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Welcome to SEJ's Canada page!
The Internet resources below are useful for journalists covering environmental issues in Canada, as well as for those covering trans-border issues. To find more Canadian links on SEJ.org, do one of the following: a full-site search OR a filtered search using the options on the right-hand side of this page.
Know of a resource we should add to this page? Send your suggestion to SEJ web content manager (and fellow Canadian) Cindy MacDonald.
Additional resources:
- SEJ-Canada: A listserv for discussion of both Canadian and cross-border issues. SEJ members can go here for information on joining the listserv and accessing archives.
- Regional meetings: SEJ members and friends get together informally in various locales across the country. Victoria, BC folks meet bimonthly; contact Peter Fairley. Toronto, ON vicinity: occasional — watch our meet-ups and regionals pages; contact Sharon Oosthoek. Ottawa, ON vicinity: Glen Blouin. If you'd like to receive notice of other upcoming gatherings, contact Cindy.
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Government
Job banks
Journalism groups
Media
Private organizations
Government
Canada Energy Regulator
Formerly the National Energy Board, the CER has taken up regulatory tasks such as regulating pipelines and oil and gas transmission.
Canada in a Changing Climate: Advancing our Knowledge for Action
The national assessment of how and why Canada’s climate is changing; the impacts of these changes on communities, environment and economy; and adaptation strategies. Completed assessments.
(Future) Canada Water Agency
Dec 17, 2020 Gov't of Canada release. Public consultation took place May 13, 2020-Mar 1, 2021; Indigenous engagement continues throughout 2021.
Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
Encourages intergovernmental cooperation on regional environmental issues such as toxic air pollution.
Canadian Museum of Nature
The Museum's press room offers the latest news, research, discoveries and insights in natural history and biodiversity in Canada and around the world; access to experts in many fields of natural history, science, education and museology; concepts for science journalists (of any nationality) to know when interviewing a palaeontologist; and more. Aussi en Français.
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
The "nuclear energy and materials watchdog" in Canada.
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
Committee of experts tracks lists, species, status, candidates, government actions.
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Canada's version of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Special sections on acid rain, ozone, climate change, pollution prevention, water, wildlife, air pollution, including the National Pollutant Release Inventory (similar to the U.S. Toxics Release Inventory.) See also the Air Pollutant Emissions Inventory.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The federal institution responsible for protecting and managing Canada's waters, fisheries and oceans resources. Canada's coastline is the longest in the world, with its seabed representing an area two-thirds the size of its landmass. Canada's Oceans Strategy, 2002 (PDF).
Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
This agency, formerly known as the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, is a division of Environment and Climate Change Canada that reports to the federal Minister of the Environment. It leads all federal reviews of major resources projects, looking at pros and cons of environmental, economic, social, and health impacts of potential projects.
Library and Archives Canada
A collection of books, historical documents, government records, photos, films, maps and more.
Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Parliament site on a range of environmental issues.
Statistics Canada
Access the data, view reference resources to understand and interpret surveys and data, browse on specific subjects (including but not limited to ag/food, energy, environment, Indigenous peoples, transportation), find info by geographic area and more. Workshops, training and conferences.
Job banks
Canadian Freelance Writing Jobs
FIMS Job Postings
Employment opportunities at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University in London, Ontario
Jeff Gaulin's Journalism Job Board
Media and communications
Masthead Online
Magazines
Journalism groups and resources
The Canadian Association of Journalists
P.O. Box 117, Station F
Toronto, ON M4Y 2L4
Email: brent@caj.ca
- Dec 22, 2023: The Emergency Support Fund for Canadian Journalists is launched to provide eligible members of the CAJ with microgrants to cover short-term expenses related either to threats and crises caused by one’s work as a journalist or as a means to support wellness and/or other care-based needs.
Canadian Freelance Guild
301 - 2200 Prince of Wales Drive
Ottawa, ON K2E 6Z9
613-820-9777
1.877-486-4292
Canadian Journalism Foundation
77 Bloor St. West, Suite 600,
Toronto, ON, M5S 1M2
Telephone: 416-955-0394
Email: info@cjf-fjc.ca
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)
489 College St., Suite 403
Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A5
Email: cjfe@cjfe.org
Canadian Journalists of Colour
Multiple Chapters and Resources
Science Media Centre of Canada
A collective venture of concerned journalists, researchers and public supporters of science, the Centre aims to improve science writing, especially helping general assignment reporters tackle complex issues.
Contact: Jim Handman, Executive Director
Science Writers and Communicators of Canada
P.O. Box 75, Station A,
Toronto, Ontario M5W 1A2
Contact.
Media
CitizenShift
Produced by the National Film Board of Canada; submit your socially engaged audio pieces (documentaries, interviews, discussions, experimental) to be hosted on the CITIZENShift website as part of its weekly podcast series.
Daily Newspaper Directory
Lists major Canadian newspapers and press associations by province/city.
Environmental Journalism Canada
SEJ board member Bill Kovarik, teaching an environmental journalism class at the University of Western Ontario in London fall of 2009, has along with his students implemented this wiki that "involves science and environmental sources and special concerns for Canada which might make a useful teaching aid for anyone working in this area in the future." Anyone who wants to contribute to the wiki, or use information from it, is free to do so. Email Bill to receive an invitation to write into the document.
The Green Majority
This environmental feature originates as a radio show, rebroadcast as a podcast, from CIUT 89.5 F.M. in Toronto, Ontario. It includes environmental news headlines from across Canada, plus in-depth features and interviews, such as this enlightening October 12, 2007, edition on the Alberta tar sands.
Internet Sources for Journalists and Broadcasters — Canada
Here you'll find journalists' websites, education links, professional journalism associations, awards, writers' organizations, information for freelancers, journalism-related mailing lists and more.
Radio Ecoshock
From Vancouver, BC, Canada, this environmental station offers podcast reports on endangered species, toxic technologies, deforestation, smog, climate change, nuclear weapons and reactors, overfishing in the oceans; follows the activities of environment groups; features interviews; and more.
Private organizations
Alternatives Journal
Based at the University of Waterloo, this bimonthly publication is the official journal of the Environmental Studies Association of Canada.
Canada Green Building Council
The Canadian equivalent of the USGBC, CaGBC is a coalition of design/building industry reps.
Canadian Access and Privacy Association
Canada's association of people who work professionally with the country's Access to Information Act.
Canadian Association for Renewable Energies
Developments in the renewable energy world.
Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee
Panel of experts forced by the Canadian government to address biotechnology issues and the Canadian Biotechnology Strategy.
Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention
Nonprofit that coordinates services and meetings about pollution prevention.
Canadian Environmental Law Association
This Toronto-based clinic works in the realm of human health and environment, providing free legal services to people and groups across Ontario that qualify for legal aid, seeking justice for those harmed by pollution and by working to change policies to prevent such problems in the first place. They represent low-income individuals and communities and speak out for those with less influence who receive less of a say in decision-making.
Canadian Environmental Network
With support from Environment Canada, CEN advocates networking between environmental organizations. Tools, caucauses, weekly news bulletins, a Greenlist guide to Canadian environmental organizations and agencies (to access publications and government websites,) contact info for provincial and territorial environmental networks.
CivicAccess.ca
A citizen-run wiki advocating open government.
datalibre.ca
FOI blog with a strong interest in environmental issues. The project is "a loose collection of data activists, who wish to collect, disseminate, and discuss issues around access to government data in Canada." Although the model is one of open collaboration, the project was started in June 2007 by Carleton University geographer Tracey Lauriault and Montreal writer Hugh McGuire.
Ducks Unlimited Canada
Huge player in wetland preservation and restoration in Canada, and elsewhere.
Ecojustice
Canada's largest environmental law charity, with offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
EcoLogo
This program, launched by the federal government in 1988 and currently managed by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, is the only North American standard accredited by the Global Ecolabeling Network for environmental labelling of goods and services.
Ecoportal Canada
A guide to environmental directories, portals and networks in Canada and beyond. Start here to find environmental groups, organizations, people, places, activities, news, events calendar, information and opportunity. Painstakingly compiled by People and Planet.
Environmental Defence
Nonprofit group supports research and public education on a variety of environmental issues. Coordinates a Young Reporters for the Environment program for students ages 11 to 18.
FOI.net/Website of Alasdair Roberts
Resources on Canadian FOI law: a searchable database of requests filed under Canada's Access to Information Act (ATIA); information on CAIRSWeb and public access to the CAIRS (Coordination of Access to Information Requests System) database; research publications; links (such as access to information policies of intergovernmental organizations); datasets, including ATIA departmental statistics in Excel format; and more. No longer available; see WatchDog TipSheet of Aug. 11, 2004. Contact: Canadian Professor Alasdair Roberts, a FOI expert at Syracuse University in New York.
BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
A non-partisan, non-profit society, established in 1991, promotes and defends freedom of information and privacy rights in Canada. The society helps empower citizens by increasing their access to information and their control over their own personal information via public education, public assistance, research, and law reform.
Metro Vancouver Planning Coalition
Strategic Sustainable Planning sessions on peak oil and climate change put on by Vancouver City Planning Commission/New City Institute/Post Carbon Institute; Nelson Food Security Conference of 2007, upcoming development work for food conference in Winnipeg July 2008; and more.
Nature Conservancy of Canada
Works in every province to conserve ecologically significant land across the country.
North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Information about environmental laws and enforcement in Mexico, United States, Canada. Commission formed by the three countries to complement NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. In Spanish, English and French.
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
This coalition of ~90 organizations advocates coal phase-out, energy conservation, renewable energy, and natural gas as a transition fuel for electricity generation. Lots of energy facts, figures and reports.
Open Government Canada
A new Freedom of Information coalition seeking a national voice for FOI users. Started primarily by a group of journalists associated with the Canadian Association of Journalists, OGC seeks to help educate, assist and advocate on behalf of people who use the federal Access to Information Act and provincial freedom of information laws.
The Pembina Institute
This environmental group advocates sustainable energy solutions and follows Canada's federal and industry energy actions on matters such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Alberta's oil sands. You'll find sections on climate change, energy solutions, green economics and policy, educational initiatives, and a searchable library of publications.
Polaris Institute
Based in Ottawa, this organization advocates democratic social change by assisting citizen movements. Focus areas: energy including Tar Sands Watch, trade, water, security. Offers related links, news coverage, studies, publications.
PollutionWatch
A joint effort of the Canadian Environmental Law Association, Canadian Institute of Environmental Law and Policy, and Environmental Defence Canada. Type in an entire or partial postal code to see what sources of pollution occur in that area; find maps and lists of top polluters in Canada; detailed definitions and explanations about the NPRI and pollution regulatory information from provincial to international levels; analyse pollution trends from 1995 to 2001.
Quebec-Labrador Foundation/Atlantic Center for the Environment
Supports rural communities in eastern Canada and New England, focusing on preserving natural resources and cultural heritage.
Sources Select Online Directory
A free directory, operating since 1977, for journalists, writers, editors, and researchers which lists experts and media spokespersons in Canada and internationally, cross-indexed by areas of expertise, for thousands of issues and topics. Sources also provides a news release service, an events calendar, and media lists.
thegreenpages.ca
A web resource directory of Canadian environmental web sites, news, events and related activities. Includes thegreenjournal.ca, a daily index of news and articles from popular publications.
Tools of Change
This freely accessible, Ottawa-based website features almost 200 full-length case studies of communities that have become healthier, safer and more sustainable by helping their citizens voluntarily change their habits. All of the programs have measured their success in changing common habits like throwing away recyclables, driving everywhere alone, reducing energy and water consumption, and more. The stories show what has been done and what might therefore work in the locale you cover.
* Canada flag courtesy of WorldAtlas.com
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