Northern Focus (northernfocus.org) is an independent Canadian digital news publisher owned and operated by Northern Beacon Media Inc. This Editorial Policy explains how we produce, review and distinguish our content so that readers can trust what they read and understand how we work. Every article we publish is the result of a structured editorial process that prioritises accuracy, fairness and transparency.
How do we decide what to publish?
Our newsroom, led by Editor-in-Chief Catherine Roy and Managing Editor Marc Tremblay, selects stories based on relevance to Canadian regional audiences, factual significance and public interest. We cover municipal affairs, provincial policy, business, technology and community stories without spin or oversimplification.
Story ideas come from reporters, editors, readers and public records. Each proposal is assessed by the relevant desk editor — Hannah Walsh for municipal affairs, Jessica Morin for provincial policy, or Kevin Sullivan for community coverage — before assignment. No story is published without a named writer, an editor’s review and a fact-check by Andrew Leblanc, our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead.
What is the difference between news, opinion, features, sponsored and affiliate content?
We clearly label each piece of content so readers know exactly what they are reading. News articles report facts and events without commentary. Opinion pieces, clearly marked as such, reflect the views of the author and not necessarily those of Northern Focus. Features provide deeper analysis or narrative reporting, grounded in verified sources.
Sponsored content is produced by or in collaboration with an advertiser and is labelled “Sponsored” or “Paid Content” at the top. Affiliate content includes links that may earn Northern Focus a commission; these links are disclosed in the article or a footer notice. Commercial relationships never determine editorial conclusions, and our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure explains these practices in full.
What transparency do we provide at the article level?
Every article on Northern Focus includes the writer’s full name, a publication date and a “Last updated” timestamp if corrections or clarifications have been made. Articles also note whether they were updated after initial publication and link to our Corrections Policy for context.
If an article uses AI-assisted tools for research, drafting or formatting, that is disclosed in a footer note. Sponsored and affiliate content carries additional labels as described above. Readers can always see who wrote the piece, who edited it and whether it was fact-checked by contacting the editorial team via our Contact page.
How do we maintain independence from commercial interests?
Northern Focus is funded through display advertising, affiliate links, commercial partnerships, sponsored content, newsletter sponsorships and content licensing. No advertiser, sponsor or partner has any influence over editorial decisions, story selection or the conclusions drawn in our journalism.
Our Ownership & Funding page details our corporate structure and revenue sources. Our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure explains how we label commercial content. Catherine Roy, as Editor-in-Chief, has final authority over all editorial content and reports to no commercial stakeholder.
What you can expect from us
You can expect every article to be written by a named journalist, reviewed by an editor and fact-checked before publication. We correct errors promptly and transparently, and we label all content types — news, opinion, features, sponsored and affiliate — so there is no confusion. We use AI tools only to support human work, never to replace it, and we disclose that use.
Our team is accountable. Marc Tremblay oversees daily newsroom operations, Hannah Walsh handles municipal coverage, Jessica Morin manages provincial reporting, Kevin Sullivan covers community stories, and Andrew Leblanc leads fact-checking and corrections. You can meet them on our Our Team page.
How do we use AI and automation?
AI-assisted tools may support research, editing, formatting, translation, metadata, headline options, summaries and transcription. All published editorial content is reviewed and approved by a human editor. AI must never fabricate quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience or expert profiles.
Our AI & Automation Policy provides a full description of how these tools are used and governed. If you have questions about a specific article’s use of AI, contact our editorial team at editorial@northernfocus.org.
How do we handle attribution and named writers?
Every article on Northern Focus carries the byline of the journalist who reported and wrote it. Opinion pieces include the author’s name and a note that the views are their own. We do not publish anonymous or pseudonymous content except in rare cases where a source’s safety is at risk, and that exception is explained in the article.
Our Our Team page lists all editorial staff, their roles and contact information. Readers can verify the credentials of any writer or editor by reaching out to the newsroom.
How do we handle mistakes?
When we make a mistake, we correct it promptly and transparently. Corrections are noted at the top or bottom of the article with the date and nature of the change. Significant errors may result in a formal correction notice or, in rare cases, a retraction.
Andrew Leblanc, our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, oversees all corrections. Readers can report errors by emailing corrections@northernfocus.org or using our Complaints Procedure page.
Questions or concerns?
If you have a question about our editorial process, a complaint about a specific article or a concern about our independence, please contact the appropriate desk. For editorial standards and corrections, reach Catherine Roy at catherine.roy@northernfocus.org or +1 416 555 0220. For general inquiries, use info@northernfocus.org. Our full Complaints Procedure explains how we investigate and respond to concerns. You can also review our Sources & Standards page for more detail on how we verify information.