Harold Monro

Harold Munro is editor-in-chief of the Vancouver Sun and The Province, Postmedia-owned newspapers, having risen through the Sun's newsroom since joining as a sports reporter in 1986; in 2019 he publicly apologized and proposed editorial-process changes after an opinion piece drew internal newsroom backlash.

Based in Surrey, BC Org Vancouver Sun / The Province Role Editor-in-Chief

Notable work and positions

Vancouver Sun — Editor-in-Chief (since 2012)
The Province — Editor-in-Chief (since 2016)
Vancouver Sun Children's Fund Society — Chair

Biography

Harold Munro studied journalism at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and began his career at a newspaper in Terrace, British Columbia, before joining the Vancouver Sun in 1986 as a sports reporter. He became a local news reporter the following year, and his beats over the following years included Surrey civic affairs and Metro Vancouver transportation and regional affairs. He rose through a series of editorial roles at the paper, including assistant city editor, city editor, chief news editor and deputy managing editor.

On April 27, 2012, the Postmedia Network-owned Vancouver Sun announced that Munro, then deputy managing editor, had become editor-in-chief effective immediately. In 2016, he also took on responsibility as editor-in-chief of The Province, the Vancouver Sun's sister Postmedia paper, a role he holds alongside his Sun position. He also serves as chair of the Vancouver Sun Children's Fund Society, a charity affiliated with the newspaper.

In September 2019, The Tyee reported on internal unrest at the Vancouver Sun and Province following the publication of an opinion piece — written by a Calgary college instructor and greenlit by the papers' editorial pages editor without Munro's sign-off — that argued Canada should abandon diversity, tolerance and inclusion and cited discredited research from an anti-Muslim think tank. After the piece drew condemnation from Sun and Province journalists on social media, Munro published a public apology, addressed staff directly, and issued a memo proposing changes to the papers' editorial process; according to The Tyee's reporting, some staff characterized his initial apology as inadequate, and Munro subsequently agreed to meet with a group of Sun and Province journalists pressing for further changes.

Career highlights

1. Editor-in-Chief, Vancouver Sun, since 2012Named to the role after 26 years at the paper, rising from sports reporter to the paper's top editorial position.

2. Editor-in-Chief, The Province, since 2016Took on leadership of the Vancouver Sun's Postmedia sister paper in addition to his Sun role.

3. 2019 op-ed controversy and newsroom responsePublicly apologized and proposed editorial-process changes after an opinion piece critical of diversity and inclusion, published without his sign-off, drew internal and public backlash.