Glacier Media
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGlacier Media is a Canadian business-information and media company serving specialized industries, professional audiences, and local communities.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Glacier Media is a Canadian business-information and media products company headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its operations have historically combined specialized data, research, news, analysis, publications, software, events, and community media. Rather than operating as a single-sector publisher, the company has built a portfolio focused on information-intensive industries where professional customers value timely market intelligence, regulatory content, technical data, and sector expertise. The company’s principal areas have included agriculture, energy, mining, real estate, environmental risk, regulatory compliance, weather, healthcare, general business media, and community publishing. Its agriculture activities have operated through Glacier FarmMedia, providing farmers and agribusiness audiences with information about production techniques, technology, livestock, crops, futures markets, weather, and outdoor events. Publications associated with this portfolio have included The Western Producer, Manitoba Co-operator, Grainews, Alberta Farmer Express, Canadian Cattlemen, and Le Bulletin des agriculteurs. The agriculture business has also included weather and agro-meteorological services supported by data from more than 1,000 weather stations in western Canada. In energy, the JWN Energy Group has supplied company, asset, market, and operating information. Its publications and data brands have included the Daily Oil Bulletin, Oilweek, Canoils, and Evaluate Energy. The energy portfolio has served Canadian customers while also offering internationally oriented information, with activities connected to Canada, the United Kingdom, and India. Glacier and Portcullis Public Affairs jointly established UK Energy Strategies Ltd. in 2016, extending the company’s energy-related information and public-affairs capabilities. The mining portfolio, formerly associated with InfoMine and later organized as the Resource Innovation Group, has provided news, mining data, software, online learning, career information, conferences, and publications for mine operators, exploration companies, developers, prospectors, and investors. Titles and services associated with this group have included The Northern Miner, Canadian Mining Journal, and MINING.com. In real estate, the company has operated the REW.ca listings platform and published Real Estate Weekly and Western Investor, serving residential and commercial property audiences in Western Canada. Glacier’s environmental-risk business, ERIS, has supplied property-level information used to assess potential contamination and other environmental liabilities. The Canadian operation dates to 1999, and the business expanded into the United States in 2013, where it developed coverage for properties across all 50 states. Specialty Technical Publishers has supplied regulatory-compliance information for North American and international users. Weather Innovations Consulting has provided monitoring, modelling, and applied weather information for agribusinesses, producer organizations, government agencies, and researchers. The company has also maintained general business and healthcare information activities. Business in Vancouver Media Group has included the weekly Business in Vancouver newspaper, BIV.com, annual business publications, and business events. Inceptus Media has served Canadian healthcare professionals with information concerning medical research, clinical studies, and professional practice. Community media has been another important part of the portfolio, particularly in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Glacier acquired the Times Colonist of Victoria and other newspapers formerly held by Postmedia Network in 2011 in a transaction reported at C$86.5 million. It later announced an intention to acquire Castanet Media in 2019. At the same time, the company has reduced parts of its community-news footprint, including the announced closures of the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror in 2023 and the planned closures of several community-news websites in 2025. On May 1, 2025, Glacier Media was renamed Lodestar Media. Accordingly, Glacier Media is best understood as the company’s historical and established operating identity, while Lodestar Media represents its later corporate name. The business remains associated with specialized information products, digital media, professional publishing, data services, and community journalism.
History
Glacier Media developed as a diversified Canadian media and information-services company rather than as a conventional general-interest publisher. Its portfolio brought together local journalism and specialized business information, with the latter aimed at industries in which data quality, technical expertise, regulatory awareness, and market timing are commercially important. The company’s geographic base has been Vancouver, while its operating footprint has extended across Canada and into the United States, the United Kingdom, and other international markets. Its community publishing activities have been concentrated in Western Canada, especially British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Its specialized information businesses have served customers beyond those provinces, including international energy and mining users and United States customers of environmental-risk products. Agriculture became one of the company’s major information verticals through Glacier FarmMedia. This group has published farm and livestock information, supplied market commentary and daily futures data, organized outdoor events, and delivered agricultural weather services. Its weather activities have used observations from a large network of stations in western Canada and have applied agro-meteorology, mathematical modelling, database management, and internet delivery to agricultural decision-making. The energy portfolio, organized around JWN Energy Group, has combined Canadian operating and asset information with globally oriented energy data. The Daily Oil Bulletin, Oilweek, Canoils, and Evaluate Energy have represented different parts of this offering, ranging from trade journalism to structured company and asset intelligence. In 2016, Glacier and Portcullis Public Affairs formed UK Energy Strategies Ltd., linking energy information with policy and public-affairs work. In mining, the company’s Resource Innovation Group, formerly associated with InfoMine, has provided news, data, software, online education, employment information, conferences, and specialist publications. The Northern Miner has a history extending back more than a century, while Canadian Mining Journal and MINING.com have addressed professional and global mining audiences. These products have supported operators, exploration firms, developers, investors, and other participants in the mining ecosystem. Glacier also built information services around property and compliance decisions. REW.ca and related real-estate publications have served residential and commercial property markets in Western Canada. ERIS has aggregated government and other records to help users investigate environmental risks associated with properties. After beginning in Canada in 1999, ERIS expanded into the United States in 2013. Specialty Technical Publishers has supplied regulatory-compliance content for users in North America and elsewhere. Weather Innovations Consulting has provided weather monitoring and modelling to commercial, public-sector, and research customers. The company’s media portfolio has included Business in Vancouver Media Group, with Business in Vancouver, BIV.com, annual publications, and events, as well as Inceptus Media, which has served Canadian healthcare professionals. Community publishing became particularly significant after the 2011 purchase of the Times Colonist and other former Postmedia newspapers in a reported C$86.5 million transaction. Glacier subsequently pursued further digital and regional-media expansion, including its 2019 announced intention to acquire Castanet Media. The later history also reflects pressure on local news economics and portfolio rationalization. Glacier announced the ending of operations at the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror in 2023. In 2025 it announced additional closures affecting the Burnaby Now, New Westminster Record, and Tri-City News websites. On May 1, 2025, the company adopted the name Lodestar Media. This renaming marked a new corporate identity, while Glacier Media remains the name associated with the company’s preceding history and portfolio.
- 2025
Corporate name changed to Lodestar Media
[1]Glacier Media was renamed Lodestar Media on May 1, 2025.
- 2023
Two community publications discontinued
[1]The company announced the cessation of operations at the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror.
- 2019
Castanet Media acquisition announced
[1]Glacier Media announced its intention to acquire Castanet Media, a Kelowna-based online publication and regional media company.
- 2016
UK Energy Strategies joint venture created
[1]Glacier Media and Portcullis Public Affairs jointly created UK Energy Strategies Ltd.
- 2013
ERIS enters the United States
[1]The environmental-risk information business expanded into the United States with historical and current property data covering all 50 states.
- 2011
Acquisition of the Times Colonist and other community newspapers
[1]Glacier Media acquired the Times Colonist and other newspapers formerly held by Postmedia Network, significantly expanding its Western Canadian community-media portfolio.
- 1999
ERIS begins providing environmental-risk information in Canada
[1]ERIS is described as having provided environmental-risk information in Canada since 1999, using property and government records to support environmental due diligence.
Products and positioning
A diversified information-services and media group focused on specialized professional markets, industry data, trade publishing, digital intelligence, and regional community journalism.
Agricultural information and media
Glacier FarmMedia
Glacier FarmMedia has served farmers, livestock producers, agribusinesses, and related professionals with agricultural publications, production information, technology coverage, futures-market data, commentary, weather services, and outdoor events. Associated publications have included The Western Producer, Manitoba Co-operator, Grainews, Alberta Farmer Express, Canadian Cattlemen, and Le Bulletin des agriculteurs.
Energy information
JWN Energy Group
JWN Energy Group has combined energy trade publishing with company, asset, operating, and market information. Its associated offerings have included the Daily Oil Bulletin, Oilweek, Canadian operating and asset data under Canoils, and internationally oriented energy intelligence under Evaluate Energy.
Mining information
Resource Innovation Group
The Resource Innovation Group, formerly associated with InfoMine, has provided mining news, databases, software, online learning, career information, conferences, and specialist publications for mining operators, exploration companies, developers, investors, and other industry participants.
Environmental-risk information · 1999
ERIS
ERIS provides environmental-risk and property-history information used in due diligence and property assessment. Its Canadian service dates to 1999, and its United States operation expanded in 2013 with historical and current data covering properties in all 50 states.
Real-estate listings
REW.ca
REW.ca is a real-estate listings platform focused on British Columbia. It forms part of Glacier Media’s real-estate information portfolio, which has also included publications serving residential and commercial property professionals.
Business media
Business in Vancouver Media Group
Business in Vancouver Media Group has included the weekly Business in Vancouver newspaper, the daily BIV.com news website, annual business magazines, and business events focused on Vancouver and British Columbia’s business community.
Community newspaper
Times Colonist
The Times Colonist is a Victoria, British Columbia newspaper that became part of Glacier Media’s community-media portfolio through the company’s 2011 acquisition of the publication and other former Postmedia newspapers.
Mining publication
The Northern Miner
The Northern Miner is a long-running mining publication associated with Glacier Media’s mining-information activities. It provides sector news and intelligence for mining companies, exploration firms, investors, and other industry stakeholders.
Brand decisions
2025
Change the corporate name to Lodestar MediaStrategyBackground
After operating under the Glacier Media identity, the company adopted a new corporate name.
Action taken
The company was renamed Lodestar Media on May 1, 2025.
Aftermath
Glacier Media became the historical operating name, while Lodestar Media became the company’s later corporate identity.
2019
Announce intended acquisition of Castanet MediaM&ABackground
Castanet Media operated a Kelowna-based online publication and served regional audiences in British Columbia.
Action taken
Glacier Media announced its intention to acquire Castanet Media.
2016
Create UK Energy Strategies Ltd.StrategyBackground
Glacier Media’s energy-information activities included internationally oriented data and publishing, while Portcullis Public Affairs brought public-affairs expertise.
Action taken
The companies jointly created UK Energy Strategies Ltd.
Aftermath
The joint venture extended Glacier’s energy-related presence and capabilities in the United Kingdom.
2011
Acquire the Times Colonist and other former Postmedia newspapersM&ABackground
Glacier Media sought to expand its community-media presence in Western Canada through the acquisition of the Times Colonist and other newspapers formerly held by Postmedia Network.
Action taken
The company completed the reported C$86.5 million acquisition.
Aftermath
The transaction made the Times Colonist and a larger group of Western Canadian community publications part of Glacier Media’s portfolio.
Reported transaction value. C$86.5 million (2011 acquisition)
Sources1 sources
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