Storytelling is a puzzle, and I’m always searching for the missing pieces. Growing up on my family’s grain farm in southeast Saskatchewan, I learned early on that every story has layers: cultural, personal, political and financial that need to be carefully pieced together to reveal the larger tapestry.
Whether I’m reporting on what the premier is saying about the launch of a new nursing school, how recession talk is impacting fashion-conscious Canadians or how a new national monument is landing with an Algonquin elder, my goal is to uncover the why and link the pieces in a way that provides answers to my audience.
After an early hyper-fixation on journalism, I honed my storytelling skills at Carleton University in Ottawa. There, I developed a passion for relentlessly curious reporting, photography and radio producing. I’ve also been fortunate enough to receive training on how to do science and health journalism, cover stories in Indigenous communities and report with a trauma-informed lens.
After graduating, I dove headfirst into the world of daily news at the Saskatoon StarPhoenix while still making time to indulge in the occasional feature story. After that, I joined The Globe and Mail’s newsroom as a summer staff reporter on the business desk. In this role, I covered everything from Toronto’s World Cup mania, the legislation that permits gruelling working conditions for camp counsellors and how some crop farmers are using AI to harness to power of their data.
My upbringing on a farm in a small section of the oil patch offers me a unique perspective on the agriculture industry and energy politics. Today, I’m passionate about telling human-centred stories amidst the polarization.
If you remember anything about me, let it be this: I remain an optimist. Despite warnings from my mentors about the declining news industry, I believe a renaissance is on the horizon: One that centres humanity, engages readers and adapts to meet their needs and wants.
I aim to be part of that movement, and I’d love to collaborate with you if you feel the same. And if you’re interested in my after-work musings, feel free to check out my Substack newsletter, Lively Remark. Here, I share my career learnings and inspirations.
Please send me a note at livgrandy@gmail.com if you’d like to get in touch.
Olivia Grandy 