Skip to content
Join our Newsletter
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.

Province rejects providing toxic-drug alternatives without a prescription

Province rejects providing toxic-drug alternatives without a prescription

The provincial health officer says she and former chief coroner Lisa Lapointe regularly heard from families who lost loved ones to the poisonous street supply that safer alternatives might have helped them
Cash-stuffed wallet left on car roof 'rains' money on Island Highway in Parksville

Cash-stuffed wallet left on car roof 'rains' money on Island Highway in Parksville

Sooke’s Brooke Ervin saw motorists pulled over on the side of the highway grabbing money that was seemingly falling from the sky.
Free air conditioners still available for those with low incomes: BC Hydro

Free air conditioners still available for those with low incomes: BC Hydro

Since the program was launched about a year ago, the utility has installed more than 12,000 of the units, about 16 per cent of them on Vancouver Island.
'Very positive' test of school-bus seatbelts, but no decision a year later

'Very positive' test of school-bus seatbelts, but no decision a year later

Pilot projects in B.C. — including Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District — and Ontario concluded in June 2023 but the final report is still being compiled
Fleming one of three cabinet ministers not running in fall provincial election

Fleming one of three cabinet ministers not running in fall provincial election

Labour Minister Harry Bains and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston also announced this week they won’t seek re-election
Business steps up to equip Langford Lake with life-rings

Business steps up to equip Langford Lake with life-rings

Ryan Oakley, owner of True North Group estate liquidation services, says he has purchased five dock-edge life-rings and he’s just waiting for a green light from the city to install them.
Significant progress on Cancer Action Plan but 'work to do,' health minister says

Significant progress on Cancer Action Plan but 'work to do,' health minister says

As part of cancer screening, the province launched the country’s first HPV self-screening program to catch the virus that can cause cervical cancer. Almost 30,000 have been ordered since Jan. 29.
CRD to consider pilot program to put safety equipment at swimming beaches

CRD to consider pilot program to put safety equipment at swimming beaches

B.C. had a record number of drownings in 2023, with the highest number on Vancouver Island.
LifeLabs to move testing to Surrey, union warns of longer wait for results

LifeLabs to move testing to Surrey, union warns of longer wait for results

Technicians were advised this week that Life Labs is laying off workers from the Victoria Reference Laboratory and moving most of its microbiology testing to Surrey
Truck driver a hero for evading head-on collision with SUV: RCMP officer

Truck driver a hero for evading head-on collision with SUV: RCMP officer

Had it been a head-on crash between the SUV and truck, the SUV driver likely wouldn’t have survived, says Nanaimo RCMP officer Darwin Tetreault
More work by Cindy E. >