I’ve only been at the helm of the Times for six months, living in town for just half that long, but I can tell you without reservation that the Fort is one heck of a special place.
Lest you think I’m simply paying lip service to my new home, rest assured, I’m not. I’ve lived and worked in cities big and small across North America, and I’ve never encountered a community that so values connection.
You’ve made my family and I feel instantly at home. We’ve basically walked in the door and been immediately accepted as friends and colleagues. The casual kindness we’ve experienced has far surpassed our expectations.
We all need more of that kind of connection. In a world increasingly fragmented in opinion and divided by bitterness, disinformation and discord, the more respectful, honest and open conversations we have, the closer we will be as a community.
And that’s what we’re working toward at The Times.
As Publisher Emeritus Jim Cumming puts it in his column today, The Times “has always strived to connect neighbours.” That’s never been more important.
We can’t do that without the support of our readers. You mean everything to us.
It’s no secret that newspapers have been dying out around the world. For decades, the onslaught of faster, more immediate sources of news have put pressure on the industry. We’re competing with TV, internet news platforms, phones, AI slop and a host of social media that, frankly, doesn’t care about anything other than its own advertising revenue.
It is certainly indifferent to your local news needs—in fact, the social media colossus that is Meta has refused to compensate news providers for the free use of their copyrighted material, choosing to block all Canadian news rather than pay a tiny sliver of their monstrous profits (though that is an issue for another time).
Like others, The Times has been hit by the decline. The pandemic was brutally hard on most media and newspapers truly felt the pain. Newsprint and ink are ever more expensive and getting harder to source. And, yes, we’ve lost subscribers as we adapt to the post-COVID, tariff-strangled world and work to get The Times back on track.
I will state it plainly: The Times is far from dead.
We are keenly aware that we’re the primary source of local news for the district, and we know we can keep serving you better. I’ve worked on virtually every type of news platform there is over the past 30 years or so, and I firmly believe that the printed page is a lasting, tried-and-true method of news delivery. When done right, it can be a place where the full story of a community is told.
Fundraisers, festivals, sports teams, arts groups and volunteer efforts all rely on coverage to reach people. A local paper amplifies their work and helps them succeed.
In an era of misinformation, a local newsroom is one of the few places where facts are checked, sources are verified and accuracy matters. That’s not something Facebook or TikTok can offer. Council meetings, school board decisions, infrastructure changes, local business developments—these things rarely make it to regional or national outlets. But they shape taxes, services, opportunities, and the future of the town.
Social media gives fragments. Rumours. Opinions. But a local paper gives the whole picture—news, events, milestones, challenges, celebrations. It’s the only institution dedicated to documenting life in the Fort consistently and responsibly. It keeps people informed about decisions that affect their daily lives.
Without it, huge parts of community life simply disappear from the record.
And here’s where we really need you. A local paper is not just a product, it’s a relationship. We’re asking you to continue supporting us and, in the months to come, we’ll be asking you to help us grow again.
This spring and summer we’ll be reaching out district-wide through a subscription drive, offering contests and incentives to sign up more readers for home and digital delivery. More readers mean more resources. More resources mean more reporting, more event coverage, more photography, more pages and a better paper.
We hope that you will join us in our mission to make The Times the best local newspaper in Canada and continue a 130-year tradition of news that matters. Send us your news tips, your feedback, your letters, your suggestions—we’re listening.
In return, we’re committed to improving The Times every step of the way. I can assure you that you’ll never find a team more selfless, dedicated team.
We’ve already begun by adding more reporting power to our editorial bullpen. We’re reaching out far out into the district, expanding our dialogue with local leaders and community organizers. We’re on the hunt for great stories and pictures and taking a hard look at the serious issues the region faces. For the future, we’re planning new content, expanded local coverage and new features, all while trying to keep costs in check and quality top notch.
It’s a challenge, but to me, it’s more than worth the effort. When people read the same stories, talk about the same issues and celebrate the same accomplishments, it creates common ground. That is the essence of community—and it’s incredibly precious.
