The Lower Mainland’s population has changed dramatically. From 2001 to 2011 almost 300,000 new immigrants settled there, transforming the makeup of neighborhoods and entire cities. In Richmond and many Surrey neighborhoods, whites are now the visible minorities. Foreign-born immigrants make up 40 per cent of the population in Metro Vancouver.

Province editors had been noticing a growing undercurrent of racism, particularly in comments on their website. They saw a splintered and segregated community, with a growing number of ethnic enclaves and increasing tension about issues of language and values, and decided to tackle the issues head on.

Reporters, editors, photographers and web staffers worked on the series from June through October 2013. The 15 staffers involved represented almost a quarter of the Province’s newsroom, so required a major commitment of time and resources.

Province reporters did ten segments and turned six days of coverage over to readers.  The 16-part series included ten essays from community members and more than 50 letters from readers in print. The project was organic and interactive, allowing readers to set some of the agenda and introduce new ideas and angles. The result was controversial, provocative, and truly engaged the community. It explored a topic that had been taboo. With immigration continuing to rise and the pervasive racism against First Nations people, these are issues Canadians need to deal with if we are to become a more cohesive and integrated community and country. The series tackled a tough topic with courage and sensitivity and kick-started a desperately needed community discussion. “Racism in Paradise” is public service journalism, shining a light on an issue that needed to be explored and provoking people to think and talk about the racism in our midst.