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Mario Bartel

Mario Bartel

Mario Bartel has been a journalist for over 30 years. More than half that tenure was spent peering through the viewfinder of a camera as a photojournalist.

As they suffered the brunt of a contracting industry, he started spending more time at the keyboard, covering everything from civic affairs to features to sports.

Over the course of his diverse career, Bartel has covered visits by prime ministers, championship junior hockey teams, the early morning toil of a tug captain, late-night fires, the 106th birthday celebration of a community icon, the challenges of a professional hockey player trying to come back from triple cancer diagnoses and more election night celebrations in dark, crowded pubs or community halls than he cares to remember.

Alas, he's yet to have the opportunity to ride in a blimp.

When Bartel's not pounding out Port Moody council stories, setting up lights for a feature portrait, or shivering in the cold rain shooting high school soccer, he is riding his bike, usually out to the Fraser Valley, up Mt. Seymour or along urban routes that take advantage of Vancouver's extensive cycling network. Often those rides involve a stop at a coffee shop, even though he doesn’t imbibe in hot beverages. But he does enjoy a good pain au chocolat and he can attest Blacksmith bakery in Fort Langley makes the best this side of Paris.

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Recent Work by Mario

'It's like a Christmas miracle': How a Port Moody family's project became a holiday movie

'It's like a Christmas miracle': How a Port Moody family's project became a holiday movie

"Saving Christmas," produced, directed, written and starring members of the Ortiz family from Port Moody, premiered two weeks ago.
Man gets conditional discharge, probation for Port Moody social media stunt

Man gets conditional discharge, probation for Port Moody social media stunt

The incident occurred last March 4 and resulted in the closure of the boat ramp at Port Moody's Rocky Point Park for several hours.
Video: Coquitlam SAR vet stays calm during close bear encounter on Burnaby Mountain

Video: Coquitlam SAR vet stays calm during close bear encounter on Burnaby Mountain

Jim Delgrande was riding his bike up the Trans-Canada trail when he encountered a black bear.
The struggle for affordable housing, and what it meant when a Coquitlam woman found it

The struggle for affordable housing, and what it meant when a Coquitlam woman found it

"It changes your perception of yourself," Frances Stone said. She was on a BC Housing waiting list for five years and applied to every co-op in Metro Vancouver before landing a local apartment with rent geared to her income.
'It's just not OK': How a Port Moody bakery is standing up against rude, impatient customers

'It's just not OK': How a Port Moody bakery is standing up against rude, impatient customers

More than a third of the employees at Gabi & Jules bakery, located in Port Moody and Burnaby, self-identify as having a disability.
Port Moody's tallest towers would come with a grocery store, plaza and pedestrian bridge

Port Moody's tallest towers would come with a grocery store, plaza and pedestrian bridge

Vancouver-based PCI Developments wants to build two 39-storey rental towers next to the Moody Centre SkyTrain station.
Port Moody project proves rent-to-own will help housing affordability, but challenges remain: Developer

Port Moody project proves rent-to-own will help housing affordability, but challenges remain: Developer

More than 700 people initially applied to participate in a unique rent-to-own program at 50 Electronic Ave. in Port Moody
'It is really troubling': Police looking for thief who stole defibrillator from Port Moody rec centre

'It is really troubling': Police looking for thief who stole defibrillator from Port Moody rec centre

An automated electronic defibrillator (AED) can be used to revive someone in cardiac arrest.
TV series filmed in Port Moody wins big at Emmy Awards. It's not done yet

TV series filmed in Port Moody wins big at Emmy Awards. It's not done yet

"Shogun" took over the old Flavelle cedar mill site in 2021 and 2022, transforming it into a medieval Japanese village.
A lake that borders Coquitlam's Burke Mountain could lead to a vast treasure of gold and this TV series takes you there

A lake that borders Coquitlam's Burke Mountain could lead to a vast treasure of gold and this TV series takes you there

Season two of "Deadman's Curse" airs on Thursdays on the History channel, beginning Sept. 12.
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