Our story
Timeline & photos: A co-operative media vision, years in the making
De Facto Journalism Co-op launched on May 1, 2026. But our first meeting was over two years earlier, in February 2024. Here are some milestones since then:
Some other journalists who inspire us:
• ProPublica (New York)
• Pivot co-op (Montreal)
• 404 Media (Newhaven)
• Injustice Watch (Chicago)
• Defector co-op (New York)
• Secret Canada (Globe & Mail, Toronto)
• Investigative Journalism Foundation (Toronto)
• CivicSearchlight (National Observer, Vancouver)
• Reveal (Center for Investigative Reporting, San Francisco)
Photos from top left: ① Brishti & Dustin at our first strategic planning retreat at Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, in July 2024. ②③ Emma, David, Brishti, Mike & Dustin at 2nd planning retreat at Vancouver Co-op Radio in September 2024. ④ De Facto's first public appearance — David tabling at the BC Federation of Labour convention in Vancouver in November 2024. ⑤ De Facto AGM and 3rd planning retreat in Victoria in December 2025. ⑥⑦ Newest team member Cam (holding sign) joins our first full-group photo — at our inaugural public event in September 2026 in Victoria. ⑧ Stickers, our first merch, hot off the presses. ⑨ Dustin, Emma & David broadcast on De Facto Radio on Oct. 3, 2026 on Vancouver Co-op Radio. ⑩⑪⑫ Cinnabunny, Hobbes and Willow hard at work on investigations. Photos by Mike Graeme, David P. Ball, Brishti Basu, Dustin Godfrey