Frédérik Plante

Read my latest investigation here:

She thought she was buying a warranty for her car. Instead, she and other LendCare customers were allegedly misled into another high-interest loan A spokesperson said management investigates any allegedly misleading sales of insurance products, which are optional and meant to support borrowers.

She thought she was buying a warranty for her car. Instead, she and other LendCare customers were allegedly misled into another high-interest loan #StarInvestigation

A GPS tracker. Attempted insurance fraud. Alarming new allegations emerge in the Toronto police corruption scandal One cop arrested in Project South is accused of helping an associate install a GPS tracker on a woman's vehicle so she could be followed.

From the Star’s Jennifer Pagliaro, @fxplante.bsky.social and me:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Meant 2026 of course

I’ve been trying to respect strict time limits on Instagram in 2025. So far it’s paying off. What I read in January:

After a wave of officer suicides, the OPP vowed to do more for members’ mental health. Internal documents show the reforms have fallen short The OPP said police suicide 'remains a concerning and complex issue,' and the force has made 'great strides' in addressing it.

After a wave of officer suicides, the OPP vowed to do more for members’ mental health. Internal documents show the reforms have fallen short. My latest for @thestar.com: www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Ontario should step up regulation of alternative lending industry, MPPs urge in wake of Star’s Lendcare investigation The Star found vulnerable customers were duped by the financing firm’s merchant partners. The company said it’s “committed to responsible lending.”

Ontario should step up regulation of alternative lending industry, MPPs urge in wake of Star’s Lendcare investigation

Inside this Ontario loan company, concern grew as payments stopped. Its plan to keep bad debt​ off the books came at the expense of vulnerable borrowers Pickering-based LendCare denied wrongdoing, saying the firm is “committed to openness, accountability, and strong governance.”

Inside this Ontario loan company, concern grew as payments stopped. Its plan to keep bad debt​ off the books came at the expense of vulnerable borrowers l

This major lender is accused of working with shady firms that prey on seniors and other vulnerable Canadians, duping them into high-interest loans Pickering-based LendCare denies the allegations, says it vets potential merchant partners and is committed to ‘responsible lending.’

5/ This is the second story w/ Ana Pereira looking into LendCare. In Nov, we found it partners with unscrupulous businesses across the country that prey on vulnerable borrowers through scams and other exploitative contracts: www.thestar.com/business/thi...

4/ LendCare also does repeat restructurings of loans to make them appear in good standing, again only temporarily. Former staff said they do this even in desperate cases where the company no longer has accurate banking information to pull payments.

3/ But this creates a temporary dip in delinquencies, before payments bounce back after a few days. Former staff told me LendCare also hits settled accounts with surprise payments. They said the company even hits dead borrowers' accounts.

2/ LendCare does so by running unexpected payments grabbing money sometimes earmarked for rent and other essential expenses. It often hits empty accounts, leading to NSF fees and further hurting vulnerable borrowers.

Inside this Ontario loan company, concern grew as payments stopped. Its plan to keep bad debt​ off the books came at the expense of vulnerable borrowers Pickering-based LendCare denied wrongdoing, saying the firm is “committed to openness, accountability, and strong governance.”

1/ Subprime point-of-sale lender LendCare has been suppressing delinquency and charge-off rates to mislead parent company Goeasy investors, according to internal emails, court records and sources: www.thestar.com/news/investi...

When surgery left her in crippling pain, she warned Ontario’s medical watchdog she was losing the will to go on. Did the regulator do enough to help? In the wake of Mei Lam’s death by suicide, some question why a doctor already on the regulator's radar for troubling conduct was allowed to treat her.

When surgery left her in crippling pain, she warned Ontario’s medical watchdog she was losing the will to go on. Did the regulator do enough to help? #StarInvestigation

She shut a Magna-owned factory down over extreme temperatures — then was fired. What the story of Grenville Castings reveals about Ontario’s heat protections The provincial government says its rules to protect workers from heat-related injuries is “robust,” but the tale of Grenville Castings casts doubt on that assertion.

She shut a Magna-owned factory down over extreme temperatures — then was fired.

What the story of Grenville Castings reveals about Ontario’s heat protections

This major lender is accused of working with shady firms that prey on seniors and other vulnerable Canadians, duping them into high-interest loans Pickering-based LendCare denies the allegations, says it vets potential merchant partners and is committed to ‘responsible lending.’

A @thestar.com investigation has found that high-cost lender LendCare is working with unscrupulous businesses across the country that prey on vulnerable borrowers through scams and other exploitative contracts. Read my latest story, with Ana Pereira, here: www.thestar.com/business/thi...

This lender is accused of working with unscrupulous firms that prey on the vulnerable. How borrowers say they were duped into high-interest loans Pickering-based LendCare denies the allegations, says it vets potential merchant partners and is committed to 'responsible lending.'

This lender is accused of working with unscrupulous firms that prey on the vulnerable. How borrowers say they were duped into high-interest loans

Accès refusé | Nouveau Projet Dans les années 1980, le gouvernement du Québec prenait les devants et conférait à tou·te·s le droit d’accès à l’information. En 2025, il s’est battu pour l’éroder.

J'ai écrit un essai dans @nouveauprojet.bsky.social sur l'accès a l'information et mon combat judiciaire contre le gouvernement du Québec pour préserver ce qui nous reste de ce droit, si important et mal-aimé : atelier10.ca/nouveauproje...

As Israel Kills 104 in Gaza, Canadian Media’s Vague Language Shields its Ceasefire Violations Canadian mainstream media coverage of Israel’s deadly airstrikes “an epic failure of both journalistic and moral principles,” says professor.

“The relentless framing from Canadian media outlets, which are deeply complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, is near unconditional acquiescence to Israel’s fallacious narrative,” Joshua Sealy-Harrington told @thegrindto.bsky.social.

www.thegrindmag.ca/as-israel-ki...

As Israel Kills 104 in Gaza, Canadian Media’s Vague Language Shields its Ceasefire Violations Canadian mainstream media coverage of Israel’s deadly airstrikes “an epic failure of both journalistic and moral principles,” says professor.

NEW: Israel killed 104 Palestinians (and 46 children) in Gaza Tuesday, in a clear violation of the ceasefire.

But mainstream media failed to accurately convey the severity of the moment, acting instead as a mouthpiece for the Israeli government.

www.thegrindmag.ca/as-israel-ki...

A ‘jaw-dropper’ poll showed surging support for an Alberta separatist party. Turns out the polling firm and the party weren’t so separate The Alberta Republican Party leader previously had an ownership stake in the same polling company that reported support for his new party was surging.

A new poll last month made waves when it showed 11 per cent support for the Republican Party of Alberta and their push to separate. Turns out the pollster and the party shared some DNA. New story from @emmamci.bsky.social and me.

www.thestar.com/news/investi...

A ‘jaw-dropper’ poll showed surging support for an Alberta separatist party. Turns out the polling firm and the party weren’t so separate The Alberta Republican Party leader previously had an ownership stake in the same polling company that reported support for his new party was surging.

New from @alexboyd.bsky.social and me: A 'jaw-dropper' new survey from pollster Cardinal Research last month showed surging support for the Alberta Republican Party.

But neither the firm nor the party disclosed they have common DNA: party leader Cam Davies.
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

How a lucrative, global internet scam traces back to this office above a Montreal grocery store The network of websites, which reaped nearly $12 million in 2023, have left a trail of disgruntled customers who say they were swindled.

I contributed reporting on this series with an international team of journalists from 20 outlets coordinated by the @eicnetwork.bsky.social. Read my story for @thestar.com here:
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

2025 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism: ten finalists shortlisted | News | European Parliament The jury of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism has shortlisted ten investigations for the fifth edition of the award.

Honoured that the #DirtyPayments series of investigations was shortlisted among ten finalists for the 2025 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism: www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

How a lucrative, global internet scam traces back to this office above a Montreal grocery store The network of websites, which reaped nearly $12 million in 2023, have left a trail of disgruntled customers who say they were swindled.

New @thestar.com investigation from me in collaboration with @eicnetwork.bsky.social as part of the #DirtyPayments series: How a lucrative, global internet scam traces back to this office above a Montreal grocery store www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Quebec police violated investigation rules, faced minimal consequences after civilian deaths Documents show violations occurred in 30 out of 312 investigations the BEI conducted. The Globe could find no evidence officers involved faced consequences other than warnings

2/2 et que les policiers qui violent les règles des enquêtes du BEI, ce qui est aussi arrivé à Longueuil, ne font face à aucune conséquence : www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Quebec police refusing to co-operate in investigations on civilian deaths Many police are refusing to answer questions from the oversight body on civilian deaths following a court ruling last year that said officers must meet with investigators

1/2 À propos de la mort de Nooran Rezayi et de l’enquête du BEI : il est bon de rappeler que les policiers de Longueuil font partie de ceux qui refusent systématiquement de répondre aux questions des enquêteurs du BEI selon des données obtenues en 2023 www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

‘I haven’t been able to keep up with it.’ Tenants in seniors’ residences say ballooning fees are forcing them out There are growing calls for the province to regulate service fees the same way it does rent to stop 'price gouging.'

‘I haven’t been able to keep up with it.’ Tenants in seniors’ residences say ballooning, unregulated fees are forcing them out. Read my latest for @thestar.com: www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Financial records shed new light on the Ontario Place spa firm’s net worth, raising questions about the Ford government’s due diligence Therme Group says its finances are solid and, with the unwavering backing of a shareholder, it has never been in danger of failing the stress test.

The latest in the Star’s reporting on Ontario Place:

Biz reporter Ana Pereira and I got ahold of financial records that shed light on how Therme passed Ontario’s financial test to secure its lease — and raise questions about the Ford government’s due dilligence.
www.thestar.com/news/investi...

Revealed: Israeli military’s own data indicates civilian death rate of 83% in Gaza war Figures from classified IDF database listed 8,900 named fighters as dead or probably dead in May, as overall death toll reached 53,000

Figures from a classified Israeli military intelligence database indicate five out of six Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza have been civilians, an extreme rate of slaughter rarely matched in recent decades of warfare, via @theguardian.com:

www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...