Storylines

In July 2024, seven fishermen from around New-Wes-Valley, Newfoundland set out on their fishing boat in search of turbot.  While at sea that day a fire broke out near the engine room, before long the bunkroom was full of smoke. The seven sailors had no choice but to abandon ship and before long they were sitting in a small life-raft. What followed was a 52-hour ordeal that tested not just their will to survive, but the bonds between them. The situation could not have been more dire, two of the men couldn’t swim, supplies were dwindling and a thick fog hampered rescue efforts.  In this documentary, 52 Hours Lost at Sea, find out what it was like to spend more than two days adrift in the North Atlantic. Produced by Mary-Catherine McIntosh and the Audio documentary unit / the doc originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit (This show first aired on Feb. 2025)

One Yukon community is fighting back against wildfires with an unlikely weapon —trees. The plan seems counterintuitive, using trees to stop a fire, but Aspens are fire-resistant unlike the flammable trees like spruces and pines found around the city.  But growing the almost two million trees to make the firebreak isn’t easy.  It’s going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of little seeds. But if it works, it could be a game changer. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Complaints are common. Cormorants kill trees. They eat too many fish. Their colonies stink. Warren Hoselton has had enough. After three years of watching his beloved trees around his Ontario home be decimated by cormorant poop, he wants action. The birds have to go. But not everyone has a hate-on for cormorants. Avian ecologists say it's not fair to fault birds for doing what nature designed them to do. The ones living in a park on the edges of Canada’s largest city, reached 20,000 this year, angering locals worried about their impact. In Toronto, they’re trying to relocate them. Elsewhere, hunters shoot them.  All across North America cormorants make enemies because of the mess  they leave behind. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

It was supposed to keep Canada together but a massive 1995 rally nearly did the opposite. In 1995, Canada was on the verge of breaking up. The province of Quebec was about to vote on whether to become a sovereign nation. Just days before a referendum on that very question, tens of thousands of Canadians from across the country poured into Montreal. Travelling by planes and trains - they gathered for what would become known as the Unity Rally. Carrying flags, singing the national anthem and declaring their love for Quebec – they pleaded for Quebecers to say “no” they would not leave.Despite this demonstration – many in the Province viewed the gesture as too little too late. 30 years later Francis Plourde looks at the legacy of the love-in, and the historic vote and what it says about Canada today.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Russian trucks drive across Canada’s arctic. Foreign ships appear along our northern shores. For decades, it’s fallen on Tuktoyaktuk to be Canada’s watchful eyes in the Arctic.But the recent surge of attention about arctic sovereignty and security from politicians in the south raises a host of concerns for residents. Will promised military funding and federal focus on security solve the local problems of high unemployment and rapidly deteriorating infrastructure? CBC documentary producer Julia Pagel traveled to Tuktoyaktuk to see what this conversation about arctic security looks like on the ground.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

Stephanie Azzarello was dying. To survive, doctors told her she needed to find someone willing to donate part of their liver. Her story went out on social media and late one night, it reached the phone of a nurse and mother in Portland Oregon. There was something about Stephanie’s story that made Trisha Beard want to help. Liz Hoath brings us this story about two women whose lives became intertwined because of an act of generosity. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

As wind energy continues to grow in Canada, so does the body count for migratory bats.Biologist Cori Lausen has spent years advocating to help prevent bats from being killed by wind turbines. She even helped inform the rules around wind energy development and bats in Alberta. But she worries it may have been too little too late to prevent some species from going extinct. Molly Segal travels from Alberta wind farms to BC’s forests to discover if there’s a way to save bats without disrupting getting renewable energy from turbines. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

Indigenous communities in South America say mining threatens their water supply. But the world needs lithium for EVs to fight climate change.In the Salinas Grandes salt flats, which hold significant lithium deposits, some residents are saying no to mining. But towns are divided. Some want the jobs that come with mining while others fear what this lithium extraction will do to the water table.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In Finland, bomb shelters double as playgrounds. 900,000 reservists on standby. In Sweden, millions received war prep pamphlets. Defense spending doubled in four years.These Nordic nations aren’t taking any chances with Russia’s war in Ukraine raging. They remember what happened in 1939 when the Soviet Union invaded Finland. Both countries also joined NATO, so Canada is bound to defend them too. Emma Godmere travels to the Arctic Circle to discover what it means to live next to Russia, and what Canada can learn from its Nordic allies. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

At just 46, Jennifer Brady, a Halifax single mother and professor, made the shocking decision to apply to die. She couldn't get surgery in Nova Scotia for a painful condition called lymphedema. After six years of fighting, she saw medical assistance in dying as her only option. But what happened next set off a chain reaction that would take her case to the courts and the premier’s office.Angela MacIvor brings us the story of one woman's battle against the bureaucracy of the healthcare system.Produced by Angela MacIvor and Joan Webber / Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

When a grizzly bear swam to Texada Island, 5 kilometres off the mainland of BC, it arrived in a place that was known to have no predators. The bear, which soon had the nickname, “Tex,” quickly divided this community of a little more than 1000 people. Some saw a beautiful animal that deserved protection, while others saw a dangerous predator that needed to be removed.In her documentary, “A Bear Called Tex,” Molly Segal visits Texada Island to find out what happened when a community was forced to answer the complicated question of what to do with an unwanted grizzly bear. Produced by Molly Segal and Liz Hoath. This documentary originally aired on The Current. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

Starting when she was two years old, Robin Heald endured years of sexual abuse by her stepfather.  As a young teenager, she told police, child protection services and her mother what was going on, yet little changed. Her mother even chose to stay with the man who was abusing her. In the documentary, “It Ends with Me,” Robin takes us on a road trip to visit her mother and sister - a journey to explore their generational trauma, a system’s failure to protect children and Robin’s determination to break their family’s cycle of abuse. Warning: This episode contains discussions of childhood sexual abuse. Produced and reported by John Chipman with story editing by Julia Pagel and Joan Webber. This doc first aired on The Current in June of 2025.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

It’s Friday prayers at the Masjid Al-Noor mosque in St. John's, Newfoundland and the building is packed. Worshippers squeeze into the basement, they spill into the kitchen and lay prayer mats on the lawn. The Muslim community here desperately needs a bigger space. Soon they’ll have one because a new mosque, under construction just up the road in a former church.  The story of how the new mosque was built involves tragedy, faith and an extraordinary act of generosity connected to one of the most gripping news events in recent years, the imploding of the Titan submersible in the North Atlantic. In her documentary, The Best of Planners, Caroline Hillier explores how unexpected events can create profound connections between strangers. Produced by Caroline Hillier, Joan Webber and Lindsay Bird. This documentary first aired on The Current and Atlantic Voice in June, 2025Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

When tariffs on goods from China reached 145 percent, a cargo ship carrying tens of thousands of dollars worth of dog toys arrived in Los Angeles but was not unloaded. The toys remained on the ship as it sailed to New York City, in the hope that the tariffs would be lifted by the time it arrived. Had that plan failed, the entire cargo might have been destroyed. This was the kind of costly decision businesses have been facing during the trade war.Behind every one of these desperate business decisions usually stands a customs broker. They're the pros who know how to navigate the maze of international trade rules. But when Trump launched his trade war, their world got turned inside out.Their job went from filing forms and calculating duties to decoding confusing, exhaustive orders with 24 hours' notice. It also means delivering devastating news to business owners about mind-boggling new tariffs. In Julia Pagel's documentary, she talks to customs brokers who have been on the front lines of this evolving trade war.Produced by Julia Pagel and Joan Webber. The documentary first aired on The Sunday Magazine in June of 2025.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

When Arthur Arnold resigned from the Moscow Symphony Orchestra in protest of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he walked away from one of the world's most prestigious symphony stages. This decision would bring him a world away, to Powell River, British Columbia, a town tucked between the ocean and the mountains with a population of 13,000.This town is at a crossroads. Two years ago, its economic heart, a massive pulp and paper mill, shut down. The plant closure left residents wondering what would come next.But some are hoping that the city’s past could help define its future. There’s a deep history of arts and culture that goes back to the very beginnings of Powell River. And now with people like Arthur Arnold bringing in world class musicians and building an arts hub in town - there’s hope that music could help fill the void left by the loss of the pulp and paper industry. Produced by Liz Hoath and Joan Webber. Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

Storylines is taking a break for the summer but we'll be back in the fall with a brand new season of audio documentaries. Until then, scroll back through our feed to discover a collection of audio stories to keep you company all summer long.See you in September! 

It’s a little money saving trick Canadians who live near a provincial border know well. They drive to another province to save a bit because products are cheaper there. It’s the kind of thing you’d do without giving it a second thought. However, for Gerard Comeau, driving from New Brunswick to Quebec to buy a case of beer resulted in a ticket and a constitutional challenge that made it all the way to the Supreme Court.  In her documentary, “A Case of Beer …. and Borders,” CBC producer Jodie Martinson explores how Comeau’s beer run became a high-stakes legal battle over interprovincial trade barriers in Canada. The case pittled those who wanted to maintain provincial control of some industries against others pushing for free trade.  The documentary was produced by Jodie Martinson, Liz Hoath, and Joan Webber, with assistance from Mary-Catherine McIntosh. The doc originally aired on The Sunday Magazine. This episode of Storylines first aired in March 2025.Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In West Sacramento, California, an unlikely team of firefighters is helping save homes from wildfire. They have four legs, love to eat, and bleat when they're happy. If you haven’t guessed already, we’re talking about goats! When flames raced toward a condo complex in 2022, the fire suddenly stopped. Residents credit the goats who had recently cleared the area of dry grass and brush. Tim Arrowsmith owns over 4,000 goats that graze across northern California. His herds devour fire fuels that would otherwise help blazes spread.In his documentary producer John Chipman explores how this novel approach to wildfire prevention works. He also asks why goat grazing isn't more common in Canada, where officials are skeptical of these cute furry firefighters.Produced John Chipman and Joan Webber with help from Catherin Rolfsen / Originally aired on What on Earth Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit

In 2014, Shams Erfan was pulled off a bus by members of the Taliban who accused him of being a traitor. A bystander intervened, saving his life, but Shams knew he was no longer safe in Afghanistan. This threat set Erfan on a treacherous eight-year journey. He hoped to find a safe haven in Indonesia. Instead, he spent years stuck in a refugee prison camp. When he finally reached Canada, Shams vowed to help bring others like himself to safety — and he found the people who could help him do it. On this week's Storylines, Alisa Siegel follows three strangers from vastly different worlds, united in a single mission: to rescue refugees trapped in Indonesia and help them begin new lives. Produced by Alisa Siegel and story editing by Liz Hoath.  This program originally aired in March 2024Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit 

For decades, Maria Grazia Filipucci carried on a secret love affair with a Catholic priest. They met as children and became friends, but when he turned 14, his parents sent him off to seminary. They stayed in touch, and as adults began a romantic relationship. Through periods of separation and togetherness, she had to navigate the emotional complexity of loving a man bound by a religious vow of celibacy. Filipucci wasn't alone. Over a decade ago, a group of Italian women went public about their secret relationships with priests. They wanted to break their silence to challenge the church's stance on celibacy and expose the emotional toll these hidden affairs have on everyone involved. This week on Storylines, "Unfaithful", a doc from CBC’s Rome-based correspondent, Megan Williams, about the heartbreak of falling in love with a priest.Produced by Megan Williams and Joan Webber / original aired on The Current in 2014Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit