Catherine McDonald

Crime Specialist

An award-winning journalist, Catherine McDonald brings her expertise to Global Toronto as a reporter, covering some of the biggest news stories in the GTA.

McDonald was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta but developed a passion for journalism while living in Ottawa, witnessing the glare of media on Parliament Hill. After graduating from McGill University in 1993, McDonald attended NAIT’s (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) Radio and Television program, finding her calling in news.

Upon graduating in 1997, McDonald began her reporting career at CFRN in Red Deer, Alberta, later moving to CHEK TV in Victoria British Columbia. In 2000, McDonald traveled across Canada to join Global News Toronto as a crime specialist. Her career highlights include covering the murder of 10 year-old Holly Jones, whose body was found in the Toronto harbor, the murder of Constable Ryan Russell in 2011, and the disappearance of Mariam Makhniashvili in 2012.

McDonald was part of the team that won two RTDNA (formerly the Radio and Television News Directors Association) awards for best continuing coverage, in 2003 for her coverage of the Jonathon Madden story, a young boy brutally killed by his older brother and in 2005 for the disappearance of Alicia Ross, a woman who was abducted and murdered by her neighbor in Markham, Ontario.

McDonald enjoys exploring the city with her husband and young daughters Eve and Harper, travelling and working out. She is also a big Toronto Blue Jays fan and loves going to games with her friends and family.