of southern Saskatchewan including Lomond, Souris Valley, Shelbrook. The reporter will cover rural municipality and village councils and their related activities as well as issues that are of importance to the communities.
The LJI reporter will cover Dundalk and West Grey municipal/town councils, courts, policing, schools and school board. The reporter will also report on civic issues of importance to the community.
The LJI reporter will cover Strathmore and Wheatland County, and the public institutions that include one courthouse, four town/village councils, a band council and a school division. The reporter will also report on civic issues of importance to the community.
The Wakaw Recorder proposes to cover Wakaw, Rosthern, Cudworth, Bruno, St. Louis and One Arrow First Nation and the surrounding rural area, where it has bult strong relationships with local officials and organizations. Other important gaps in civic journalism we would cover in the area would be town and local RM meetings and announcements, as well as functions for the local library and non-profit organizations. Our detailed plan for civic content will include weekly town/RM updates, weekly updates from the local MLA office and monthly updates from the local MP; and also have content driven by issues needing to be addressed by local authorities, as well as events, meetings, etc. that are happening in our coverage area. This structure will allow us to cover the minimum of 5 short articles per week easily.
Through the LJI, the Quad Town Forum proposes to cover four towns, eight villages and five rural municipalities wholly within our coverage area – along with numerous ‘organized hamlets’ that fall under RM jurisdiction. I’m comfortable estimating that a new full-time hire would be able to spend 100-120 hours per month (2.5-3 full work weeks) on municipal council coverage, while also providing invaluable news coverage and support on other stories (school and health boards, for example, both of which are based in Regina) with the remainder of their working hours each month.
The StarPhoenix proposes to cover rural issues in two northern towns, 11 northern villages and 11 northern hamlets in northern Saskatchewan. Unemployment, limited access to services, additions and other ills are big issues for those living in this area. Areas of focus would be La Lache and the Village of Pinehouse, where operations are currently under review by a judge due to allegations of mismanagement. While we would certainly undertake some reporting in local court coverage, the majority of the work would be covering the rural municipality and village councils and their related activities. The LJI reporter would work closely with StarPhoenix editors to prioritize which communities and stories should be covered, and would be able to tap into the expertise of our reporting staff. Both breaking news and investigative journalism would appear in our print and digital platforms.
The LJI reporter will cover St. Marys town council, council committees (such as the Community policing advisory committee, senior services, planning, recreation and leisure, museum, and heritage advisory committees). The reporter will also cover the Perth South Council meetings and civic issues of importance to the communities.
The LJI reporter will be based in Campbell River and will cover the underserved communities of Campbell River, Comox/Courtenay, Tofino and Ucelulet, Gold River, Tahsis, Zeballos and Sayward. The reporter will cover civic institutions in that region, and investigate and report on issues of importance to the communities such as marine protection, fisheries, local economies, land use, natural resource industry including mining and forestry, transportation, indigenous issues, health care, educational opportunities and employment.
The LJI reporter will be based in Whitehorse. The reporter will be assigned to environmental issues affecting the Yukon. He/she will monitor and report on the processes and decisions of the civic institutions that are charged to regulate industrial developments such as the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board, the Yukon department of energy, mines and resources, the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, the National energy Board, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, and local municipal councils.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to cover the court proceedings in Thunder Bay. The reporter will cover the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and to a lesser extent, family court. The reporter will also cover police board meetings and report on matters of police and crime.
The LJI reporter will cover Churchbridge, Esterhazy, Langenburg, Saltcoats, Bredenbury, Calder, Gerald, MacNutt, Stockholm, Spy Hill, and Yarbo. The reporter will cover council meetings, school board meetings, and rural municipality meetings as well as investigate and report on civic issues of importance to the communities.
The LJI reporter will cover Morse, Chaplin, Central Butte, Riverhurst, Hodgeville, Mortlach, and Parkbeg. The reporter will cover Town council meetings, and a number of boards including school boards, Wheat Pool boards, health boards, as well as civic issues of importance to the communities.
The LJI reporter will be assigned to Esterhazy. The reporter will be responsible for the coverage of town councils, regional municipality councils, court cases, school board meetings, provincial and federal government related issues as well as major issues facing the region.
The LJI reporter will be based at the Telegraph-Journal. The reporter will be dedicated to themes or issues and create news stories, profiles, original investigative stories and in depth series on those issues. They include indigenous issues, aging of the population, bilingualism, demographic/geographic divides, municipal reform, climate change, and others.
The LJI reporter will be based at the Telegraph-Journal. The reporter will be dedicated to themes or issues and create news stories, profiles, original investigative stories and in depth series on those issues. They include indigenous issues, aging of the population, bilingualism, demographic/geographic divides, municipal reform, climate change, and others.
This content is for News Media Canada members only.
