‘I want to feel hopeful about something’: celebrating four years of The Narwhal and our members

In 2018, when Carol and I co-founded The Narwhal, we were just that: two of us. Two women with a dream of reinventing what environmental journalism looked like in Canada.

Four years later, thanks to the hundreds of thousands of readers from coast to coast who put their faith in us, I get to look at a screen overflowing with 22(!) staff members doing game-changing work.

Twenty-two Narwhals. Pretty incredible crowd to ring in our fourth birthday, isn’t it? 🥳

In the beginning, Carol and I were wrangling freelancers and pounding the pavement ourselves to break stories. Fast forward to today, and we have staff reporters from Victoria to Smithers, Edmonton to Winnipeg, Toronto to Ottawa. We are partnering with some of the biggest news organizations in the country, getting recognized for our work defending press freedom in Canada and publishing a new piece of investigative journalism seemingly every week.

Another thing that happens every week? My inbox gets flooded with dozens of notes from people just like you who decided to support our investigative journalism by becoming members for any amount they could afford.

“The Narwhal goes places and has a focus that other news media don’t. We need those stories.”

“Environmental journalism is essential to finding real solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis.”

“I’m kind of losing hope. I want to feel hopeful about something.”

The news all around us can be overwhelming — and sometimes it might not feel like you can make a difference. But becoming a member of The Narwhal is one way you truly can.

Investigating stories others aren’t. Diving deep to find solutions. These are the core tenets of what we do here at The Narwhal. It’s also the kind of work that takes time and resources to pull off. 

That’s why I’m turning to each of you, our loyal readers, to help us ring in our fourth birthday by becoming a member of The Narwhal today. We’re on a mission to add 500 new members in May so we can pull off three more ambitious investigations this year — and we’re nearly halfway there! We just need your help to make them happen.

“These are the stories that need to be told and you are some of the only ones telling them,” wrote John Mertz, one of our newest members.

By supporting our work for any amount you can afford, you’re helping to bring critical journalism about the future of our planet to the forefront. Will you join John and nearly 4,400 other readers who make The Narwhal possible?

When I look at all our readers have made possible in The Narwhal’s first four years, my head spins with the possibilities of where we’ll be in another four years. Thank you for believing in what we do.

Here’s to four years and many more,

Emma Gilchrist
Editor-in-chief

P.S. We need to add 309 more members in May to pull off three more ambitious investigations in 2022. Please sign up for any amount you can afford today. Bonus: anyone who signs up as a member will get a copy of our annual print edition, packed full of must-read investigative journalism.