With the stated goal of bridging “the gap between national conversations and the lived realities of people in cities and towns across the country,” The Walrus magazine, with support from the Chawkers Foundation, is building a network of six regional bureaus.

This year, it will open up bureaus for the West (BC and Alberta), the North and Atlantic Canada. Next year, they will open up in Ontario, Quebec and the Prairies.

The writers in charge of these bureaus will have the mandate to bring local perspectives to the magazine’s national and international platform, lifting regional issues that have national relevance. According to the magazine, their first stories will debut this month.

“This initiative isn’t just about expanding coverage. It’s about going deeper,” said Carmine Starnino, editor-in-chief of The Walrus. “Tracking what’s happening in our communities is only the first step; the real challenge is making sense of why it matters for the country as a whole. Because, at a time of upheaval and uncertainty, the strength of Canada’s national project depends on how well we understand the forces shaping it from the ground up.”