Toronto Union Presents "Points Of Departure" Photojournalism Exhibition In Partnership With The Globe And Mail Foundation
Free Public Exhibition at Union Station in Toronto Showcases 16 Visual Storytellers, Powered By New Photojournalism Training and Mentorship Programs Offered Across Canada.
Photo Credit: Rachel Verbin
TORONTO, ON — Toronto Union is proud to present Points of Departure, an inspiring public photojournalism exhibition running from September 16 to November 1, 2026, inside the historic West Wing and Oak Room of Union Station.
Organized in partnership with The Globe and Mail Foundation, the exhibition transforms Canada’s busiest transit hub into an immersive gallery spotlighting contemporary documentary stories from across Canada.
By bringing the work of Canadian photojournalists into Union, the exhibition amplifies essential voices and introduces new audiences to the power of documentary storytelling. Together, Union and The Globe and Mail Foundation celebrate the continued importance of the people committed to documenting our world with curiosity, integrity and humanity.
Points of Departure is more than an exhibition; it is the public’s chance to view works from the inaugural cohort of The Globe Photo Academy and its ground-breaking year-long training and mentorship program, led by New Brunswick-based photojournalist and educator Chris Donovan, and initiated by The Globe and Mail Foundation.
“The Globe and Mail Foundation is proud to support freely accessible programming that develops and grows Canada’s talented community of photojournalists, bringing new and underrepresented stories across the country to light,” said Laura Lavie, Executive Director of the Globe and Mail Foundation. “This exhibition is an important milestone as it showcases the creation of new work by our 2026 cohort, and brings stories of local and national relevance to Canadians everywhere.”
“Union has always been a place where journeys intersect, and is a space for dialogue and connection” said Syma Shah, Union’s VP of Programming and Events. “Points of Departure extends that idea beyond transportation by inviting visitors to connect with remarkable stories unfolding across the country. It creates an opportunity to encounter powerful documentary photography in the middle of an everyday journey.”
The Globe and Mail Foundation’s Inaugural Year Launches The Globe Photo Academy, Regional Training Initiatives, The Globe Photo Summit and Points of Departure Exhibition.
This landmark public exhibition is the direct result of a series of strategic educational initiatives launched in 2026 by The Globe and Mail Foundation to support the practice of photojournalism in Canada with training and mentorship programs.
Designed to address critical gaps in regional news, mitigate the hardships of early-career practitioners in a competitive job market, and combat the severe lack of photojournalism education in Canada, these highly-specialized training programs aim to foster a new generation of visual storytellers.
The Globe Photo Academy is anchored by three core educational offerings:
The Globe Photo Academy Photojournalism Training and Mentorship Program: A free, fully funded year-long pilot program offering highly-specialized training and mentorship for early and mid-career photojournalists, taught by acclaimed practitioners. The intensive curriculum is project based, while covering industry best-practices as well as career opportunities and network connections. Through weekly classes and bi-weekly guest speaker sessions, participants develop a thesis project—a long-term documentary body of work intended to influence how Canadians view themselves. The Points of Departure exhibition stands as the official public debut of these works.
The Globe Photo Academy British Columbia Training and Mentorship Program: Extending its regional reach, the foundation launched an intensive photojournalism training opportunity for a cohort of nine early-career photographers from Indigenous, rural, and underrepresented communities across B.C. Led by Chris Donovan, a photojournalist, artist and educator focusing on class and environmental justice, this group engaged in weekly online masterclasses from June through September to champion underrepresented regional narratives.
The Globe Photojournalism Summit: Every year, the summit in downtown Toronto gathers more than 90 emerging and established photojournalists, photo editors and visual storytellers to share knowledge and networks as well as tackle industry-wide challenges, including issues related to AI authenticity, ethical community documentation, and navigating careers in legacy media, publishing and the fine arts.
“I can say with absolute certainty that I would not be working in this industry today if it wasn't for The Globe and Mail Foundation.”
—Mackenzie Pardy, photojournalist
Participant in The Globe Photo Academy and featured in Points of Departure exhibition.
Points of Departure: A Journey Across Canada
Spanning thousands of kilometres and a wide range of lived experiences, Points of Departure takes visitors on a photographic journey across the country.
In Nunavut, Dustin Patar documents the enduring traditions of the Nunavut Quest dogsled race, following two young women as they travel by qamutiik across the Arctic landscape.
On Vancouver Island, Katherine Cheng photographs Big Lonely Doug, the towering Douglas fir that has become an international symbol of old-growth forest conservation. Norma Ibarra captures Indigenous skateboarder Rosie Archie, founder of Nation Skate Youth, as she reclaims space through movement, culture and community in Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxw.
Across the Prairies, Matt Horseman explores place and memory through Untitled (Alberta, Canada, 2019). In Winnipeg, Shay Conroy documents the powerful red dresses installed outside the Brady Road Resource Management Facility, honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People, as well as the families and communities who continue to fight for justice.
In Ontario, Gabriel Hutchinson presents an award-nominated portrait of migrant farm workers whose labour helps feed Canadians every day. Alex Franklin’s deeply personal I Love You Dearly celebrates the resilience of her grandmother, while Feza Lugoma’s The Wait examines Black motherhood, community care and the systems surrounding birth. Chloë Ellingson explores the essential role of midwives through A Strong Tether.
In Québec, Adil Boukind follows a father and son whose shared love of birdwatching reconnects them to memories of Guatemala and creates a profound sense of belonging along the St. Lawrence River.
The exhibition continues east with Mike Erb’s exploration of everyday beauty in Fredericton’s Devon neighbourhood, Ranz Bontogon’s intimate look at temporary foreign workers in New Brunswick’s fishing industry, Ethan Murphy’s quiet portrait of life on Fogo Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Mackenzie Pardy’s documentation of Mi’kmaq community members in Nova Scotia working to ensure transmission of cultural knowledge and practices associated with katag (eel) populations.
The work by Joel Rodriguez reflects on family, migration and memory through photographs made in El Salvador, while work by Ammar Bowaihl further expands the exhibition’s exploration of identity, displacement and belonging.
Together, the photographs demonstrate documentary storytelling’s unique ability to foster empathy, challenge assumptions and deepen understanding. Presented within Toronto’s Union Station, a place where millions of journeys begin, end and intersect each year, Points of Departure reminds visitors that behind every destination is a story.
Free and open during Union’s operating hours, Points of Departure continues Union’s commitment to bringing meaningful arts and cultural experiences into everyday public life.
EVENT DETAILS
Union presents Points of Departure
In partnership with The Globe and Mail Foundation
Dates: September 16–November 1, 2026
Hours: Open during Union Station operating hours
Location: West Wing and Oak Room, Union Station 65 Front Street West, Toronto
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About Toronto Union
In 2009, Osmington (Union Station) Inc., a subsidiary of Osmington Inc., entered into an agreement with the City of Toronto to become the retail developer of Union Station pursuant to a 75-year head lease. With 300,000 daily visitors, Union Station is Canada's busiest building. Through its curation of retail and culinary tenants, cultural programming and partnership activations, Union strives to be one of the world's most engaging civic experiences.
Union is committed to reflecting the diversity of Canadians in all our programs. Our programming vision celebrates creativity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. Our goal is to strengthen the connection between public art and civic engagement and ultimately create connectedness amongst our communities.
About The Globe and Mail Foundation
The Globe and Mail Foundation is a Canadian charity dedicated to protecting and promoting excellence in journalism. Guided by an educational mandate, the Foundation supports high-quality training for journalists, enhances media literacy, and deepens public knowledge and understanding of the issues shaping Canada. Through education, mentorship and public programming, the Foundation invests in the next generation of journalists and visual storytellers while helping Canadians engage more deeply with the stories that matter.