By the numbers: breaking down a particular issue by numbers—area, cost, volume, percentages, etc. For example: Textile waste in Canada; How student debt during the pandemic affects women.

Columns Have a hot take on a current event? Want to write a first-person memoir that taps into the state of modern society and politics? Our columns section is for you. We assign both 500-600 and 1,000-1,200-word opinion-based columns each issue, ranging from personal stories to third-person op-eds. Each story, regardless of its tone and voice, is thoroughly researched and well supported by a strong thesis.

Mapping Canada: a map that denotes a particular issue or goings-on within Canada. For example: places in need of safer consumption sites; progressive summer camps, Land Back movements.

Think Again: exploring something progressive people think is a positive, that might not be as good as they sound. Examples: how electric scooters play into ableism; The problem with zero waste stores; The truth about the plastic straw ban.

Timeline: a way of tracking history, events, etc.

What’s Inside: an “under-the-hood”–style slug that explores and “decodes” the inner workings of a concept/object/law/bill/etc. Ideally includes an interview.

Features A good This Magazine article offers background and context to ongoing Canadian issues, a challenge to the mainstream media perspective or an important story that hasn’t been told elsewhere. Our readership is Canada-wide, so local issues are only covered when they have national interest or implications. International stories must have a strong Canadian angle. We love printing stories like:

Hard-hitting, investigative reports exposing government cover-ups, corporate malfeasance, scientific myopia, or institutional fraud or hypocrisy.
Thoughtful, provocative articles that challenge conventional wisdom concerning issues of national importance.
Timely, people-oriented stories on issues such as the environment, education, labour, feminism, Indigenous affairs, the media, health care and cultural trends.
Provocative satire exposing blinkered thinking on the left or right; revealing media blind-spots, skewering trends in pop culture, business culture etc.
In-depth, service-driven pieces offering practical information not generally available in the mainstream media.
Literary journalism, essays and memoir, in which strong narrative, unique voice and compelling subject matter are paramount.
Generally, we are likely to favour stories that stake out strong positions, feature compelling characters, tell an untold story (or tell a well-known story from a novel perspective), and propose concrete solutions to pressing problems.

Profile: highlighting the compelling work of an interesting person or organization. We often lean toward profiling organizations, but profiles of individuals are possible. Must include an interview.

Spotlight: think of this space as a mini-profile on a particular cause, organization or idea. Again, we usually focus on organizations or short news stories the mainstream press hasn’t covered. Must include an interview.

Columns Have a hot take on a current event? Want to write a first-person memoir that taps into the state of modern society and politics? Our columns section is for you. We assign both 500-600 and 1,000-1,200-word opinion-based columns each issue, ranging from personal stories to third-person op-eds. Each story, regardless of its tone and voice, is thoroughly researched and well supported by a strong thesis.

Features A good This Magazine article offers background and context to ongoing Canadian issues, a challenge to the mainstream media perspective or an important story that hasn’t been told elsewhere. Our readership is Canada-wide, so local issues are only covered when they have national interest or implications. International stories must have a strong Canadian angle. We love printing stories like:

Hard-hitting, investigative reports exposing government cover-ups, corporate malfeasance, scientific myopia, or institutional fraud or hypocrisy.
Thoughtful, provocative articles that challenge conventional wisdom concerning issues of national importance.
Timely, people-oriented stories on issues such as the environment, education, labour, feminism, Indigenous affairs, the media, health care and cultural trends.
Provocative satire exposing blinkered thinking on the left or right; revealing media blind-spots, skewering trends in pop culture, business culture etc.
In-depth, service-driven pieces offering practical information not generally available in the mainstream media.
Literary journalism, essays and memoir, in which strong narrative, unique voice and compelling subject matter are paramount.
Generally, we are likely to favour stories that stake out strong positions, feature compelling characters, tell an untold story (or tell a well-known story from a novel perspective), and propose concrete solutions to pressing problems.

Easily Missed: an important Canadian news event/trend that’s being under-reported or ignored by the mainstream press—something that may have been covered in community/regional or student media, but hasn’t had national coverage. Should include an interview.

Features A good This Magazine article offers background and context to ongoing Canadian issues, a challenge to the mainstream media perspective or an important story that hasn’t been told elsewhere. Our readership is Canada-wide, so local issues are only covered when they have national interest or implications. International stories must have a strong Canadian angle. We love printing stories like:

Hard-hitting, investigative reports exposing government cover-ups, corporate malfeasance, scientific myopia, or institutional fraud or hypocrisy.
Thoughtful, provocative articles that challenge conventional wisdom concerning issues of national importance.
Timely, people-oriented stories on issues such as the environment, education, labour, feminism, Indigenous affairs, the media, health care and cultural trends.
Provocative satire exposing blinkered thinking on the left or right; revealing media blind-spots, skewering trends in pop culture, business culture etc.
In-depth, service-driven pieces offering practical information not generally available in the mainstream media.
Literary journalism, essays and memoir, in which strong narrative, unique voice and compelling subject matter are paramount.
Generally, we are likely to favour stories that stake out strong positions, feature compelling characters, tell an untold story (or tell a well-known story from a novel perspective), and propose concrete solutions to pressing problems.