The Norman Webster Fellowship in support of ambitious Local News

Across Canada in the last 15 years, more than 500 local newsrooms have closed in nearly 350 communities. Communities are on the frontlines and at this critical time, local journalism merits special attention. The Michener Awards Foundation and the Rideau Hall Foundation are proud to be responding to this need with a new Fellowship, supported by the R. Howard Webster Foundation, that honours the legacy of the late Norman Webster and his contributions to Canadian public service journalism.

On June 5, 2025, the first Norman Webster Fellowship was awarded to two local news organizations at a ceremony in Ottawa at Rideau Hall, hosted by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.

Cabin Radio (Northwest Territories) and Le Droit (Eastern Ontario & the Outaouais) each received $125,000. The Norman Webster Fellowship is intended to help smaller Canadian newsrooms with big journalistic ambitions by augmenting their resources. The Fellowship recognizes that many important accountability stories aren’t being told, and wants to give editors the tools they need, while helping early career journalists explore new opportunities and gain valuable experience.

Cabin Radio will be investigating the circuit justice system in the Northwest Territories, while Le Droit will be doing a deep dive into chronic water issues in and around the national capital region.

The Rideau Hall Foundation is a non-partisan national charitable organization that brings together ideas, people and resources to celebrate what is best about Canada while working with partners to meaningfully improve lives and foster the conditions for more Canadians to succeed and thrive.

The Michener Awards honour, celebrate, and promote excellence in Canadian public service journalism. Established in 1970 by the late Right Honourable Roland Michener, Governor General of Canada from 1967 to 1974, the Michener Awards are Canada’s premier journalism award.