About

The Investigative Journalism Bureau (IJB) at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health is a real-world investigative unit conducting collaborative research projects with academics and journalists while training student researchers and reporters in investigative techniques.

Contact info

[email protected]

Mailing address

Investigative Journalism Bureau
Dalla Lana School of Public Health Sciences
University of Toronto
155 College Street, Room 754
Toronto, Ontario, M5T 3M7

The IJB’s research activities include systematic investigations intended to improve journalistic techniques and develop principles and knowledge about investigative journalism. We also work to develop and publish knowledge, facts, and ideas on matters of public interest that enlighten, inform and generate important discussions.

By working on high-impact, multidisciplinary projects, students learn public advocacy, core journalism and ethical reporting skills. Broader public interest is also served by in-depth, contextualized examinations of important issues.

The IJB was envisioned by Robert Cribb, award-winning investigative reporter at the Toronto Star and the Bureau’s founding director. It is built on a decade of experimenting with a model to bridge the investigative journalism classroom with the newsroom. That pioneering work has resulted in dozens of major investigations from student-led projects moving onto newspaper front pages and television screens over the past decade.

The Bureau works in partnership with major media organizations in Canada, the United States and overseas, as well as with teaching programs throughout the world.

Journalistic standards

The IJB adheres to the Canadian Association of Journalists’ Ethics Guidelines. These guidelines help inform the work we do and cover key journalistic principles including accountability, accuracy, fairness, independence and transparency, among others. The full guidelines can be found here.

Editorial independence

The IJB retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. News coverage decisions and sources of revenue are distinct and separate. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.

We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.

Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

Funders

The Investigative Journalism Bureau is supported by Toronto business executive and investigative journalism aficionado Gerry Gotfrit. The funding will support research, education, and knowledge translation activities in public health and health system journalism, and in cross-discipline topics and themes.

Postmedia’s funding investment, as part of a shared commitment to high-impact investigative journalism, helps extend the reach of the IJB’s important work to wide audiences while also investing in the next generation of investigative reporters.

The Reva and David Logan Foundation provides operational funding, supporting the continued work of the IJB.

The IJB also receives support from Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector and media union. Unifor funds two paid summer internships annually and contributes to the CJF Black Journalism Fellowship program at the IJB.

A contribution provided by Neil Seeman and the Seeman family, matched by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, has supported the launch of the The Mary and Philip Seeman Mental Health Investigative Journalism Fund. This fund will enables the IJB to further its work in unearthing the structural difficulties and finding novel solutions to the youth mental health crisis.

From 2021 to 2024, funding from the Toronto Star helped to bolster and expand the IJB’s innovative research and reporting model and extend Torstar’s historic commitment to high-impact investigative journalism in Canada.

The IJB is part of a team of researchers led by Neil Seeman who were awarded a $15,000 grant from the University of Toronto’s Council of Health Sciences (CHS) in October 2021. The team will open source text analysis to examine the private, “taboo” reasons that some people express for wanting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Donner Canadian Foundation has supported the IJB projects that focused on youth mental health and Indigenous infrastructure gaps in Canada. 

The McLean Foundation contributes operational funding, helping to support the ongoing efforts of the IJB.

The IJB won The Data-Driven Reporting Project from the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications and the Google News Initiative. The competitive award comes with a $100,000 USD prize, which will go to support one of the IJB’s ambitious public health reporting projects.

Donor transparency

The IJB follows the University of Toronto’s guidelines for donor transparency, which can be found here.

Any donations the IJB receives are used to further our mission of producing high-impact investigative journalism while simultaneously training the next generation of investigative journalists. Funds can go to our general operating budget as well as directly finance our projects.

We choose which issues we want to investigate independently from our funders. Donors have no say in editorial content or process.

As a general policy, donors are acknowledged by the IJB for their donations. We recognize some donors may not wish to be publicly recognized for privacy reasons. We respect these decisions and will review such requests on a case-by-case basis.

Journalism Networks

The IJB is one of three Canadian members of the Institute for Nonprofit News, which is a body of more than 300 non-profit newsrooms across the globe. Members must adhere to strict standards of editorial independence and financial transparency.

Frequently asked questions

Experiences

“When I started as a summer intern, the IJB was beginning to work on a story that explored the unauthorised sale of health products and it instantly piqued my interest. I was excited about it from the beginning because I knew it meant I had to go and visit these locations. What the IJB has given me in the time of my internship here is definitely more confidence in my skillset. It’s pretty cool to see the work that you’re doing being acknowledged and also having an impact. Being at the IJB has taught me every skillset related to investigative work that I couldn’t acquire in a classroom setting. I was on this story from start to finish, so seeing it develop, you can’t learn that in a classroom. The IJB never loses the human element in stories. That’s allowed me as a journalist to practise empathy and listen to people’s stories and never lose faith that behind the real numbers, there are real people”

Alina Snisarenko, associate producer with CBC Toronto

 

“Since I was little, I’ve always wanted to find ways where I can make an impactful difference in the world. When I saw the IJB posting, I knew it would be the perfect place for me to grow and build my skills as a reporter. The IJB is a real-life investigative unit that has done tonnes of groundbreaking stories. These stories really shine a light on problems that our society faces, from drug and health issues to medical malpractice and even corporate scamming. It’s newsrooms like these that get to the bottom of injustice.”

Prisha Dev, online regional journalist at Global News

“Working with the IJB was an unparalleled opportunity to learn the skills, dedication and mindset that investigative reporting requires. I grew immensely as a journalist throughout my time with the Bureau, and had the chance to see real, positive change in the world around me from the reporting we did as a team. A newsroom that can put forward this kind of time and attention to reporting in the public interest is something to be celebrated.”
Charlie Buckley, national digital producer at CTV News

The IJB fills an urgent gap in an industry where a lack of time and resources often prevents journalists from digging deeper – all while diving invaluable training to the next generation of investigative reporters.

Naama weingarten, reporter at CBC News

“The project we put together is the type of meaningful, public interest reporting I never dreamed I’d be able to accomplish in my entire career, let alone as a student. Within days of publication, the provincial government agreed to take action it had delayed for years. The project also opened doors for me to get a summer internship, then my first full-time job, and now a career telling these types of stories. Without a doubt, this program changed the course of my life for the better.”

Emma McIntosh, Ontario reporter at The Narwhal

“I took part in Rob’s investigative journalism class and it was by far the most rewarding experience of my time at school. It’s there where I first realized that political, policy, and public-interest reporting is what really gets my blood boiling. Rob and the class taught me patience, determination, professionalism, and the value of cutting through the noise that authority figures tend to throw your way, especially when you’re doing work and asking questions that you’re entitled to be asking on the public’s behalf. The model of collaborating with other students and media outlets makes you realize that the most important outcome truly is the story. In short, it allows you to contribute to something greater than yourself.”

Palak Mangat, Reporter at Parliament Today

“I got into journalism in my mid 20s because it became increasingly apparent that it was one of the most influential tools that the public had that could hold power to account. The Investigative Journalism Bureau is doing some of the most important work in Canada today. It’s intimidating, no doubt. You’re covering very serious topics, pouring through data, asking people tough questions, you’re double checking and triple checking. Sometimes you have to spend a good hour or two of work on just one sentence but you gain an appreciation for the reports that come out afterwards. At the IJB I learned firsthand how in-depth investigative work is done.”

Scott Martin, founder of The Catch newsletter

 

“Working in partnership with the Investigative Journalism Bureau has been the highlight of my time in journalism school. Not only was I able to work alongside nationally-renowned reporters and editors, but I was also given the unique opportunity to collaborate with other student journalists from some of the most reputable journalism institutions across North America. This cross-border partnership just emphasized how much of an impact our work has on a global scale, and it was the first time in my short career that I felt I had the power to change lives. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Cassandra Dubiel, associate producer at CTV News Channel

“Coming to the IJB was in a lot of ways my very first sort of newsroom experience after the pandemic. Working around a lot of journalists opened my eyes to different perspectives and the way people approach stories. To actually speak to the people who are breaking ground on new research and developing and innovating new things, that  has been a highlight for me. Being at the IJB has made me more clinical and precise in the way I try to find information, and so I think that’s really added to my repertoire.”

Norma Hilton,  freelance journalist

“Collaborations between students and professional journalists combine resources, knowledge and inquisiveness in a way that extends the reach and scope of investigations unlike any other method in the industry. Having worked as part of multiple collaboration teams both as a student and later a professional I can say with absolute certainty the experience is always mutually beneficial for both groups. Gone are the days of reporters working in silos and outlets and institutions ignoring the opportunities they can offer each other. Collaborations are how this industry will not only survive, but thrive in a time when there has never been such a dearth of financial support and such a dire need to shine a light on matters of global public interest.”

Emma Jarratt, former associate producer at CTV W5 and freelance journalist

“With an investigation project like the one we took up in Rob’s class, I got to be surrounded by peers which gave me an opportunity to learn and expand on my own skills while hopefully helping others with whatever expertise I had as well. Having the knowledge that Rob and my peers gave me helped me realize that no matter how nose-deep I am into a project, there is always a way to innovate my reporting and writing process.”

Urbi Khan, freelance journalist

“Working under Rob on large-scale investigations is a different kind of journalism altogether––it was the first time in my journalism career I felt I was doing something real. Not only do you get to learn from industry leaders how to uncover stories that truly change lives, but you get to work alongside them as peers to do it. I remember during our national, award-winning investigation Rob said that I will remember this work for the rest of your life. He wasn’t kidding.”

Benjamin Hargreaves, documentary filmmaker

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