Every year, The Local conducts a diversity survey among our staff and contributors as part of our ongoing commitment to tackle issues of race, representation, and diversity. In 2024 we sent our survey to 39 contributors and received 30 responses, a 77 percent response rate.
In 2024, 53.3 percent of our respondents identified as non-white. This is higher than the Canadian industry average of 33 percent.
In terms of gender representation, 46.7 percent of our contributors identified as female, slightly lower than the industry average of 49.3 percent, and 10 percent of our contributors identified as non-binary, which is higher than the industry average of 0.7 percent for non-binary.
This year, we also surveyed our contributors to determine the number of journalists we work with who identify as living with a disability. Among our contributors, 10 percent identify as living with a disability. The Local is among a handful of outlets that collect this data and national numbers are not reported widely, so there is no industry average for comparison.
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The Local Wins Eight Media Awards
Editor-in-Chief Tai Huynh was recognized for his exemplary leadership in journalism on a night of big storytelling wins for The Local
Meet the 2025 Local Fellows
We’re thrilled to introduce this year’s Local Journalism Fellows: Moyo Lawuyi, Vikram Nijhawan, and Mayumi Ramos.
At Toronto’s Catholic Schools, Students Twice as Likely to Opt Out of Mandatory Measles Vaccine
In the midst of a measles outbreak, data analysis by The Local finds that 15 of the 20 schools with the highest vaccine exemption rates are in the Catholic boards.
Understanding the TDSB’s Budget Woes in Five Charts
The province says the school board has a spending problem. The board says it’s chronically underfunded. We sort through the numbers.
The Local Earns CJF Jackman Award Nomination and Six Digital Publishing Award Nods
Nominations include recognition for General Excellence in Digital Publishing for the fifth consecutive year.
The Local Earns 8 Nominations at the National Magazine Awards
Our nominations, tied for the third most overall, recognize stories on everything from life expectancy to encampments to waste management to the bereavement industry.
‘It’s Never-Ending’—Another By-Election in Don Valley West
Candidates for TDSB trustee in Ward 11 are up against winter weather and election fatigue in a ward that will have four votes in less than a year.
Have You Thought About Becoming a Board Member for a Local Organization?
We are looking for motivated and thoughtful individuals to join our volunteer board of directors.
The Local Journalism Fellowship 2025
Now in its fifth year, the program provides training and mentorship to aspiring and emerging journalists from communities underrepresented in Canadian media. Applications are now open.
The Battle Over a 475-Metre Bike Lane on Marlee Avenue
In Toronto, even the most modest bike lane proposal is met with outsized anger and fear.