Vito Pilieci is a senior investigative reporter at The Ottawa Citizen specializing in technology’s intersection with public policy and business innovation. With 19 years at the publication, his work has shaped national conversations on privacy, infrastructure accountability, and startup ecosystems.
Vito Pilieci’s journalism career spans over two decades, marked by a relentless pursuit of stories that bridge technology, business, and public accountability. Beginning as a beat reporter at The Ottawa Citizen, Pilieci quickly distinguished himself through meticulous investigations into Canada’s tech sector. His early work focused on the rise of startups in Ottawa’s Silicon Valley North, where he chronicled the successes and challenges of innovators navigating funding landscapes and regulatory hurdles.
By the mid-2010s, Pilieci’s reporting expanded to national issues, including a groundbreaking 2018 investigation into a $49.5 million government loan awarded to a small Northern Ontario town for a project that was never completed. This exposé earned him a nomination for “exemplary reporting” from the Canadian Association of Journalists, cementing his reputation as a watchdog of public spending.
“Pilieci’s work doesn’t just inform—it holds power accountable. His ability to decode complex financial and technological issues for everyday readers is unmatched.” – Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance
This 2023 article exemplifies Pilieci’s knack for connecting infrastructure failures to broader systemic issues. When a truck crashed through a shopping center fence onto Highway 417, Pilieci didn’t just report the incident—he investigated why safety barriers approved in 2019 remained unimplemented. Through interviews with engineers and FOIA requests, he revealed how bureaucratic delays and budget reallocations prioritized cost-cutting over public safety. The piece sparked municipal audits and remains a case study in accountability journalism.
Pilieci’s 18-month investigation into this mismanaged infrastructure project combined forensic accounting with grassroots interviews. By tracing the loan’s approval process, he uncovered how political connections outweighed feasibility studies. His reporting led to the resignation of three municipal officials and reforms in provincial funding oversight. The Canadian Association of Journalists praised it as “a masterclass in following the money.”
In this 2023 analysis, Pilieci examined Fusus, a real-time surveillance platform being tested by Canadian law enforcement. Balancing interviews with privacy advocates and police, he highlighted the lack of transparency around data retention policies. His sourcing of internal documents revealed that 14 agencies had tested the tech without public consultation, prompting parliamentary hearings on AI surveillance laws.
Pilieci prioritizes stories where technology collides with governance, such as his 2024 series on AI regulation in municipal contracts. A successful pitch might explore how startups are navigating new Health Canada data privacy requirements or the ethical implications of facial recognition in public transit. Avoid consumer gadget reviews—his work centers on systemic impacts.
His coverage of Ottawa’s SaaS startup SceneSquared demonstrated his interest in niche innovators addressing specific industry gaps (e.g., AR for construction safety). Pitches should emphasize unique revenue strategies or partnerships with public institutions, particularly in cleantech or agritech.
The $49.5 million loan investigation shows his appetite for datasets that reveal mismanagement. Provide access to leaked documents or anonymized databases showing disparities in tech funding allocation. He rarely covers stock market trends unless they expose regulatory failures.
Pilieci’s CBC piece on Fusus succeeded by framing a global surveillance trend through Ottawa’s pilot program. Pitch hyperlocal examples of encryption debates, such as how small-town libraries are adopting (or rejecting) AI-driven censorship tools.
While he’s covered major figures like Shopify’s Tobi Lütke, these pieces always tie to policy (e.g., Lütke’s 2022 Senate testimony on e-commerce taxes). Pitches about “tech founders” without clear public interest angles will be ignored.
Recognized for investigative rigor in the $49.5 million loan scandal coverage, this nomination placed Pilieci among peers from The Globe and Mail and CBC. The CAJ jury noted his “unrelenting focus on how bureaucratic failures impact rural communities.”
Pilieci’s series on patent trolling in Canada’s telecom sector earned this industry-specific honor. His reporting directly influenced Innovation Canada’s 2013 guidelines for protecting startups from frivolous litigation.
As the sole journalist on a panel dominated by Fortune 500 executives, Pilieci evaluated entries from Microsoft, Salesforce, and emerging startups. His role underscored his dual reputation in tech and business circles.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Tech, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
