Columns

Allan McKeown - Earth Matters

Allan McKeown is a dedicated member of Climate Action Sarnia-Lambton and has previously stood as a candidate for the local Green Party. His deep passion for environmental issues drives his commitment to protecting and preserving our natural surroundings, making him a valuable advocate within his community.

Andrew Wilton

Andrew Wilton is a newcomer to the Sarnia scene, transplanted from Waterloo where he was the editor of a monthly community newsletter. He is keenly interested in how art, creativity, and work on the local level can shape the wider world around us. He is a father of three, an experienced chef, a lifelong writer of speculative fiction, a student of philosophy and ideas, a Dungeon Master, a bass player, and a novice balloon twister.

Art Connolly

Humans of Sarnia founder Art Connolly is a man fuelled by curiosity and a passion for connecting with people in Sarnia. Inspired by the renowned “Humans of New York” series, with a camera in hand, he captures the very essence of the individuals he encounters, preserving their stories through his lens.

Charles Dalmas

Charles Dalmas is a Sarnia-based musician, educator, and writer with decades of experience in the local arts community. As Music Director of the Sarnia Sea Cadets and the Bluewater Wind Ensemble, he has spent years mentoring young musicians and contributing to the region’s cultural life. A former principal clarinetist with the International Symphony Orchestra, Dalmas now brings his perspective to the page, sharing thoughtful reflections shaped by a lifelong career in music and community involvement.

Chris Lewis

Chris Lewis is a real estate professional serving the Sarnia area, with experience across Ontario’s housing markets since 2020. Through his column, he shares insights for local readers on navigating buying, selling, and investing, with a focus on market trends and real estate decisions that matter to the community.

Curtis Robichaud

Curtis Robichaud is a clinical occupational therapist with a unique interest in city planning, housing, transportation, and community development. A passionate rugby player and advocate for smarter urban growth, Curtis brings a thoughtful and research-driven perspective to local issues affecting Sarnia-Lambton. His writing often explores housing affordability, transit systems, infrastructure, and the way cities can better support the people who live in them.

Gordon Bourgon

Gordon Bourgon calls Sarnia his home. Most of his working life was spent in the food industry. He did brief stints in construction, landscaping, as a drum instructor and part time musician. Semi-retired now, he is a holistic nutritionist, and professional cleaner.

He has had short fiction as well as some non-fiction pieces published in Canada, U.K. and the USA. He is excited to rediscover his community and write about it.

Greg McConkey

Helen Cole

Helen Cole is a dedicated advocate for women in leadership, particularly in politics. As the Founder of The Jean Collective, she empowers women to step into leadership roles. Helen offers a range of support, from campaign strategy support to hosting Women’s Leadership Conferences in Elgin, Middlesex and Lambton Counties. Her journey into leadership eventually lead her to serve as a municipal councillor in the City of St. Thomas and to hold leadership positions, including managing the local Canadian Cancer Society. Inspired by her mentor, Jean McDougall, Helen founded The Jean Collective to help more women enter politics and/or community leadership.

Josh Walters

Katie Freeman

Katie Freeman is a born and bred Sarnian with a preoccupation for people and culture/art at large. Tackling the big picture and how it relates to the human experience is what keeps her curious. She has an English Lit & Rhetoric degree from the University of Waterloo, a cat, and crippling addiction to fantasy novels.

Manjit Singh

Manjit, a retired anaesthetist turned entrepreneur, was the heart of our community as the owner and operator of Sitara, a beloved restaurant. Described as an amazing role model and outstanding individual, Manjit's kindness, compassion, and generosity were evident in every smiling interaction with patrons and neighbours alike.

Nathalie Sint

Nathalie Sint is a graduate of Western University with a specialization in genetics and biochemistry. As the founder and Head of Education at Tutor Labs Canada, she is deeply committed to supporting students in their academic journeys and helping them succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Outside of her professional work, Nathalie is an avid snowboarder, a dedicated dog mom, and a published author who enjoys exploring both the scientific and creative worlds through writing and education.

Nathan Colquhoun

Nathan Colquhoun, a former city councillor in Sarnia, is known for his involvement in community and politics. He owns the Sarnia Journal and has co-founded several businesses including Refined Fool Brewing Company, Burger Rebellion, Storyboard Solutions, and Listenology. He is dedicated to building just systems within Sarnia and remains actively engaged in various initiatives.

Robert Dickieson

Since 2015, Robert Dickieson has embraced Sarnia as his home, infusing it with the rich perspectives he's gained from his Munich, Germany origins and extensive travels across Canada, North American and many places around the globe. With a keen interest in urban planning, Robert is especially passionate about incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion into the fabric of city design. A relentless advocate for active transportation, he's frequently seen exploring Sarnia by bike or on foot. Beyond his professional life in regulatory veterinary medicine, Robert is a devoted father, husband, and an enthusiastic sourdough baker.

Rodney Beatty

Rodney Beatty offers a candid perspective on fairness, governance, and modern life in his new column for the Sarnia Journal. Drawing on his background in municipal leadership, community development, and senior business management, he blends personal reflections with a commitment to positive change, aiming to spark meaningful conversations and challenge readers to see issues from new angles.

Ronny Rooster

Ronny Rooster is a Sarnia-based photographer who has called the community home for more than four decades. After a pipeline accident in 2000 reshaped his path, he found purpose behind the lens.

Photography didn’t come easily at first, but through persistence and passion, Ronny developed a style rooted in patience and reflection. Today, his work is driven by something deeper than technique. He sees photography as a way to heal, both for himself and for others, capturing moments that offer connection, comfort, and a sense of peace.

Samantha Saucier

Samantha is a young Haudenosaunee woman with ancestry from the Mohawk Nation territory of Akwesasne, living and building her career in the Sarnia Lambton community since 2013. Samantha is a Communications Advisor with pipikwan pêhtâkwan but in her free time, she is an active writer, birder, and volunteer with several community organizations. She is dedicated to leading collaborative initiatives that empower youth, young professionals, and marginalized voices as co-founder of the Sarnia Journal's Young & Excellent podcast.

Sarnia Nibbles

Sarnialonian Bee

SPROINK!

SPROINK! draws pictures. SPROINK! likes to punch up at people that punch down. SPROINK! thinks those people deserve it.

Steve MacDouell

When Steve MacDouell isn't teaching at Fanshawe College, you can find him collaborating on place-based projects, writing about urban life, and inviting everyday citizens to leverage their capacities and longings for the sake of their neighbourhoods. He’s also the co-founder of Good City Co., a civic organization that creates projects, platforms, and activations to help citizens take greater ownership over the places that they call home.

Tya Emberseed

Tya Emberseed is a terminally online Sarnia resident whose persuasive writing challenges the deeply held biases that keep us from growing together as a community. Their columns link local events and debates to the broader societal trends and systemic issues shaping them. Spotify shill, chronic binge-watcher, and novice tarantula keeper, Tya crawls the web, lurking through comment sections to get a pulse on what people are really thinking when masks are off.