Media

On World Press Freedom Day, marked each year on May 3, Unifor is calling for urgent action to protect press freedom, strengthen local journalism, and ensure the safety and independence of media workers in Canada and globally.

World Press Freedom Day, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in in 1993, underscores the essential role of a free press in sustaining democracy and holding power to account.

Dear Brendan, 

On behalf of Unifor, I want to extend my sincere congratulations on your 2026 Hillman Prize Award.

Your reporting on the abuses at Maplehurst Correctional Complex stands as a powerful example of journalism in the public interest and the ability to remain tenacious when shut down by government roadblocks. 

Unifor Media Director Randy Kitt and Friends of Canadian Media Executive Director Raj Shoan warned the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on March 10, 2026, that the collapse of local news outlets is creating a growing democratic deficit, calling for stronger enforcement of media laws, expanded tax credits and protections for journalism in the age of AI.

Unifor is pleased to welcome 90 workers at Bell Media across the country, who work on the CTV National News, CTV News Channel, and CTVnews.ca.

“We are thrilled to welcome these talented journalists and media workers to our union,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

“This comes at a time when our country and the world face so much political and economic uncertainty. A more robust media sector is the cornerstone of democracy that we need now more than ever.”

Unifor's Media Council celebrated its 31st anniversary in Victoria, B.C. this year at Victoria’s Empress Hotel, bringing together delegates from across the country to talk about the impact of the U.S. trade war on the media sector, battling misinformation, and reporting on sensitive topics.

Unifor National President Lana Payne told the council that the “shakedown is real” when it comes to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and extortion tactics.

World News Day – marked on Sept. 28 each year – was founded in 2018 to raise awareness about the critical role journalists play in providing fact-based, credible information, so Canadians can better understand their communities and the world around them. 

TORONTO—Unifor’s Media Action Plan launched its hard-hitting Fact Checked campaign today with social media, TV and newspaper spots to bring attention to the fight against misinformation.

“The Canadian news media remains under attack, and all of us are bearing the brunt of this upheaval. When journalists are silenced, truth is silenced, and when trust in media is eroded, misinformation fills the void,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.

TORONTO—Unifor Media Action Plan will launch the new Fact Checked campaign, to combat misinformation and support Canadian journalism.  

“News media in Canada is under threat,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. 

“Attacks on journalistic integrity are fuel distrust in a time of radical disinformation This campaign shines a spotlight on the urgent need to protect responsible reporting though high-quality, fact-checked news.”

VANCOUVER—Following the closure of Glacier Media’s digital community newspapers in April and May, which affected the jobs of Unifor Local 2000 members, journalists are now banding together to form a worker co-op with the goal of launching a newspaper in regions of British Columbia.

“This grassroots project exemplifies the tenacity and dedication of journalists who care about their communities and the work they produce,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “This is not just a fight against news deserts, but a battle for democracy.”

MEDICINE HAT–The sudden closure of CHAT-TV in Medicine Hat, Alberta has resulted in the layoff of 16 Unifor media workers and the end of nearly seven decades of trusted local news programming.