About

The Independent of Petrolia & Central Lambton is an award-winning community weekly newspaper.

Founded in 2013, the staff of The Independent strive to provide the region with stories about their neighbours and how government decisions affect their lives.

The staff of The Independent has won dozens of awards for their work, including Best Small Newspaper in Ontario four out of the last six years, was named the Best Small Newspaper in Canada in 2015. 

The paper has also received the prestigious Canadian Journalism Foundations Jackman Award of Excellence for investigative reporting in 2018.

Publisher-Editor Heather Wright is a journalist with over 35 years experience and is an award-winning photographer and investigative journalist who worked and lived much of her life in Lambton County telling the stories of the people in her community.

Blake Ellis is a journalist with two-and-a-half decades of experience. Blake joined The Independent in 2022.

Marlene Bain, our sales associate,  is a life-long resident of Lambton County. Marlene has been working in the newspaper industry in Sarnia and Lambton County for decades. Marlene joined The Independent in 2024.

Theresa Wildschut, our graphic designer and office manager lives in Plympton-Wyoming. After working in the daily newspaper industry, Theresa joined The Independent in 2024.