Toronto Star earns two nominations
Foundation recognizes reporting on Greenbelt, Ontario’s hospitals
The Toronto Star has earned two nominations from the CJF Jackman Awards for Excellence in Journalism, a prestigious recognition of exemplary journalism in small and large media outlets in Canada.
The foundation announced its shortlists Tuesday. Since 1996, the awards have honoured reporting by news organizations that showcase journalistic excellence through “originality, courage, independence, accuracy, social responsibility, accountability and diversity.”
“These nominations reflect dogged reporting that holds power to account and delivers impactful storytelling about critical issues. Beyond that, these nominations clearly demonstrate the strength of collaborative efforts in bolstering our journalism — collaborations with other outlets as partners, and within our own newsroom, with Star journalists on multiple teams working together to deliver greater impact,” said Anne Marie Owens, editor of the Star.
The Star is nominated with the Narwhal in the large media category for their stories on the Ontario government’s decisions impacting the environmentally sensitive Greenbelt.
These stories include investigations into the Greenbelt “gold rush” that saw developers scoop up land after Premier Doug Ford walked back on his promise to protect it; Ontario developers and MZOs who benefited from his government’s decisions on the Greenbelt attending Ford’s daughter’s wedding; and the Narwhal’s look at the Ford government’s decision to press forward on developing the Greenbelt despite ongoing opposition.
“At a time when journalism and news organizations are being besieged from all sides about what they cover and how they cover it, it is encouraging to see the quality and depth of reporting all these stories feature,” said jury chair Christopher Waddell, professor emeritus at Carleton University’s School of Journalism, in the written release.
The Star’s investigative work with the Narwhal on the Ontario government’s decision to remove thousands of acres from protected Greenbelt land was also shortlisted for the CJF’s Jackman Excellence Awards in 2023.
The large media category consists of news organizations with more than 50 full-time employees. Other finalists in this year’s large media category include the Canadian Press, Global News, Globe and Mail and Winnipeg Free Press.
The Star and the Investigative Journalism Bureau are nominated in the small media category for their stories that pulled back the curtain on the state of Ontario’s hospitals. Nominated works include an investigation titled “The Patient Files,” that consolidated several years’ worth of patient survey data from Ontario hospitals and explored the human cost of the health-care system’s shortcomings.
The finalists in the small media category have fewer than 50 full-time employees. Other nominees in the small media category include Humber College StoryLab, Montreal Gazette, The Trillium and The Tyee.
The winners will be announced at the CJF Awards Ceremony on June 12 at the Royal York Hotel.