The public face of quality local news in the Valley is, without question, The Gleaner. However, behind the success of The Gleaner is another organization, the Chateauguay Valley Community Information Services. CVCIS publishes The Gleaner, and in an era where local newsrooms are shrinking and disappearing, organizations like CVCIS matter more than ever.
CVCIS is not simply a communications organization, it is a non-profit social enterprise managed by a volunteer board of directors (thank you!) with a community mandate: to inform, inspire, and involve the people it serves. This distinction is important.
Unlike many commercial media outlets that are driven primarily by profit, CVCIS exists to strengthen community vitality. Yes, it must generate revenue to be sustainable; but the purpose of that revenue is to reinvest into local journalism, outreach, information sharing, partnerships, and community engagement initiatives that would otherwise struggle to see the light of day in a small rural and minority-language community such as the Valley.
At the centre of the CVCIS mission is The Gleaner. It is one of the few remaining shared spaces where residents can see the full picture of community life – municipal issues, agriculture, schools, businesses, sports, arts, volunteers, and local successes. In many ways, it acts as the connective tissue of the region, and the true value of this role lies in what happens when people are better informed: they participate more, volunteer more, support local organizations, attend events, hold institutions accountable, and feel connected to where they live.
CVCIS also recognizes that community engagement today goes beyond ink on paper. Podcasts, digital storytelling, partnerships with community groups, youth involvement, and public outreach all help ensure that local voices are heard and local stories are preserved. Your support through subscriptions, donations, and advertising contributes to the overall CVCIS mandate and ensures that The Gleaner continues to be more than just a newspaper.
Hugh Maynard
Executive director, CVCIS
Publisher, The Gleaner