The Inspirit Foundation has granted an additional $50,000 to our project. The funds will boost the launch of Documenters Canada in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, and strengthen community partnerships in Montreal, bringing Inspirit’s total contribution to $100,000 since 2025.
“Documenters Canada is a unique, community-rooted model that ensures vital information about hyperlocal communities doesn’t fall through the cracks. It pairs citizens’ energy and perspectives with rigorous reporting to produce journalism people can use in their everyday lives. Inspirit Foundation is proud to support the project’s growth and to help journalists and individuals across regions take ownership of the model and adapt it locally. We look forward to witnessing the project’s evolution!” – Ana Sofía Hibon, Senior Program Manager at the Inspirit Foundation
This support comes at a time of growth for Documenters Canada. A third site is about to launch in Crowsnest Pass, a community located in the Rocky Mountains of Southern Alberta. A community engagement lead will be teaming up with The Crowsnest Pass Herald to work alongside documenters and provide training and editorial support.
In Montreal, part of the renewed funding will go toward establishing a community liaison role. This person will ensure we remain true to our community-centred approach, strengthening the link between the site and communities around Montreal. These relationships are the core of what we do, ensuring that our work is embedded in existing community networks and serves the needs of those communities. The role entails coordinating training activities and nurturing a community of practice among documenters. By sharing the documenters’ notes widely with residents and networks in Montreal’s neighbourhoods, the liaison will further reinforce our impact.
About Documenters Canada
Since 2024, we have been training and paying community members to attend and document public meetings in their communities, in a process inspired by our friends at Documenters.org. Our goals are to increase the amount and relevance of local news, while engaging community members in public decision-making, and promoting accountability by ensuring that someone is in the room when decisions are made. We publish through our media partners, The Green Line in Toronto and Pivot in Montreal. Our community organization-partners include L’Itinéraire, Solidarité Mercier-Est, and the Table de concertation du Faubourg-Saint Laurent. More information is available on our website, and you can reach us at documenters-canada@concordia.ca.