Hi!

My name is Alyanna. I am a journalist, writer, and editor based in Toronto, Canada. I aim to tell moving and intelligent stories that expose the human condition and hold power to account.

Currently, I am an assistant editor at Maclean’s and freelance on the side. While I can tackle any topic, I tend to cover stories about migration, education, and housing. I write features, profiles, essays, and news for magazines and newspapers.

My bylines include Maclean’s, Toronto Life, Broadview, University Affairs and Toronto Star.

I also blog sometimes, on this website.

Featured Writing

Here are some of the work I’m proudest of

Investigation, featured in Great Canadian Longform: The true cost of a Canadian education (Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3)

News, labour: After years of advocacy, international students’ work limit temporarily lifted

News, health: High-risk U of T community members face increased stress, sickness amid absent mask mandates

Feature, personal essay: The cash cows of U of T

Latest from the Blog

My newest blog posts for you

The Top 10 Books I Read in 2021

In the midst of yet another year marked by collective...

Test Your Temper: 10 Films About Social Injustice

Social injustice and the movements it’s incited have a long...

The Truth About Competitive Debate: Musings of a Former Debater

Back when I was in high school, when I didn’t...

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What People Are Saying

"International students in Canada typically pay tuition fees two to five times higher than domestic students. But at U of T, international students pay almost 10 times the amount their domestic counterparts pay for tuition." https://t.co/VPaWsc4so3 (@TheVarsity @alyannadchua) pic.twitter.com/z41dkeduPc
— Great Canadian Longform (@GCLongform) March 29, 2022

The business of education can harm more than help. Maryam Juyan writes about how International students at UofT struggle to pay increasing tuition fees, costs of food, accommodation. Shout out to the amazing work of @alyannadchua @TheVarsity on this topic.https://t.co/T1Zb89k87j
— Girish Daswani (@girishdaswani) May 31, 2023

Congrats @alyannadchua Sounds well deserved. https://t.co/IuqIzprqbY
— Melody Viczko (@melodyviczko) February 14, 2023

For the CWA Award for Labour Reporting: Alyanna Denise Chua's (@alyannadchua) "After years of advocacy, international students’ work limit temporarily lifted" https://t.co/2AoKnqxOQz
— The Varsity (@TheVarsity) February 13, 2023

At @TheVarsity, we've released a three-part investigation into int'l student fees at @UofT. @alyannadchua is one of the most meticulous reporters I know, and she also has a knack for humanizing big issues. I am absolutely giddy that you can read her magnum opus now. Link below!! https://t.co/Pv4Rb11PQx
— Jadine Ngan (she/her) (@jadinengan) March 29, 2022

Hugely important reporting on the financial struggles of international students at U of T. The exploitation of international students is a shame on the Canadian university sector as a whole, but U of T is especially egregious—10x the tuition paid by domestic students!! https://t.co/HKnMkaXZfL
— Sarah Dowling (@SarahMDowling1) March 29, 2022

A must read investigative piece by the stellar @alyannadchua on how @uoft’s refusal to follow its own ph experts’ advices is harming immunocompromised and disabled folxs.
This is a moral failure.
Shame. https://t.co/KKzjzmPNZc
— Dr Katherine Blouin (@isisnaucratis) November 25, 2022

Last class meeting of ANTD05 @UTSCAnthroDept with these incredible soon-to-graduate students. This course was intense: yrlong original ethnog research projects leading to posters & publications. They surpassed every expectation. These right here are the very best of the best! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ZGPAVv8wVq
— Katie Kilroy-Marac (@kkilroy25) April 7, 2023

🎉🏆Congratulations to @UofT_Anthro students Sofia Champion, George Mantzios, Alyanna Denise Chua (@alyannadchua), Iakoiewáhtha Patton (@iakopatton), and Leann Ling who were recently awarded an Outstanding Graduating Anthropology Student Award from @CASCATweet! pic.twitter.com/E5jKLFjwnJ
— U of T Anthropology (@UofT_Anthro) May 25, 2023

i am really grateful to Alyanna and to The Varsity for revealing our stories, especially as so many mainstream media are dropping the ball entirely on covering the broad impact of removing public health protections by our so-called leaders https://t.co/LoXdPCfWIZ
— Prof. A.W. Peet (@ProfAWPeet) November 24, 2022

Thank you, @alyannadchua, Zen Nguyen and @TheVarsity, for your thoughtful covering of UofT's Queen's death/Orange Shirt Day responses

This is what great journalism looks like 🔥https://t.co/M4ZMpmXVz3 https://t.co/jZRqwnP3pd
— Dr Katherine Blouin (@isisnaucratis) October 3, 2022

@alyannadchua is an absolute star of a writer — she has a sharp eye for detail and a natural sense for storytelling. I'm so very lucky to work with her at @TheVarsity and call her a friend.
You should check out what she published this year (start with Cash Cows, it's so good) ↓ https://t.co/HEEgnnk7C1
— Jadine Ngan (she/her) (@jadinengan) December 31, 2021

Without further ado, please @ your congratulations to this year’s Shared Bylines scholarships recipients, who each will receive $3,000: Daysha Loppie, @alyannadchua, Jermaine Wilson, @dominique_gene, Matthew Merkel and @kierstwilliams 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 /4
— Shared Bylines (@sharedbylines) September 15, 2022

" Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. "

Alaya

L.A. Review of books

" Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. "

Diana

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Hi!

Featured Writing

Latest from the Blog

Voluntary

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You only live oncc

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Actions Speak

$9.99

Awakening Woman

$12.99

What People Are Saying

Stay Tuned