Four community news reporters who lost their jobs when Glacier Media closed several digital newspapers are forming a worker co-operative to launch a new publication serving Metro Vancouver communities.
The journalists, all former members of Unifor Local 2000, are working with their union and the Union Cooperative Initiative to create the Save Our Local News campaign. They plan to serve New Westminster, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities with what they call a “fresh, trusted and reliable news publication.”
The move comes after Glacier Media shut down its digital community newspapers in April and May, eliminating coverage for Burnaby, New Westminster, Port Moody, Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam. The closures affected publications including the New Westminster Record, Burnaby Now and Tri-City News.
Union backs community-driven model
“This grassroots project exemplifies the tenacity and dedication of journalists who care about their communities and the work they produce,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “This is not just a fight against news deserts, but a battle for democracy.”
The closures have created what union officials describe as troubling news gaps in Metro Vancouver. Glacier Media kept its non-union websites online and continues to print the North Shore News and Delta Optimist, both non-union publications.
“Thousands of residents and organizations in the Tri-Cities, Burnaby and New Westminster communities have lost access to their longstanding local news publications,” said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. “This has sparked interest in developing a new worker-led and community driven model for local news — one that puts communities over profits.”
Fundraising campaign launched
Unifor is contributing $5,000 to the project. The co-operative has launched a fundraising campaign and is asking community members to sign up at SaveOurLocalNews.ca to support their efforts.
The initiative represents an attempt by displaced media workers to maintain local news coverage in communities that have lost their primary news sources. Worker co-operatives give employees shared ownership and decision-making power in their workplace.
Unifor represents more than 10,000 media workers, including journalists in broadcast and print news. The union is Canada’s largest private-sector union, representing 320,000 workers across various industries.
