About the Local Journalism Initiative

In some parts of Canada, residents do not have access to journalistic information about community issues and institutions through local newspapers, community radio, television or other news media.

These gaps in coverage mean that citizens do not have necessary information about news, issues and events that affect them and their day-to-day lives.

The Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) aims to change that.

Inspired by successful international programs such as Report for America and the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service, the LJI provides funding to Canadian media organizations to hire reporters to cover underserved communities or news deserts across Canada.

An independent panel of industry experts reviews applications from news organizations, selects recipients, and decides funding allocations. The panel considers typical reporter salary ranges across the country when determining the amounts granted to successful applicants.

The Winnipeg Free Press received funding for three LJI-supported reporting positions in 2020: one to cover climate change, one to cover education, and one to cover the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To learn more about the Local Journalism Initiative, visit News Media Canada.