During the first three months as a journalist intern, I have looked at various ways we can help local residents be more aware of what is happening in their city. One of the most successful regular reports is our bi-weekly coverage of the city council meetings. By focusing in on issues that are of particular interest to the residents of New Westminster, I have engaged our viewers in dialogue about housing, rent control and most importantly how to adapt to the increase in heat events in our city.
Our special report on how to 'Beat the Heat' zeroed in on the issue of finding ways to help low-income residents, who do not have air conditioning, stay cool during heat events. Our investigation was triggered by a city council member looking at the question of how the city could help renters, many of whom are not allowed to have air conditioning in their apartments. The heat dome of the year 2021 that killed 28 people in New Westminster – the highest per capita death toll in the region – has made locals very concerned about heat issues.
The investigative piece that followed our coverage of the city council meeting regarding this issue was hailed by Fraser Health as an important piece in their ongoing educational program to keep residents cool and safe. Mayor Patrick Johnstone commended reporter Deni Loubert for her ongoing coverage of both this important topic and the city council meetings in general, stating that he has long wanted this type of coverage and is happy to see NewWest TV is stepping into that role in New Westminster.
By: Deni Loubert with Susan Millar
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About LJI
LJI Impact is the section of commediaportal.ca where the journalists and their organizations participating in CACTUS' Local Journalism Initiative can share their greatest successes.
Through the written stories, photos and videos you see in the LJI Impact section, you'll be able to read first hand accounts about how the presence of a community journalist is making a difference in communities across Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative and the Community Media Portal.
The Community Media Portal is a gateway to the audio-visual media created by community media centres across Canada. These include traditional community TV and radio stations, as well as online and new media production centres.
Community media are not-for-profit production hubs owned and operated by the communities they serve, established both to provide local content and reflection for their communities, as well as media training and access for ordinary citizens to the latest tools of media production, whether traditional TV and radio, social and online media, virtual reality, augmented reality or video games.
The Community Media Portal has been funded by the Local Journalism Initiative (the LJI) of the Department of Canadian Heritage, and administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS) in association with the Fédération des télévisions communautaires autonomes du Québec (the Fédération). Under the LJI, over 100 journalists have been placed in underserved communities and asked to produce civic content that underpins Canadian democratic life.
