Mass journalism layoffs don't just mean a gap in news coverage. Experts worry they'll hurt democracy too

The mass layoffs of more than 600 people at Metroland Media Group, along with the news that Nordstar plans to stop printing most of its 70 community newspapers across Ontario, spells trouble for a healthy democracy, say industry experts.

The layoffs included 68 journalists, while the Nordstar cuts mean no more community papers covering everything from the fight for a local hospital to late-night school board meetings. The company's six daily newspapers, including the Hamilton Spectator, Peterborough Examiner, St. Catharines Standard, Niagara Falls Review, Welland Tribune, and the Waterloo Region Record, will continue both in print and online.

Karim Bardeesy, the executive director of the democracy group The Dais, and himself a former journalist, says that isn't good news for accountability.

"There's some evidence that in news deserts or places with less attention on local politics, there's some relationship between that and more local corruption," he said.

"The presence of journalists in the community keeps those in power, and those who were trying to court those in power, a bit on their toes."

As laid off journalists look to their next steps and those who remain try to do more with less, experts like Bardeesy stress that the layoffs affect everyone in a community. Bardeesy says an all-hands-on-deck approach is needed to respond to the situation.

He says politicians or activists can't take the place of well-resourced journalism to dig into an issue.

"Sometimes it just takes one journalist working in a local community to really draw attention to what might be happening at the city level," he said.

Brian Capitao aimed to be that kind of journalist.

He told CBC Toronto his stories about issues like housing resulted in council debate and policy shifts. But on Friday, he learned he'd be losing his municipal affairs reporter job at the Vaughan Citizen, a Metroland paper.

"It made me feel good, because there was a real cause and effect there," he said. "Without a local reporter, I think that there is going to be a missing gap."

The layoffs and elimination of physical papers are also worrisome to some who hold political power. 

Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy said she is "very concerned" about how community members will get the information they need.

Roy said the city has long taken out ads in the physical paper, calling it a key communication tool for seniors in particular. Community events, information about potential developments and candidate events during an election are posted in the paper, she said.