Skip to content
Cindy E. Harnett

Cindy E. Harnett

Cindy Harnett is a Times Colonist reporter focused on health.

Cindy is originally from Toronto, where she attended York University and Ryerson University before taking her first newspaper job in northern Ontario, where she learned about forestry, wildlife, block heaters, and snowstorms in May. She has worked as a reporter in Quesnel and a managing editor at Black Press, and has contributed to publications including Maclean’s magazine.

In 2008, Cindy and her Times Colonist colleagues picked up a Jack Webster Best News Reporting of the Year award for coverage of the 2007 Lee family murder-suicide, which highlighted gross inadequacies in domestic violence and child protection services and police co-ordination.

Over the years, Cindy has gravitated to issues of justice, including the 1997 swarming and murder of teenager Reena Virk, the 2012 botched firing of eight B.C. Health Ministry researchers during which one committed suicide, the 2018 toxic drug poisoning death of Elliot Eurchuk, and the 2019 William Head jailbreak that saw two prisoners charged with murder.

Email
[email protected]

Recent Work by Cindy E.

Langford girl to get privately funded infusion of pricey drug

Langford girl to get privately funded infusion of pricey drug

Charleigh Pollock’s mother says she hopes private funding will get her daughter through the summer months, after the province cut off coverage
Mom says inaccurate posted ER wait times could deter people from seeking care

Mom says inaccurate posted ER wait times could deter people from seeking care

Island Health says it’s “not able to constantly upload data to inform a ‘real time’ prediction,” uploading the data “once per day.”
Decision on Langford girl's drug coverage won't change: health minister

Decision on Langford girl's drug coverage won't change: health minister

Josie Osborne says Island Health is in discussions with Charleigh’s family around the possibility of the family using private funds to pay for the drug.
Comox parents call for health-care system changes after death of 11-year-old son

Comox parents call for health-care system changes after death of 11-year-old son

Brayden Robbins, an 11-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, died on his second visit in seven days to the ER at Comox Valley Hospital.
VicPD chief aims to recruit officers from other forces to meet 'six-month' deadline

VicPD chief aims to recruit officers from other forces to meet 'six-month' deadline

The nine new police officers are part of the city’s $10-million plan to restore public safety and order in Victoria’s downtown.
Second Islander joins B.C. Green leadership race

Second Islander joins B.C. Green leadership race

Emily Lowan, 24, announced her candidacy on Thursday, a day after Comox town councillor and family doctor Jonathan Kerr.
Victoria to spend $10M to combat rising street disorder downtown

Victoria to spend $10M to combat rising street disorder downtown

Some of that money for more policing, bylaw enforcement and shelters — $2.5 million — will come from a controversial plan to revitalize Centennial Square
Parents of terminally ill Langford girl 'cautiously optimistic' about meeting with health minister

Parents of terminally ill Langford girl 'cautiously optimistic' about meeting with health minister

The family of Charleigh Pollock is fighting the province’s decision to discontinue coverage of the drug Brineura to slow the progression of Batten disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder.
B.C. looks for ways to remove criminal element from supportive housing

B.C. looks for ways to remove criminal element from supportive housing

Changes to the Residential Tenancy Act are among the items a new working group will examine as it looks for ways to remove drug-trafficking and weapons from supportive housing buildings.
Indigenous midwives call for more stable funding

Indigenous midwives call for more stable funding

They want the Health Ministry and Island Health to fund four full-time midwifery contracts to ensure sustainable and equitable Indigenous-led care.
More work by Cindy E. >