Reporter

Reporter (8-month contract) #: JG34896

Location:

Ottawa, Ontario
Posted:
January 5, 2026

Salary: $67,500 annually

Canada’s National Observer is looking for a reporter in Ottawa to cover the federal government and its relationship with Vancouver, B.C., for a Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) position. This is a full‑time, eight‑month contract (backfill) position based in Ottawa. The LJI reporter for the federal government and Vancouver will report on federal policies and parliamentary activities that relate to and impact the city of Vancouver.

The reporter will consistently cover municipal issues for Vancouver through a federal lens, including UBC rapid transit expansion, the pipeline MOU, the Trans Mountain pipeline and Indigenous land claims. Without reporting on the federal level, these stories are missing critical context and the real locus of power. The reporter will use Civic Searchlight, a tool developed by CNO to monitor and search municipal meetings across the country, to enhance their reporting.

• Report two to three stories weekly, with allowances for extra reporting time when appropriate
• Report accurately, write engagingly and practice journalism ethically
• Develop contacts and information pathways in Ottawa and Vancouver
• Be an expert in climate change and federal climate policy and solutions as they impact Vancouver
• Report on breaking news related to climate, from disasters to court decisions
• Be responsive to editors and colleagues
• Experiment with innovative ways to tell stories online

• Salary: $32.47 hourly / $67,500 annually
• Comprehensive Sun Life package (including dental, mental health counselling, wellness funds, gender affirmation coverage, travel insurance, and $25,000 life insurance)
• $125/month toward home office expenses
• This is a bargaining unit position under the J1 category in our collective agreement. The collective agreement between Observer Media Group (Canada’s National Observer) and the Canadian Media Guild ensures robust support

Feb. 2, 2026
End date:
Oct 30, 2026

• Strong English-language reporting and writing skills
• A minimum undergraduate degree or equivalent experience
• Five-plus years of reporting experience, ideally with a focus on politics, climate policy, city issues or a related field
• A passion for climate change news and staying on top of the key political, policy and business issues in Canada that impact the climate agenda
• A track record of finding unique stories and angles, not following the packa great storyteller
• Other multimedia skills like photography, videography, data journalism or social media are assets

Please submit applications through the Bamboo Portal and include a resume and cover letter (stating you found this job on Jeff Gaulin’s Journalism Job Board). Any incomplete applications will not be considered. Please be advised we can only contact candidates we wish to interview. Final date to receive applications:
Friday, January 16, 2026. We thank everyone for their interest in working with the team at Canada’s National Observer.