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Celebrating 6 months, 3 investigative series, 500 subscribers & 30,000 visits

Our reporters hit the classroom. What the BC and civic elections mean for drug users. Charter rights in court.

Celebrating 6 months, 3 investigative series, 500 subscribers & 30,000 visits

Today marks 6 months since we published our debut story! 

With your support, we've now released 12 articles over 3 in-depth series on:

• How Vancouver region police forces are calling immigration enforcement on people, often during routine interactions like transit fare checks or traffic stops:

Series #1: Immigration enforcement
De Facto's debut investigation takes a look at the collusion between law enforcement and immigration authorities — and its consequences
De Facto Journalism Co-opDe Facto Journalism Co-op

• The prosecution of the Drug User Liberation Front — whose founders' charges were tossed by a judge:

Series #2: Drug User Liberation Front prosecution
De Facto digs behind the scenes of a police raid on a harm-reduction compassion club — and why a court threw out charges against its founders
De Facto Journalism Co-opDe Facto Journalism Co-op

• How bylaw officers in Victoria destroy unhoused people's valued belongings, even brand-new tents:

Series #3: Unhoused people's seized belongings
De Facto uses tracking devices to show how people's valuables are often simply thrown into the dump — even brand new tents and other survival items
De Facto Journalism Co-opDe Facto Journalism Co-op

To celebrate our 6-month anniversary, we now have a new dedicated Our Investigations page on our website to curate all our series:

Our investigations
De Facto publishes investigations that hold institutions accountable — using journalism to shine a light on systems of power and abuses of rights and authority
De Facto Journalism Co-opDe Facto Journalism Co-op

Your support lets us to publish work that interrogates power and highlights truth. 

With each new article, we’ve seen dozens of new subscribers join our flock.

Our website has just surpassed 30,000 visits, by 16,000 readers.

Our most popular article was our recent investigation of unhoused people's belongings. Not only did it reach 4,000 people, but it also welcomed nearly 50 new subscribers!

Victoria bylaw officers trashed newly donated tents within days — contrary to city claims
The city has disputed years of claims that it discards unhoused people's belongings. De Facto reporters tracked new tents and carts to see where they ended up.
De Facto Journalism Co-opDe Facto Journalism Co-op

Thanks to our newest Defactors (paid subscribers), this story alone raised $800 for our year ahead.

We’re just getting started. Help us keep building on this momentum:

Donate to De Facto Donate to De Facto
Mike (left) and Brishti bring De Facto to Camosun College. Photo courtesy Seb Bonet

DE CLASS-ified

Last week, Brishti and Mike were honoured to speak in a Camosun College sociology class about their latest investigation. 

The pair spoke to around 30 students, sharing the aims and findings from our latest series: using AirTags to track how Victoria bylaw officers trash unhoused peoples’ belongings, against city policy.

Students expressed their surprise at the futility of the city’s actions — and asked meaningful questions about why this is happening, and what they can do with the information we presented.

It was an hour-and-a-half well spent, and left us feeling inspired about the impact our work can have. 

Thanks to professor Seb Bonet for inviting us to speak to his class! (We'd be happy to meet more students of any age, in Victoria or Vancouver areas).

Our story

We have a new section to our website, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how our co-operative came to be — and some photos from our earliest planning (not to mention the beloved animals who help us in our efforts).

Our story
Timeline & photos: A co-operative media vision, years in the making
De Facto Journalism Co-op

Check out our interactive timeline, and some of the journalism co-ops and non-profits who mentored and inspired us along the way.

We're so proud of the past six months, and eager for what lies ahead!

Photo by David P. Ball/De Facto

De Facto Radio

Our weekly podcast continues every Saturday at 11am on CFRO.

De Facto Radio
On major podcast platforms & broadcast Saturdays 11-11:30am PT at 100.5FM
De Facto Journalism Co-op

This week's episode:

Dustin and David speak with two organizers in the Downtown Eastside about how the provincial and civic elections could impact drug users.

How to listen:

  • Right now, here or in podcast platforms
  • Saturday 11-11:30am PT, on CFRO 100.5

Featured guests:

We ask how their community is bracing for a potential of escalating legal crackdowns, and how they’ll continue fighting for their loved ones’ lives.

And with BC moving far right and Vancouver shifting leftward, they discuss a shift in tactics needed to survive — and why municipal leadership may become more and more crucial.

Podcast: Harm reduction workers on the BC & municipal elections (E07: Oct 31, 2026)
Available on major podcast platforms & 11am Saturday on 100.5fm in Vancouver
De Facto Journalism Co-opDavid P. Ball

Next episode

Next week, we're excited to bring the entire team together for the first time on-air for a wide-ranging talk about our first half-year of investigative stories — and what our readers can expect ahead.

Stay tuned, and thank you for tuning in, reading, and sharing our work.