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278 freedom of information requests: The Narwhal’s year of fighting for transparency

It’s no big surprise that governments try to thwart access to public-interest information. With your help, we’ll keep fighting the good fight

By Mike De Souza

Dec. 16, 2024

Dig, dig, dig

Seven Narwhal staff members sit on outdoors steps

Two hundred and seventy-eight.

That’s how many freedom of information requests journalists at The Narwhal have filed so far in 2024, as they pressed to obtain some of the deepest secrets of the federal and provincial governments.

The good news is it means we remain vigilant in demanding answers to the most important questions about the natural world in Canada.

The bad news? We still have to file hundreds of requests per year — because it seems there are many people in government who don’t believe you have a right to know how they spend your money or make decisions that affect your lives and the environment around you.

It’s your right to access government records — and that’s what freedom of information laws in Canada protect. They are often the only way we can request information or demand answers that the government is legally required to provide.

Even still, it doesn’t come easy. We set aside thousands of dollars in our budget every year to pay the often-hefty administrative fees. Our reporters carve out days and weeks to work on drafting requests, and then pore over hundreds of pages of responses.

In some cases — like with my recent investigation on alleged oilsands rule-breakers in Alberta — we spend years working on complex appeals that require detailed knowledge of the legal system. The only reason we’re able to dedicate so much time and money to these critical efforts? The nearly 10,000 Narwhal readers like you who donate what they can to support our investigative digging.

Over the past year, our freedom of information expertise has brought many important stories to light, including a political scandal in Alberta surrounding Premier Danielle Smith’s decision to suspend renewable energy development in the province.

If Prairies reporter Drew Anderson had not been on top of his requests, you might never have learned that the premier made false statements about who exactly requested the renewables pause.

In Manitoba, reporter Julia-Simone Rutgers proved that provincial officials had failed to formally inspect a leaky pipeline for years, prior to it being shut down over safety concerns — again, thanks to a carefully worded freedom of information request.

In Ottawa, climate investigations reporter Carl Meyer located key documents allowing him to reveal how the Canadian government actually gave oil and gas lobbyists a global platform at a climate change summit to polish their industry’s reputation.

Filing those requests comes at a steep price — and we don’t have an unlimited pot of money. This year alone, we were asked to pay more than $4,200 in fees to obtain government records, with more bills on the way.

Thanks to readers like you, though, we are able to put in the time and use the funds we have at our disposal to uncover each big story, one scandal at a time. If you want to help us keep it up in 2025, there’s no time like the present: all donations to The Narwhal are being matched through Dec. 31.

Happy holidays to all, except for public officials who charge thousands of dollars in search fees,

Mike De Souza
Director of enterprise and investigations

P.S. As one Narwhal donor put it: “You are a small group of determined and passionate journalists that has made an impressive impact, especially through your stellar investigative reporting. Keep up the good fight!” More than 450 readers have made the leap to give what they can this December (thank you!). Will you help us keep up the good fight by making double the difference today?

Let’s make double the difference

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