For pitching purposes, focus on these core areas:
We’ve followed Kim Gray’s work for over a decade as she’s redefined how Canadians engage with their nation’s landscapes and cultures. A journalist who swapped traditional newsrooms for expedition tents, Gray has become synonymous with transformative travel storytelling that bridges ecological awareness and cultural preservation.
This personal essay for the Nature Conservancy of Canada magazine exemplifies Gray’s ability to weave memoir with environmental advocacy. Through the metaphor of her grandfather’s Swiss Army knife, she explores multigenerational connections to wilderness stewardship. The 1,200-word piece masterfully balances nostalgia with urgent calls for conservation action, featuring interviews with Métis artists and climate scientists.
Gray’s autobiographical account for Canadian Geographic Adventures reveals her journalistic philosophy: “To make Canada better known to Canadians through boots-on-the-ground storytelling.” The piece documents her 2017 work developing Canada’s first Indigenous tourism guidebook, including firsthand accounts of tracking spirit bears in British Columbia and beluga whale encounters in Churchill, Manitoba.
This flagship Toque & Canoe investigation (2019) established Gray as a leading voice in ethical travel reporting. The 5,000-word deep dive profiles six Indigenous-led tourism initiatives across three territories, blending economic analysis with cultural preservation themes. Gray spent 14 weeks interviewing community leaders, resulting in Canada’s most cited resource on reconciliation through tourism.
Gray prioritizes stories demonstrating tangible conservation outcomes, like her 2022 series on Quebec’s carbon-neutral fishing lodges. Successful pitches should highlight measurable ecological impacts paired with community benefits.
Following her groundbreaking 2017 guidebook, Gray seeks stories about Indigenous tourism operators preserving traditional knowledge. Recent pieces have spotlighted Anishinaabe wild rice harvesters and Inuit-led Arctic cruises.
While Gray occasionally reports internationally, 83% of her bylines focus on underreported Canadian regions. Her award-winning 2023 series on Newfoundland’s Fogo Island exemplifies this beat.
Gray’s RCGS fellowship research on climate-adaptive tourism makes her particularly receptive to stories about communities innovating against environmental challenges, like her 2024 feature on Manitoba’s flood-resistant eco-lodges.
Rejecting superficial “top 10” lists, Gray seeks narratives about travel’s personal impacts, evident in her viral 2021 essay “How Tracking Caribou Taught Me to Slow Down.”
“Gray’s work doesn’t just describe landscapes – it makes you feel their heartbeat.” – Canadian Geographic Editors’ Choice Citation, 2022
