Independent media needs you. Join the Tyee.

Bios

Ben Christopher

BenChristopher.jpg

Ben Christopher was born in Oakland and spent the entirety of his childhood in California -- first in Santa Barbara, then in San Francisco. At 18, he was lured northward to Montreal by the hip music scene, the reasonable legal drinking age, and the novelty of meteorologically distinct seasons.

At McGill University, Ben studied economics, history, and the exotic folkways of Canadians. Graduating inopportunely in the post-Lehman winter of 2008, he dabbled in involuntary unemployment before making his way to Asia, where he taught English to Korean children, bummed around with a backpack, and made absolutely no use of his degree. Ben is now based in Vancouver, trying to pass once more as a Canadian -- though this time as a journalist.

Reporting Beat: Labour, employment, economic issues, and municipal and provincial politics.

Twitter: @BenCAbbr

Stories by Ben Christopher

news

A Tyee Series

Jean Swanson's Advocacy for Vancouver's Impoverished

Decades of activism in the Downtown Eastside earned her the People's Order of BC from Tyee readers. Last in a series.

By Ben Christopher, 10 Sep 2012


blogs

Canadian MSM political news coverage leaves much to be desired: report

By Ben Christopher, 27 Jun 2012


news

A Tyee Series

How Vancouver's War on Drugs Began

The city's long and conflicted struggle with addiction, since the days of Mackenzie King. First in a series.

By Ben Christopher, 21 Mar 2012


news

What If More Bankers Had a Social Conscience?

Naomi Klein, VanCity's Tamara Vrooman and others tackle 'Values-based Banking' this Thursday. A preview.

By Ben Christopher, 6 Mar 2012


news

Will Chinese Labour Dig BC Coal?

Premier Clark touts mining as her jobs machine. But a lot of those hires may be foreign say eager firms and concerned unions.

By Ben Christopher, 14 Feb 2012


blogs

Youth reps: Canada needs national strategy for Aboriginal children

By Ben Christopher, 2 Feb 2012


blogs

BC Hydro being run like a 'Ponzi scheme,' says union

By Ben Christopher, 1 Feb 2012


mediacheck

A Math Wiz's Idea to Revive Local Journalism

Mark Latham's Voter Media set UBC's media community abuzz. So what next?

By Ben Christopher, 27 Jan 2012


news

Foreign Takeovers: Pressure Mounts for Job Protection, Clearer Regs

Labour, and some corporate voices, say it's time to put some muscle on the Investment Canada Act.

By Ben Christopher, 26 Jan 2012


blogs

Addict turned expert says mainstream view of addiction needs rethink

By Ben Christopher, 19 Jan 2012


news

A Tyee Series

Idea #2: Shmeat, Meat of the Future

Put down that ecological-travesty of a hamburger! In vitro meat is what's cooking.

By Ben Christopher, 20 Dec 2011


blogs

DTES tenants being squeezed by gentrification, says new report

By Ben Christopher, 14 Dec 2011


news

Where Have All the Voters Gone?

Millions of Canadians stay home on election day. Samara think tank asked them why.

By Ben Christopher, 8 Dec 2011


blogs

Major ad company refuses to run anti-coal billboard, says enviro group

By Ben Christopher, 28 Nov 2011


blogs

BC still number one on child poverty, says report

By Ben Christopher, 23 Nov 2011


blogs

Occupy Vancouver ordered off courthouse property

By Ben Christopher, 22 Nov 2011


blogs

Occupy Vancouver leaves art gallery, moves to courthouse

By Ben Christopher, 21 Nov 2011


news

Tories' Quick Trigger on Labour Disputes Dangerous, Say Experts

Air Canada intervention worries bargaining pros on both sides of table.

By Ben Christopher, 17 Nov 2011


blogs

CRTC reverses controversial usage-based billing decision

By Ben Christopher, 16 Nov 2011


blogs

'Healthy immigrant effect' declines the longer a person lives in Canada, report shows

By Ben Christopher, 16 Nov 2011


news

A Tyee Series

Running Against Developers in Condolandia

Nicole Benson of Neighbourhoods for a Sustainable Vancouver is campaigning for hyper-local democracy.

By Ben Christopher, 9 Nov 2011


blogs

New electoral finance reform campaign alleges corporate censorship

By Ben Christopher, 26 Oct 2011


blogs

New wellbeing index looks beyond economic growth

By Ben Christopher, 20 Oct 2011


blogs

BC gov gets low score on women's rights

By Ben Christopher, 18 Oct 2011


news

Why They Joined Occupy Vancouver

Peaceful and boisterous, Vancouver's occupiers joined a global outcry that it's time to redistribute out-of-whack wealth.

By Ben Christopher, Justin Langille and Robyn Smith, 15 Oct 2011


blogs

Occupy Vancouver meeting mulls details of upcoming rally

By Ben Christopher, 14 Oct 2011


blogs

Agreement reached on new B.C. First Nations health plan

By Ben Christopher, 13 Oct 2011


blogs

Fifteen measures Occupy Canada protestors should adopt: non-profit

By Ben Christopher, 12 Oct 2011


blogs

First day of missing women hearings marred by protests, more withdrawals

By Ben Christopher, 11 Oct 2011


blogs

Province welcomes mayoral vote to raise taxes for Evergreen line

By Ben Christopher, 7 Oct 2011


blogs

Two more withdraw from missing women hearings

By Ben Christopher, 6 Oct 2011


news

New Stadium, Old Argument

Love or hate the new look, but don't count on the revamped BC Place for an economic boost.

By Ben Christopher, 6 Oct 2011


blogs

Open media group warns of 'wider campaign to control the Internet' in new mini-doc

By Ben Christopher, 3 Oct 2011


blogs

Health Minister wrong on excessive health spending, "personal responsibility," says expert

By Ben Christopher, 29 Sep 2011


blogs

BC's climate policy can't leave poor behind: CCPA

By Ben Christopher, 28 Sep 2011


blogs

Williams Lake RCMP officer accused of beating teenage girl

By Ben Christopher, 27 Sep 2011


blogs

Clark talks Asian trade and jobs plan at BC Business Council

By Ben Christopher, 23 Sep 2011


blogs

Routine HIV testing to be introduced at Vancouver hospitals

By Ben Christopher, 23 Sep 2011


news

With Jobs Plan, Clark Promises to Sell BC

She's our 'number one salesperson,' but critics say her plan lacks substance, misses opportunities and won't create jobs.

By Ben Christopher and Andrew MacLeod, 23 Sep 2011


blogs

U.S. state executes high-profile inmate after Supreme Court rejects plea

By Ben Christopher, 21 Sep 2011


blogs

Clark calls for tax credits and regulation cuts in third day of jobs tour

By Ben Christopher, 21 Sep 2011


blogs

Vancouver's new sex-trade strategy praised by advocacy group

By Ben Christopher, 16 Sep 2011


blogs

Green leader slams Harper's proposed internet spying laws

By Ben Christopher, 15 Sep 2011


blogs

BC gov must rein in shale gas industry, says enviro group

By Ben Christopher, 14 Sep 2011


blogs

Allegations of fraud mount against B.C. mining corporation amidst official investigation

By Ben Christopher, 13 Sep 2011


blogs

Clark's fracking website not enough, says enviro group

By Ben Christopher, 9 Sep 2011


blogs

Earthquake rattles Vancouver region

By Ben Christopher, 9 Sep 2011


news

A Tyee Series

Six More Myths about Jobs

Rounding out our even dozen, reality checks on youth employment, corporate tax cuts, and more. Second of two.

By Ben Christopher and David Beers, 9 Sep 2011


blogs

Tyee app lauded by top Canadian trade mag

By Ben Christopher, 8 Sep 2011


news

A Tyee Series

A Dozen Myths about Jobs

What are the best ways to save or create good jobs in a place like BC? A lot of what we hear is bunk. First of two.

By Ben Christopher, 7 Sep 2011


news

'Kicked in the Teeth' at BC Hydro

Workers in the trenches say mass job cuts would create more havoc than savings.

By Ben Christopher, 29 Aug 2011


blogs

Gov must produce RCMP audit before it's too late, says civil liberties group

By Ben Christopher, 26 Aug 2011


blogs

Assisted suicide challenge struck down by BC Supreme Court

By Ben Christopher, 18 Aug 2011


blogs

Gov's BC Hydro recommendations draw ire of unions, praise from enviro group

By Ben Christopher, 12 Aug 2011


blogs

Over 1.6 million voted in HST referendum

By Ben Christopher, 11 Aug 2011


blogs

American docs outspend Canadian counterparts almost 4-to-1 on insurance costs, says study

By Ben Christopher, 9 Aug 2011


blogs

Tougher screening rules introduced for B.C. caregivers

By Ben Christopher, 3 Aug 2011


blogs

Terminally ill woman wants earlier trial date in B.C. right-to-die case

By Ben Christopher, 2 Aug 2011


blogs

Burnaby medical marijuana shop raided by RCMP

By Ben Christopher, 29 Jul 2011


blogs

City approves sweeping homelessness and housing strategy

By Ben Christopher, 28 Jul 2011


blogs

Canadian immigrants getting fleeced by money transfer services: ACORN

By Ben Christopher, 27 Jul 2011


blogs

BC and federal government announce $180 million for affordable housing

By Ben Christopher, 25 Jul 2011


blogs

B.C. enviro regulators compared to feds, come up short in new report

By Ben Christopher, 22 Jul 2011


mediacheck

A Friendly Invasion from Spacing

Part porn for planner geeks, part guide to urban bliss, Spacing magazine moves into Vancouver.

By Ben Christopher, 21 Jul 2011


blogs

Shaw Communications gives preferential treatment to Shaw movie service

By Ben Christopher, 15 Jul 2011


blogs

Torture ship to dock in B.C.

By Ben Christopher, 14 Jul 2011


blogs

Historic cannery demolished in North Delta

By Ben Christopher, 12 Jul 2011


blogs

Provincial audit slams B.C. environmental regulators

By Ben Christopher, 7 Jul 2011


blogs

Cough up stipend for disadvantaged volunteers, demand non-profits

By Ben Christopher, 5 Jul 2011


blogs

British Columbians like the carbon tax, says new poll

By Ben Christopher, 30 Jun 2011


blogs

Bell penalized $10 million for false advertising

By Ben Christopher, 30 Jun 2011


blogs

NDP: Liberals fail children with special needs

By Ben Christopher, 28 Jun 2011


blogs

$38 million supportive housing project breaks ground in Vancouver

By Ben Christopher, 27 Jun 2011


blogs

Commission clears prosecutors in Frank Paul case, calls for reform

By Ben Christopher, 22 Jun 2011


news

Graffiti Artist Hits Wall, Goes Legit

Pontus Agren left his mark on myriad public spaces. Now he makes an impression on young taggers.

By Ben Christopher, 22 Jun 2011


blogs

HST debate gets its own Facebook app

By Ben Christopher, 20 Jun 2011


blogs

Media mulls post-defeat riot

By Ben Christopher, 17 Jun 2011


blogs

Coal mine needs independent enviro review, say critics

By Ben Christopher, 10 Jun 2011