Kelowna Daily (kelownadaily.com) is committed to protecting the welfare and privacy of minors featured in our journalism. This Safeguarding & Minors Policy sets out the extra care we take when covering children, including mandatory additional review by Standards Lead Andrew Leblanc before publication. The policy is overseen by Editor‑in‑Chief Catherine Roy and is part of our broader Editorial Policy and team standards. Any concerns about minor‑related content can be sent to complaints@kelownadaily.com.
Who is responsible for this policy and who owns Kelowna Daily?
Andrew Leblanc, Standards & Fact‑Checking Lead, is the named editor responsible for enforcing the Safeguarding & Minors Policy. He reports to Editor‑in‑Chief Catherine Roy, who retains final authority over publication decisions. Kelowna Daily is owned and operated by Pacific Ridge Digital Media Inc., a British Columbia corporation (BC Registry Services company number BC1487293). Our registered office is Suite 800, 1055 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3, Canada. This ownership structure is disclosed in full on our Ownership & Funding page.
What additional safeguards apply to content involving minors?
Every article, image, or multimedia piece that names, quotes, or visually depicts a minor receives an extra layer of scrutiny from Andrew Leblanc before it can be published. This review goes beyond our standard fact‑checking process, which is detailed in our Fact‑Checking Policy. Specific safeguards include: verifying that any identification of a child is editorially necessary, avoiding speculative or sensational details that could cause harm, and, where appropriate, obscuring identities or using pseudonyms. We also require explicit parental or guardian consent before conducting interviews with children under 16, unless the story is in the clear public interest and reviewed by Catherine Roy.
How do we handle sensitive reporting about children?
When covering topics such as abuse, family legal disputes, medical conditions, or school incidents, we apply a heightened duty of care. Our reporters and editors are trained to minimise distress and protect future reputations. We never publish a child’s home address, school name (unless essential and with consent), or social media handles. Any story that might re‑traumatise a minor is flagged for Andrew Leblanc, who may consult external child‑welfare professionals. Our Sources & Standards page outlines the source‑verification requirements that apply specifically to minor‑related information.
How can readers raise concerns about minor‑related content?
If you believe a piece published by Kelowna Daily has failed to adequately protect a minor, or if you wish to request removal of a minor’s name or image, please contact complaints@kelownadaily.com. Your concern will be logged and reviewed by Andrew Leblanc, and if necessary escalated to Catherine Roy. We aim to acknowledge receipt within two business days and to issue a substantive response within ten business days. Our full Complaints Procedure explains the steps we take to investigate and, where appropriate, correct or remove content.
Our commitments
- We require an additional review by Standards Lead Andrew Leblanc before any content naming or depicting a minor is published.
- We obtain verifiable parental or guardian consent for interviews with children under 16, unless a clear public‑interest exception has been authorised by the Editor‑in‑Chief.
- We avoid identifying minors in stories about sensitive family, medical, or legal matters unless the identification is editorially necessary and has been approved by both Andrew Leblanc and Catherine Roy.
- We provide a dedicated complaints channel (complaints@kelownadaily.com) for concerns about minor‑related content and respond within ten business days.
- We review this policy annually and update it as needed to reflect best practices in child safeguarding and Canadian privacy law, with any changes published on this page.