6 min. read
Growing up in Brampton, Ont., Rajpreet Sahota remembers the sounds of the evening news filling her home. By the time she was in high school, she had decided her goal was to one day become a television news anchor.
Only in her 20s, Rajpreet has already achieved that goal — her first job after graduate school included anchoring the 6 o’clock news in Fort St. John, B.C. But she has already moved beyond her high school dream. These days, she says her preferred journalistic practice is “less about sitting behind the anchor desk and more about being out in the community.”
That approach will serve her well at The Narwhal, where she recently became our first-ever community and policy reporting fellow. During her ten-month fellowship, Rajpreet will report on how environmental policy affects racialized communities in Ontario.
Over a month into her fellowship, Rajpreet has written about a youth-led push to improve recycling in Constance Lake First Nation and a lawsuit from Attawapiskat First Nation over historical diesel contamination. She also produced a comprehensive account of the environmental policy changes the Doug Ford government has made since winning the 2025 election.
The Narwhal’s community and policy reporting fellowship gives early- to mid-career journalists an opportunity to produce impactful work while learning alongside more seasoned reporters, and Rajpreet says she’s already learning a lot at The Narwhal — including how to file her first freedom of information request.
Read on to learn a bit more about Rajpreet.
What inspired you to go into journalism?
Every morning before school and every afternoon when I got home, my parents would have the news on. It became such a normal part of my daily routine that I didn’t really think much of it at first. But after years of watching reporters tell stories from across the Greater Toronto Area, something clicked.
I remember being in Grade 10 when I turned to my sister, pointed at the TV, and said: “That’s what I want to do. I want to anchor the news.”
And you recently achieved that dream in Fort St. John, B.C. What was that like?
Yes, I did! It was an incredible experience. It was my first job after finishing my master’s, and working in a small market meant wearing many different hats. I was the only reporter based in Fort St. John.
After a day in the field, I’d head back to the newsroom to write my script and get everything ready for the evening newscast. I anchored the 6 o’clock news once or twice a week. That meant introducing the top stories, reading the weather, talking about sports and helping guide viewers through the entire broadcast.
Being dropped into one of the smallest towns I’ve ever lived in, far from home and on my own, was definitely a challenge, but it pushed me to become more confident in every aspect of reporting. It was an amazing opportunity so early in my career.
Your journalism career has also taken you to Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Hamilton and Ottawa. What have you learned about reporting from so many different communities?
I’ve grown a lot as both a journalist and a person. I’ve learned how to report from wildfire zones, cover court proceedings and break down government policies in different provinces and communities. Every place I’ve worked has taught me something new and helped me become a more versatile reporter.
But the biggest lesson has been realizing just how many stories are out there waiting to be told. Some of the best story ideas come from striking up a conversation with someone at a coffee shop, chatting with someone on the street or simply being curious enough to explore what’s happening in a community. Those everyday conversations often uncover the issues that aren’t making headlines, and to me, that’s what journalism is all about.
What kind of journalism do you engage with in your free time?
Outside of work, I’m a big fan of crime documentaries and investigative journalism. I like learning how the police investigate major cases, how they put all the pieces together and uncover what happened.
I also like learning about history, like the history of cities, how certain landmarks came to be or major events that shaped a community. If I’m being honest, I sometimes wish I could have experienced those moments firsthand.
At the same time, I consume news the same way a lot of people in their 20s do. I get information from Instagram and TikTok accounts that break down complex ideas into engaging explainers, like The Narwhal!
I hear you’ve joined the controversial group of Narwhal employees who dislike camping. So … what other ways do you spend time outside?
Yes, I hate camping! The first camping experience I ever had was when I was in elementary school. I still remember, there were so many bugs everywhere. I was like, “I’m never doing this again.”
But I like to go outside. When I lived in northern B.C. and northern Ontario, there were a lot of hiking trails that I enjoyed. Now, I live right next to Sugar Beach Park in downtown Toronto, and I walk there several times a week after work.
What do you do for fun?
I like staying active, especially by taking pilates and yoga classes on the weekends. I also like baking and trying out new recipes. It’s a great way to recharge after a busy week of chasing stories.
And I love event decor! I love putting together tablescapes, planning different party themes and hosting parties. I even tried to launch my own side business a couple of years ago focusing on decor. I’d help people decorate and set up for their events. But I think journalism is a better plan.
Decor isn’t your only side hustle. Tell us about Blind Date With a Book TO.
Blind Date With a Book TO started during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep myself busy. How it works is simple: someone would answer a few questions about the kinds of books they enjoyed, and I’d choose a title that I thought they’d love without telling them what it was.
Each order was wrapped like a true blind date with a book. I hand-made a custom bookmark and included a cozy drink like hot chocolate or tea.
I received orders from across Canada and even parts of Europe, which was incredible for something that started as a passion project.
You’re spending eight more months at The Narwhal. What’s one story you hope to tell before you leave?
There’s a series of stories I’m really excited to work on before I leave. It looks at cooling injustice, which is the idea that access to relief from extreme heat — through air conditioning, shade and green spaces — is inequitably distributed. It’s a topic that touches on climate, equity and public health. I’m looking forward to exploring the different ways it affects people’s everyday lives. I can’t say much more than that just yet, but it’s definitely a story to watch for.