Selenium Elk Valley coal mining

Coal Valley: The story of B.C.’s quiet water contamination crisis

With reports of deformed fish and well water not safe for locals to drink, The Narwhal sent a video crew to the Elk Valley in the southeastern corner of the province to investigate

This 14-minute mini-documentary tells the tale of a slowly unfolding pollution crisis and a community afraid of the consequences of speaking out about it.

Read more about selenium in the Elk Valley.

Threats to our environment are often hidden from public view.
So we’ve embarked on a little experiment at The Narwhal: letting our investigative journalists loose to file as many freedom of information requests as their hearts desire.

They’ve filed more than 300 requests this year — and unearthed a veritable mountain of government documents to share with readers across Canada.

But the reality is this kind of digging takes lots of time and no small amount of money.

As many newsrooms cut staff, The Narwhal has doubled down on hiring reporters to do hard-hitting journalism — and we do it all as an independent, non-profit news organization that doesn’t run any advertising.

Will you join the growing chorus of readers who have stepped up to hold the powerful accountable?
Threats to our environment are often hidden from public view.
So we’ve embarked on a little experiment at The Narwhal: letting our investigative journalists loose to file as many freedom of information requests as their hearts desire.

They’ve filed more than 300 requests this year — and unearthed a veritable mountain of government documents to share with readers across Canada.

But the reality is this kind of digging takes lots of time and no small amount of money.

As many newsrooms cut staff, The Narwhal has doubled down on hiring reporters to do hard-hitting journalism — and we do it all as an independent, non-profit news organization that doesn’t run any advertising.

Will you join the growing chorus of readers who have stepped up to hold the powerful accountable?

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As soon as you arrive in the Alberta boomtown of Fort McMurray you can smell the oil — it’s like a sharp cousin to hot...

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Investigative reporting like The Narwhal’s is now blocked on Facebook — and soon Google will do the same. One way to make sure you still get the facts? Sign up for our free newsletter.