In 2026, the Lieutenant Governor’s BC Journal Fellowship has been awarded to Tchadas Leo of CHEK News and Amanda Follett Hosgood of The Tyee.
Tchadas Leo will explore how aging infrastructure, climate vulnerability, and limited emergency access leave remote First Nations communities in British Columbia exposed to public safety risks despite ongoing government funding commitments. His reporting will explore how gaps between announced infrastructure investments and the lived realities in remote Indigenous communities reveal broader questions about accountability, climate resilience, reconciliation, and the long-term protection of vulnerable coastal and northern Nations.
“I am extremely grateful for this incredible opportunity,” says Leo. “Having the resources and time to work on an Indigenous story that I am passionate about is truly special. I am honoured that I will be able to feature remote Indigenous communities and their stories and struggles, which go often unheard. These communities often have struggles that persist year after year, where action never comes. Through this Fellowship, I will explore climate resilience and infrastructure challenges in a way that hopefully creates a conversation and tangible action for change.”
Amanda Follett Hosgood will produce a multi-part story examining the effects of declining news media capacity in small-town British Columbia. Her reporting will focus on B.C.’s northeast, a region considered a “news desert” following the closure of several news outlets. It will also examine the pivotal role played by one local reporter in the wake of the tragic Tumbler Ridge shooting. In addition to considering the effects on communities, Follett Hosgood’s reporting will seek possible solutions for better informing the public amid a changing media landscape. “During my 24 years in journalism, I’ve witnessed first-hand the declining capacity in small-town newsrooms,” said Follett Hosgood. “I’m excited to take a closer look at how the loss of several media outlets in northeast B.C. is affecting communities in the region and what possible solutions exist for ensuring residents remain informed.”
Please visit https://ltgov.bc.ca/lieutenant-governors-bc-journalism-fellowship/ for more information on the Lieutenant Governor’s Journalism Fellowship. To donate to this program that is financially supported by the Government House Foundation, please visit https://bcgovhousefoundation.ca/donate/.