Storylines

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SOCIETY & CULTURE
EVERY TWO WEEKS

Skip the headline and immerse yourself in an unforgettable story, with audio documentaries that take you into someone else’s world. From a mother who hires a private eye to track down her kid’s drug dealer to a rogue grizzly bear that divides a tiny island, we go deep on the stories you’ll keep thinking about. Every week, our award-winning team of producers brings you true stories about real people.

3 DAYS AGO

The growing risk of tornadoes in Canada

It was a late summer evening when James Blacksmith was travelling along a prairie highway. The Manitoba man saw nothing out of the ordinary, save for a black cloud right above him. Suddenly, a massive wind kicked up and he was forced to pull off the road. Then a tornado struck. What follows is a story of survival and discovery. And while scientists aren’t sure yet what role climate change plays when it comes to tornados - they are observing changes. In Canada, researchers say these shifts, along with a growing population, are making people more vulnerable. Leading some to ask: is the country doing enough to warn Canadians of the risks?

25 min
13 MAR

Why is a B.C. land claim such a big deal?

People in B.C. were caught by surprise when, in August 2025, a Supreme Court declared Aboriginal title on some privately held land, not far outside Metro Vancouver. Incredibly, most of the people that live inside the claim area weren’t told about the unprecedented case, until the decision came out. In this documentary, the CBC’s Georgie Smyth tells the stories of the Canadians tangled together by history, who now find themselves fighting for the same thing.

27 min
6 MAR

Why did it feel like King Kong shook this plane?

It’s the summer of 2019, and a flight bound for Australia has just experienced some extreme turbulence. One passenger thought the plane was going down, another said it felt like King Kong grabbed the plane and shook it. Their plane recovered, and those with injuries were taken to hospital. When the incident was analyzed, a representative from Air Canada said the terrifying moment was a result of clear air turbulence. A form of Turbulence that is on the rise because of climate change. Julia Pagel tells us why that is, and what, if anything, can be done about it.

24 min
27 FEB

Brain disease mimics mental disorder, woman almost dies

When Dr. Jadah Johnson first met Nora Scott, she thought she was going to die. The woman from High River, Alberta was a patient at the psychiatric unit where the young psychiatrist worked. Four years earlier, Nora had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She recovered, but had now relapsed. Her family described all the expected symptoms: depression, mania, psychosis. But the diagnosis didn’t sit right with Dr. Johnson because Nora had other non-psychiatric symptoms too. The psychiatrist believed Nora had a rare autoimmune condition attacking her brain that was mimicking a mental disorder. Dr. Johnson’s colleagues told her repeatedly that she was wrong, but she wouldn’t let it go. In the end, she was right. In this documentary, CBC producer John Chipman visits an Alberta family whose life was turned upside down by a rare medical condition that’s challenging psychiatrists the world over.

27 min
20 FEB

Is Cohousing the life hack you're looking for?

Rachel Collishaw is looking for a better way to live. She wants more connection, strong community, and support as she ages. She found a group in Ottawa wanting the same thing, and the excitement is palpable. They want to build something called Cohousing, where homes get built with the intention of spending more time with your neighbours, sharing meals, and support for young and old. As Julia Pagel follows the group, she hears stories of how cohousing can mean beautiful mountain homes with children running freely, but also stories of community tension, money lost, and for Rachel a price tag that might be too high to manage.

28 min
13 FEB

Stop Killing Us: Iranian Canadians speak out

Leila Afshari’s brother went missing in January when he joined protestors filling the streets of Iran. They were calling for regime change but instead were met with bullets. Thousands were killed and many more arrested. The internet was shut down and Iranian Canadians were left in the dark, not knowing what had happened to their loved ones. This documentary traces their efforts to search for the truth of what is going on in Iran.

26 min
6 FEB

How to Stop a Rat Boom

As rat populations spike across North America, scientists search for new ways to curb the critters. It’s a pressing task, as scientists warn climate change is contributing to a perfect storm of rat-friendly conditions. And there’s a lot at stake. One rat expert calls them klepto parasites because they steal from us. Our health, our safety and our peace of mind. It’s why in an alleyway in Chicago, an experiment led by a Canadian scientist is looking at an innovative way to reduce rat numbers using birth control.

27 min
30 JAN

When ICE comes to town

A nine-year-old Haitian girl just wants to go to school, but her family is too scared to let her outside. They haven’t left the house in a while, fearing one of them will be detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers currently patrolling the streets of Minneapolis-St.Paul. In fact, the family is so worried they’re hiding at a fellow Haitian’s home in the Twin Cities. An act of “humanity”, according to their host, in the face of so much fear. People in Minneapolis-St. Paul are gathering food, standing in the streets, patrolling their neighborhoods, to protect their neighbours from the threat of being detained. Julia Pagel and Alison Masemann wondered what this moment feels like for the residents of these cities. These are the stories they found.

24 min

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TRAILER

Introducing: Storylines

Introducing Storylines, a weekly documentary show for people who love narrative podcasts. Stories you can’t stop thinking about. That you’ll tell your friends about. And that will help you understand what’s going on in Canada, and why. Every week a journalist follows one story, meets the people at its centre, and makes it make sense. Sometimes it’s about people living out the headlines in real life. Sometimes it’s about someone you’ve never heard of, living though something you had no idea was happening. Either way, you’ll go somewhere, meet someone, get the context, and learn something new. (Plus it sounds really good. Mixed like a movie.) One story, well told, every week, from the award-winning team at the CBC Audio Doc Unit.

05/09/2023

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2 min

Skip the headline and immerse yourself in an unforgettable story, with audio documentaries that take you into someone else’s world. From a mother who hires a private eye to track down her kid’s drug dealer to a rogue grizzly bear that divides a tiny island, we go deep on the stories you’ll keep thinking about. Every week, our award-winning team of producers brings you true stories about real people.