A split screen shows a freelance journalist on the left side, face down at her writing desk, struggling with her mental health. On the right side, the same journalist now sits across from a therapist in her office, discussing how best to help her.

Not Just a Newsroom Problem

Canadian journalists have long shouldered the responsibility of reporting on tragedies and distressing events, oftentimes at the expense of their own mental well-being. While many staff writers now have access to employer-funded mental health resources, the situation is different for freelancers, who are often left to navigate these challenges alone.
Freelancer Matt Elliot sits on a bench with his laptop, outside a legacy newsroom building, which only has a few lights left on. In a thought bubble that appears to his right, we see that his laptop screen shows the “Substack” logo.

The Substack Dilemma

A longtime music journalist, Michael Barclay began writing on Substack during what he calls a “mid-career crisis.” After working for Exclaim!, Maclean’s, CBC, and other outlets, he launched That Night in Toronto, a newsletter focused on music and culture.

Poor Things

Freelance rates haven’t risen since the 1980s. Meet the journalists who haven’t…