On The Trail is rated Left with High factual reporting by Media Bias Fact Check.
LEFT BIAS
These media sources are moderate to strongly biased toward liberal/progressive causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using an appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information that may damage liberal/progressive causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Left Bias sources.
- Overall, we rate On the Trail Left Biased based on its openly socialist editorial philosophy, support for organized labour and public ownership, progressive social positions, and strong criticism of privatization and corporate power. We rate it High for factual reporting due to transparent editorial standards, generally strong sourcing, identifiable authorship, and a clean fact-check record.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEFT (-6.4)
Factual Reporting: HIGH (1.7)
Country: Canada
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: EXCELLENT
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: HIGH CREDIBILITY
History
On the Trail is an independent Canadian news and investigative journalism website operated primarily by journalist Isaac Peltz. Based in Montreal, Quebec, Peltz is a bilingual investigative journalist whose work focuses on Canadian politics, government accountability, housing, labour, environmental issues, and corporate influence. The publication also produces podcasts, newsletters, opinion and analysis, and the Data Trail database, which compiles public records on elected officials, lobbying, investments, government contracts, and political donations.
On the Trail maintains a detailed ethics code in which Peltz explicitly describes the publication’s editorial line as socialist or leftist while rejecting allegiance to individual political parties. The code also outlines standards for sourcing, corrections, conflicts of interest, factual reporting, and distinguishing opinion from news.
Read our profile on Canada’s government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
On the Trail is independently operated by Isaac Peltz and is primarily funded through reader subscriptions. Peltz states that the publication is entirely reader-funded and does not accept corporate payouts. Subscription revenue also supports development of its Data Trail accountability database and contributors who work on the project.
The publication provides substantial transparency about its principal journalist, editorial philosophy, funding approach, conflicts of interest, and ethical standards, though it does not prominently disclose a formal corporate ownership structure.
Analysis / Bias
On the Trail demonstrates a strong progressive and socialist editorial perspective. Its own ethics policy explicitly identifies its editorial line as socialist or leftist and states that coverage prioritizes marginalized communities, labour movements, and perspectives from the political left. At the same time, Peltz rejects partisan loyalty and states that politicians and parties should be criticized regardless of ideological alignment.
For example, Carney Wants to Privatize Airports. It’s a Terrible Idea strongly opposes Prime Minister Mark Carney’s proposal to bring private investment into publicly owned Canadian airports. The article emphasizes union opposition and argues that privatization benefits private investors while increasing costs for Canadians, reflecting a left-wing preference for public ownership and skepticism toward privatization.
Similarly, Every project for sale at the investment summit criticizes the Carney Liberal government’s market-oriented economic strategy, fossil-fuel development, private infrastructure investment, and wealthy corporate interests. The analysis praises stronger climate policies while dismissing conservative economic journalism, demonstrating clear progressive framing even as it criticizes the governing Liberal Party.
The publication also strongly supports organized labour and worker protections. In The labour movement is dead (but it can still come back), Peltz criticizes both the NDP and Liberal governments when they act against unions or striking workers. This reinforces that the publication’s bias is ideological rather than simply partisan. Despite strong opinionated framing, reporting generally relies on government documents, interviews, academic studies, public records, and other identifiable sources.
Failed Fact Checks
- None found from major fact-checking organizations.
Overall, we rate On the Trail Left Biased based on its openly socialist editorial philosophy, support for organized labour and public ownership, progressive social positions, and strong criticism of privatization and corporate power. We rate it High for factual reporting due to transparent editorial standards, generally strong sourcing, identifiable authorship, and a clean fact-check record. (D. Van Zandt 10/22/2026)
Source: https://www.onthetrail.info/
Last Updated on October 22, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources