The Investigative Journalism Bureau (IJB) is proud to announce that its in-depth investigation into toxic lead in Ontario’s drinking water has been shortlisted for the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s (CJF) Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism in the small media category.
The Lead in Drinking Water series uncovered widespread contamination in schools and daycares across Ontario, revealing that nearly half of all public schools have recorded at least one test exceeding federal safety guidelines for lead.
Led by reporters Rob Cribb, Declan Keogh, Norma Hilton, Scott Martin, and Rhythm Sachdeva, the investigation includes an interactive database that allows the public access to search lead test results for any school, daycare, or childcare centre across the province.
The CJF Jackman Awards recognize journalism that has a profound and positive impact on the communities it serves. This marks the IJB’s third nomination in as many years. The newsroom was previously recognized for The Patient Files: Hidden Stories from Inside Ontario’s Hospitals (2024) and its Suspended series (2023).
“This nomination is a powerful acknowledgment of the urgent need for action,” says Cribb, founder and director of the IJB. “Our reporting highlights the health risks faced by thousands of children and families and the gaps in the systems meant to keep them safe.”
Spanning five years of analysis, the investigation highlights the serious health consequences of lead exposure, especially long-term cognitive effects in children. The project aims to empower the public, pressure decision makers, and push for immediate action to ensure safe drinking water in all educational facilities across Ontario.
Since 1996, the CJF has recognized news organizations that embrace the highest standards of journalistic excellence including, originality, courage, independence, accuracy, social responsibility, accountability and diversity. This year’s finalists cover stories ranging from South America to Nunavut, addressing issues from food-safety to social determinants of life expectancy.
“In 2024, Canadian news organizations – large and small, new and old – reported stories that impacted communities across the country,” says jury chair Christopher Waddell, professor emeritus at Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication in a press release. “As journalism faces intense scrutiny and competition from outlets with dubious journalistic standards, the quality and depth of reporting on display again this year demonstrates the underlying strength and dedication of Canadian journalists and news organizations to stories that resonate with their audiences.”
The CJF Awards will take place on June 12, 2025, at the Fairmont Royal York, Toronto.
The Investigative Journalism Bureau is a non-profit, impact-driven newsroom telling deeply-reported stories in the public interest.