Journalist Justin McElroy named Douglas College’s 2023 Honorary Fellow

Throughout his career as a journalist, Justin McElroy has been committed to uncovering the truth and helping people in his community, and across the province, find light in hard times. In recognition of his tenacity, today McElroy was named Honorary Fellow at Douglas College.

“Justin’s dedication to providing the province with honest, timely and integral news reporting – especially during times of uncertainty – reflects the core values that Douglas College holds so greatly,” said Dr. Kathy Denton, President of Douglas College. “He has shown true resilience in his field of work, and for that we are proud to award him with this honour.”

This past year, McElroy was named one of Vancouver’s most influential people by Vancouver Magazine for his coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic. His dedication to unearthing statistics about the virus through data from health and government officials and creating charts to reflect the ever-changing state of the pandemic was instrumental in helping residents of B.C. find a sense of clarity.

"I'm humbled that Douglas College would think I'm deserving of becoming an Honorary Fellow,” said McElroy. “I truly resonate with the College’s motto of doing what you love, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to follow my own dreams by reporting on the province I love." 

Justin McElroy is the Municipal Affairs Reporter for CBC Vancouver, where he reports on city halls across the province. Prior to CBC, he worked for The Vancouver Sun, The Province, The Tyee, Maclean’s On Campus and Global BC, as well as NBC during coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. 

His accolades include a Jack Webster Award for Excellence in Digital Journalism, and two  
BC Region Radio Television Digital News Association awards for Data Storytelling (Global BC, 12 Deadliest Highways) and Sports Journalism (Global BC, An Oral History of the Vancouver Grizzlies).  

“I am grateful every day that I get to share my work with British Columbians and be part of so many powerful conversations,” said McElroy.  

Every April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, McElroy takes time to use his platform to reflect on his own experiences on the autism spectrum, as well as share the stories of others through social media posts, interviews and articles. 

Uplifting the voices of people with many different experiences on the autism spectrum, McElroy’s work has the power to decrease stigma and provide a greater understanding of what being autistic can mean.  

Douglas College is the largest degree-granting college in B.C., combining the academic foundations of a university and the employer-ready skills of a college to graduate resilient global citizens who adapt, innovate and lead in a changing world. 

For more information, visit douglascollege.ca.

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Contact    

Elizabeth Douglas   

Communications Coordinator  
douglase2@douglascollege.ca