Frédérik Plante
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Frédérik Plante
@fxplante.bsky.social
Investigative Reporter for @thestar.com. Got a tip? fplante@thestar.ca
English/Français/Español.
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Happy to share that I joined @thestar.com as an Investigative Reporter today, and will soon be relocating to Toronto. I want to thank my former colleagues at @theglobeandmail.com, where I learned so much these past 2+ years. You can now reach me at fplante@thestar.ca
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
“The relentless framing from Canadian media outlets, which are deeply complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, is near unconditional acquiescence to Israel’s fallacious narrative,” Joshua Sealy-Harrington told @thegrindto.bsky.social.

www.thegrindmag.ca/as-israel-ki...
As Israel Kills 104 in Gaza, Canadian Media’s Vague Language Shields its Ceasefire Violations
Canadian mainstream media coverage of Israel’s deadly airstrikes “an epic failure of both journalistic and moral principles,” says professor.
www.thegrindmag.ca
October 29, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
NEW: Israel killed 104 Palestinians (and 46 children) in Gaza Tuesday, in a clear violation of the ceasefire.

But mainstream media failed to accurately convey the severity of the moment, acting instead as a mouthpiece for the Israeli government.

www.thegrindmag.ca/as-israel-ki...
As Israel Kills 104 in Gaza, Canadian Media’s Vague Language Shields its Ceasefire Violations
Canadian mainstream media coverage of Israel’s deadly airstrikes “an epic failure of both journalistic and moral principles,” says professor.
www.thegrindmag.ca
October 29, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
A new poll last month made waves when it showed 11 per cent support for the Republican Party of Alberta and their push to separate. Turns out the pollster and the party shared some DNA. New story from @emmamci.bsky.social and me.

www.thestar.com/news/investi...
A ‘jaw-dropper’ poll showed surging support for an Alberta separatist party. Turns out the polling firm and the party weren’t so separate
The Alberta Republican Party leader previously had an ownership stake in the same polling company that reported support for his new party was surging.
www.thestar.com
October 17, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
New from @alexboyd.bsky.social and me: A 'jaw-dropper' new survey from pollster Cardinal Research last month showed surging support for the Alberta Republican Party.

But neither the firm nor the party disclosed they have common DNA: party leader Cam Davies.
www.thestar.com/news/investi...
A ‘jaw-dropper’ poll showed surging support for an Alberta separatist party. Turns out the polling firm and the party weren’t so separate
The Alberta Republican Party leader previously had an ownership stake in the same polling company that reported support for his new party was surging.
www.thestar.com
October 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Honoured that the #DirtyPayments series of investigations was shortlisted among ten finalists for the 2025 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...
2025 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism: ten finalists shortlisted | News | European Parliament
The jury of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism has shortlisted ten investigations for the fifth edition of the award.
www.europarl.europa.eu
October 5, 2025 at 2:54 PM
New @thestar.com investigation from me in collaboration with @eicnetwork.bsky.social as part of the #DirtyPayments series: How a lucrative, global internet scam traces back to this office above a Montreal grocery store www.thestar.com/news/investi...
How a lucrative, global internet scam traces back to this office above a Montreal grocery store
The network of websites, which reaped nearly $12 million in 2023, have left a trail of disgruntled customers who say they were swindled.
www.thestar.com
September 29, 2025 at 9:46 AM
1/2 À propos de la mort de Nooran Rezayi et de l’enquête du BEI : il est bon de rappeler que les policiers de Longueuil font partie de ceux qui refusent systématiquement de répondre aux questions des enquêteurs du BEI selon des données obtenues en 2023 www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
Quebec police refusing to co-operate in investigations on civilian deaths
Many police are refusing to answer questions from the oversight body on civilian deaths following a court ruling last year that said officers must meet with investigators
www.theglobeandmail.com
September 26, 2025 at 12:21 AM
‘I haven’t been able to keep up with it.’ Tenants in seniors’ residences say ballooning, unregulated fees are forcing them out. Read my latest for @thestar.com: www.thestar.com/news/investi...
‘I haven’t been able to keep up with it.’ Tenants in seniors’ residences say ballooning fees are forcing them out
There are growing calls for the province to regulate service fees the same way it does rent to stop 'price gouging.'
www.thestar.com
August 24, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
The latest in the Star’s reporting on Ontario Place:

Biz reporter Ana Pereira and I got ahold of financial records that shed light on how Therme passed Ontario’s financial test to secure its lease — and raise questions about the Ford government’s due dilligence.
www.thestar.com/news/investi...
Financial records shed new light on the Ontario Place spa firm’s net worth, raising questions about the Ford government’s due diligence
Therme Group says its finances are solid and, with the unwavering backing of a shareholder, it has never been in danger of failing the stress test.
www.thestar.com
August 23, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Figures from a classified Israeli military intelligence database indicate five out of six Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza have been civilians, an extreme rate of slaughter rarely matched in recent decades of warfare, via @theguardian.com:

www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...
Revealed: Israeli military’s own data indicates civilian death rate of 83% in Gaza war
Figures from classified IDF database listed 8,900 named fighters as dead or probably dead in May, as overall death toll reached 53,000
www.theguardian.com
August 21, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
Inside the Ford government, there was worry the Ontario Place spa was ‘high risk.’ They signed a 95-year lease anyway #StarInvestigation
Inside the Ford government, there was worry the Ontario Place spa was ‘high risk.’ They signed a 95-year lease anyway
Officials questioned whether the spa could be a "white elephant," a term referencing something expensive to keep that offers little relative value.
www.thestar.com
August 17, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
The Ford government touted Therme as a ‘world-class’ partner for Ontario Place. In Europe, ‘significant’ concerns have emerged over finances #StarInvestigation
The Ford government touted Therme as a ‘world-class’ partner for Ontario Place. In Europe, ‘significant’ concerns have emerged over finances
The warning is included in previously unreported audits. Therme says it doesn't reflect the strong financial footing of the global business.
www.thestar.com
August 16, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
The Ford government touted Therme as a ‘world-class’ partner for Ontario Place. In Europe, ‘significant’ concerns have emerged over finances, records obtained by the Star show.

From the front page of today's paper, by Ana Pereira
and me:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...
The Ford government touted Therme as a ‘world-class’ partner for Ontario Place. In Europe, ‘significant’ concerns have emerged over finances
The warning is included in previously unreported audits. Therme says it doesn't reflect the strong financial footing of the global business.
www.thestar.com
August 16, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
The deliberate killing of five Al Jazeera staff has brought the total number of journalists killed by Israel since the start of the war to 237, according to Gaza's Government Media Office.

🔴 LIVE updates:
Israel murders five Al Jazeera staff in Gaza, including Anas al-Sharif
Al-Sharif was killed along with Mohammed Qreiqeh two cameramen and an assistant in an Israeli attack on Gaza City.
aje.io
August 11, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
Israel claimed responsibility for killing five Al Jazeera staff in Gaza, including Anas al-Sharif, in a strike on their media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital, bringing the total journalists killed to 237 since the war began.

🔴 Follow our LIVE coverage: aje.io/1490et
August 11, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Toronto police officer's drunken crash followed shift spent drinking with colleagues, tribunal docs allege, via CBC: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Toronto police officer's drunken crash followed shift spent drinking with colleagues, tribunal docs allege | CBC News
More than two years after a Toronto police officer pleaded guilty to impaired driving, disciplinary charges against his superior are raising questions about the night of the collision and the integrit...
www.cbc.ca
July 29, 2025 at 2:14 PM
12 customers of Orogold and other related cosmetics stores in Ontario malls told me they were tricked or pressured into signing up for high-cost loans to buy expensive skin care devices. Read my latest story for the @thestar.com here:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...
These cosmetic stores inside Ontario malls promise customers better skin. Instead, a growing number say they’ve been tricked into high-cost loans
The stores' management deny using deceitful sales tactics. But more and more disgruntled customers are demanding justice.
www.thestar.com
July 27, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
ProPublica spoke to about 150 people who had lived in homeless encampments when cities cleared them out in “sweeps.”

We distributed notecards so people could tell us about the toll in their own words.

➡️ This is what they wrote: projects.propublica.org/impact-of-ho...
July 26, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
A Globe and Mail reporter investigating allegations of political interference in Alberta healthcare has been targeted by an anonymous X account, which posted surreptitiously obtained photographs of her in public settings and described her private movements.
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...
July 21, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
My final investigation for The Narwhal:
INVESTIGATION: Aamjiwnaang First Nation has spent decades battling industrial emissions from Sarnia’s Chemical Valley. Documents show the Ontario government also knew stricter pollution rules were needed long before it acted. via @emmamci.bsky.social thenarwhal.ca/sarnia-ontar...
Shape-shifting pollution rules in Ontario’s Chemical Valley | The Narwhal
Aamjiwnaang First Nation declared another evacuation order last week because of benzene, but the problem of Sarnia’s toxic air pollution has been years in the making
thenarwhal.ca
June 25, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
#StarInvestigation: She spent a year living in hotels while in the care of Children’s Aid. It was the last of her young life. This is Jade’s story,

Children’s aid societies have housed hundreds of kids, including many with mental health conditions and high-risk behaviours, in unlicensed settings.
She spent a year living in hotels while in the care of Children’s Aid. It was the last of her young life. This is Jade’s story
Over four years, children’s aid societies have housed hundreds of kids with mental health conditions and high-risk behaviours in unlicensed settings.
www.thestar.com
June 19, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
Ontario Line construction has unleashed a rat problem for some residents living nearby. Metrolinx has promised to pay for exterminators — but many say they’ve been left with the bill. From @andytakagi.bsky.social and me:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...
Ontario Line construction unleashed rats into her home. But Metrolinx has not footed the full bill — and won’t tell her why
After Ontario Line work unleashed rats into a retiree’s home, Metrolinx promised to pay for the exterminator. The agency hasn’t said why the payment was $1,000 short.
www.thestar.com
June 8, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Reposted by Frédérik Plante
Our latest on the Maplehurst scandal focuses on the number of criminal prosecutions that have been compromised by the mass strip search and collective punishment of inmates, who are receiving reduced sentences or other judicial remedies because the jail violated their Charter rights.
June 2, 2025 at 2:30 PM
He was arrested, lost his job and fought for two years to clear his name. Then a ‘deeply flawed’ police investigation fell apart in court. Read my first piece for @thestar.com here: www.thestar.com/news/investi...
He was arrested, lost his job and fought for two years to clear his name. Then a ‘deeply flawed’ police investigation fell apart in court
Xu Chen insisted he was a victim of mistaken identity. But Ontario Provincial Police investigators ignored evidence of his innocence.
www.thestar.com
May 26, 2025 at 10:32 AM
La FPJQ accuse Simon Jolin-Barrette de brimer l’accès à l’information www.ledevoir.com/politique/qu...
La FPJQ accuse Simon Jolin-Barrette de brimer l’accès à l’information
Le ministre prétend qu’un journaliste ne peut se représenter sans avocat devant la Commission d’accès à l’information.
www.ledevoir.com
May 21, 2025 at 2:42 PM