It was lucky number seven for the North Shore News at the 2023 Ma Murray Awards, with the newspaper scoring seven golds in the annual event recognizing the best community journalism in British Columbia and Yukon.
The winners were announced Thursday during an online event attended by journalists from across the province and territory.
Reporter Stefan Labbé was a big winner, picking up a pair of golds. In the Environmental Initiative category, Labbé won first place for the story How Drones are Replanting B.C.’s Burned Forests. He also received gold in the Outdoor Recreation Writing category for the story Too Wet, Too Rainy’: How Climate Change Could End Ski Business for Many B.C. Resorts.
Multi-media reporter Alanna Kelly also picked up a pair of wins. Kelly teamed up with reporter Jane Seyd to win the Breaking News Video category for the story North Vancouver Apartment Fire Displaces About 70 Residents. Kelly also won gold in the Feature Video Award category for the story This B.C. Travelling Vet Saves Animals From Swallowed Objects.
Reporter Brent Richter earned gold in the Neville Shanks Memorial Award for Historical Writing Category for his story North Van Built on Profits From Slave Trade, Says Founding Family.
Acting editor Andy Prest also picked up a win, earning gold in the Columnist Award category for the columns We’ve Got a Honkin’ Big Problem with the Flag Right Now and Cheers to Local Diners That Deliver Lifelong Memories.
Photographer Paul McGrath was another winner, picking up gold in the Sport Photo category for Skateboard Bowl, a cool action shot from the new Mahon Skatepark.
There were other strong results to celebrate as well, as the paper was nominated for a total of 12 awards.
North Shore News publisher Matt Blair won silver in the Reader Engagement Campaign category for his vintage online shop initiative, while reporter Mina Kerr-Lazenby earned bronze in the Columnist category for columns in her Newcomer to Vancouver series offering an outsider’s look at Vancouver’s transit system and weather.
Seyd earned bronze in the Outdoor Recreation Writing category for her story Swimmer Hailed as Hero after Harrowing Rescue, while photographer Mike Wakefield also earned bronze in the Feature Photo category for a shot he called Drama, a creative image captured inside the newly rebuilt Handsworth Secondary (see gallery above).
The North Shore News also earned bronze in the Newspaper General Excellence category for our circulation class, an award that recognizes the overall quality of the paper’s print edition.
