To collect insects with a sweep net, the net needs to be constantly in motion. Flavie LeBlanc sweeps a net back and forth in a circular motion to collect insect specimens at the annual meeting of the Association of amateur entomologists of Quebec. (Globe and Mail 2023)

Steven Guibeault, long-time environmental activist and MP for Montreal’s Laurier-Sainte-Marie riding, was named Canada’s environment minister in October. Guibeault says the current concerns around climate change were labelled alarmist 30 years ago. (The Narwhal 2021)

Sex worker and labour organizer Delilah gets ready to meet a client at their in-call in Montréal, Québec. Sex workers are organizing their labour with the union "Industrial Workers of the World". (Briarpatch 2021)

Trent Chappus just purchased his first home—a one-bedroom apartment in the hip Montréal neighbourhood of St. Henri. But for Trent, it wasn't just a decision based on how cool the neighbourhood is or where all his friends live, it was also a decision that made good money sense. "Buying property in St. Henri is a good investment as well. The area already has grown so much, I think it will grow even more and continue to see more interesting things happen. That makes me feel good about where I've chosen [to buy] and optimistic about the future." (Globe and Mail 2023)

Chef Nola Mack and Chef Joseph Shawana are the epitome of calm in the midst of a busy kitchen as they plate dishes at the "Food for Good" event hosted by the Nature Conservancy and Nature United for COP15 in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal, Canada) entirely made of ingredients that they locally sourced on the Nuxalk and Odawa Territories. (The Narwhal 2022)

Laurence Fortin uses a wooden noisemaker on a STTIC-CSN picket line outside Cactus on December 18, 2019. (Briarpatch 2019)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz meet at a press conference in Montréal, Québec to discuss energy trades between the two countries. (The Narwhal 2022)

Members of the union Public Service Alliance of Canada participate in a cleansing ritual at the beginning of their march for Truth and Reconciliation.

At the end of her workday, Erica is covered in dust and her body feels the impact of her workday. “I’m tired, I’m dusty. I feel like I breathed in so much dust that I just lost a year off my life!” The construction industry puts rigorous expectations on its workers, demanding early mornings and long work days. Before making the decision to work as a freelancer, Erica's work rhythm was very fast paced. “I try not to stress at work. I’ve been there so many times, in jobs that took a lot of energy and stressed me out, and so then I would get up in the morning, I wouldn’t really eat, I’d be in a hurry… it wasn’t good for me, like, it wasn’t a good life.” Now, Erica prioritises her personal life, making time for social and political activities in her community.

Sophie Paquet of Brunet Gilbert Paquet Financial Group at National Bank Financial Wealth Management in Quebec City is a top woman wealth investor in Canada. (Globe and Mail 2023)

Surrounded by a lush variety of greenery, Flavie reaches to pick some juicy cherry tomatoes as the morning sunlight flows over their shoulders. Flavie's free and open spirit is reflected in how they approach their garden; they encourage things to grow where they fall, and embrace the mixture of flavours that result from this interconnectivity beyond the stereotypical pairing of tomatoes and basil. "I don't have a lot of letting go in my life, I like controlling and having control at all times. But with my garden, I let it live its life and I let it go." (Pandemic Gardens 2020)

Élise transplants her coleus into a bigger pot on her small balcony garden. Her large statement glasses slip down her nose as she focuses on the task, working with great care and attention. As I watch her move around the space, I photograph a quiet calm in her that I rarely see in other moments we spend together, a direct impact of Élise's garden on her mental health. As I bike home after our portrait session, I can feel some of Élise's calm energy taking root inside of me. (Pandemic Gardens 2020)

Hashmita uses a green watering can to water a small plant on her balcony garden. In classic Montréal fashion, Hashmita's balcony is tiny, barely 3 feet by 5 feet, but she's been able to do a lot with such a small space. While some might leave this space unused save for a wobbly wooden chair to sit on while popping outside for a short cigarette, Hashmita has transformed her balcony into a dreamy nook, perfect for enjoying a morning coffee and diving deep into a pile of books. Hashmita moves around the balcony, watering her plants with care and tenderness, and the space fills with a quiet calm. This isn't a task that Hashmita rushes through; it's a quiet way to spend time with herself at the beginning of each day, a routine she's developed to anchor her mental health in the middle of a loud city and a global pandemic. (Pandemic Gardens 2020)

Some tagetes erecta, also known as marigold, is ready for harvest in a community garden. After harvest, the marigold will be used in teas to alleviate cramps and indigestion. The flower also adds a beautiful dash of orange to fresh garden salads. (Pandemic Gardens 2020)

Leh harvests parsley in her backyard garden. Gardens empower on a socio-political level by giving individuals a sense of control over the food system. "I grew up on a farm, I grew up working in the garden when I was a kid. It was very much connected to subsistence and providing food for our family." Some of the vegetables Leh picks will be used to feed herself, while others will be shared, her garden providing food autonomy for folks in her tight-knit queer community. (Pandemic Gardens 2020)

Étienne, a Quebec farm worker, raises pigs at his farm, providing ethically raised meat for the local food economy. (Québec Farm Workers 2016)

Portrait with Montréal music producer Joe Black Beats in Old Montréal. (Portraits 2021)

The energy inside Recyborg is intentional and structured, not chaotic. The people inside this worker cooperative are focused on repairing broken electronics and audio equipment. Their mission? To divert objects and devices of all kinds from landfills in the Greater Montreal area through reuse, recycling or repair. (Artists in Studio 2022)

Salvageable. In a way it's a beautiful parallel to the artistic process Margot Silvestro from Urban Panache uses in her work. Margot collects discarded bike parts, scrap pieces of wood and metal, and other found objects in the streets of Montréal. With her keen eye, bike seats transform into animal heads, handlebars into antlers, old bolts and metal coils turn into the eyes as the pieces come together to evoke mounted animal heads. (Artists in Studio, 2020)

Bill Cole steps into a greenhouse and immediately identifies a plant that needs to be moved from a smaller to a larger pot. In one of the experimental greenhouses, he checks the progress of the experiment and quickly assesses what needs to be done next. As we move around the greenhouse together, he points out small details I never would have noticed and shares hilarious stories of his time here at work. Bill moves around the greenhouse with the confidence of having worked hard for many years and being extremely good at your job.

Foyer du monde, a community organisation in Montréal, offers temporary housing to migrants and asylum seekers. (Portraits for Fondation Béati 2022)

Both supporting a loved one as they age and supporting someone struggling with their mental health each present their own sets of challenges. Isabelle Bouchard supported her mother with dementia for almost 20 years. (Photos for AQPAMM 2020)

Professional portraits with a feminist community organisation in Montréal.

Madeleine Orr, a professor at the University of Toronto, studies sport management and environmental sciences, particularly how climate change is impacting global sporting events.

Environmental portraits in the home studio of Montreal ceramics artist Hashmita Alimchandani, part of an on-going series exploring precarity, mental load, and invisible labour of freelance artists.

Derek Vanstone, photographed here in Saguenay Québec, is currently in the military but is looking to build a life in the civilian world.