The Red Bird is Live: Local musicians welcome new venue to Ottawa’s music scene
Red Bird Live, a new music venue in Old Ottawa South, hosts live performances, music lessons and weekly events to give local artists the spotlight.
Emma O'Toole
I am a multimedia journalist and communications professional based in Toronto, Ontario.
Since 2021, my work has appeared in Capital Current and Maclean's.
My love for community draws me to local stories though my curiosity spans the globe -- from a local bagel shop to Hawaii's coral reefs, no story is too big or too small.
While studying journalism at Carleton University, I interned with the Global Entrepreneurship Network in a communications role to report on businesses in Nigeria, the Phillippines, and Bhutan. In classes and in the field, I learned from industry leaders based at the Star, CBC News and beyond. I am a two-time recipient of the Phyllis K. Wilson Scholarship in Journalism and a recipient of the Elizabeth Paulette-Coughlin and Peter Coughlin Scholarship in Journalism.
When I'm not writing stories, you can find me hiking, painting, or writing elsewhere.
Featured Writing
Articles
Lights out: Ice storm forces always-open Kettlemans to close for a day
For thirty years, hungry Ottawans have relied on Kettlemans Bagel Co. for a 24/7 bite to eat. An ice storm Wednesday took that luxury away.
Entrepreneur Spotlight: How one grocery store in the Philippines is giving products’ packaging a second chance – and a third, and a fourth
When Ma.Leonelle de Leon-Sandoval was a kid, milk came in glass containers. Decades later, it's what inspired her to launch her business.
Wave goodbye to coral reefs: New science suggests Hawaii’s tourists are loving these vulnerable ocean ecosystems to death
Hawaii’s visitors love coral reefs, but some scientists say they may be doing more harm than good.
Entrepreneur Spotlight: How Bhutan’s first-ever recycling initiative is paving the way to a sustainable future
When Rikesh Gurung traveled from Bhutan to India for school in 2003, he expected to return home with an education – and he came back with much more.
Exploring The Rooftop Garden: Ottawa book launch showcases author’s debut novel
Journalist and author Menaka Raman-Wilms shares the inspiration behind her debut novel and how she wrote it at a coffee shop in Ottawa.
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Ottawa-based stem cell therapy offers treatment for newborn lung disease: A shining hope for the future of preterm births
BPD affects thousands of premature babies every year. Ottawa researchers may have a cure.
Video Sample
In 2022, I filmed, edited and produced a news segment for CJTV News, a Carleton University news network.
This segment covers Ottawa's transit service, OC Transpo, in the wake of the Freedom Convoy's occupation of the downtown core which brought the city -- and its busses -- to a halt.
As compensation to their riders, OC Transpo offered free transit in March. But as the month comes to an end, some riders aren't ready to resume paying regular fares again.
Audio Sample
In 2021, I recorded, edited and produced a news segment for Radio News, a Carleton University news network.
This segment showcases Mādahòkì Farm's annual Tagwàgi Festival, an autumn attraction featuring Indigenous artists. Trina Mather-Simard, Mādahòkì Farm's CEO, speaks on the impact Canada's first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation had on the event.