Magazine — Aid to Publishers
Canada
Provides financial support to Canadian publishers of print magazines, community newspapers, and digital periodicals to ensure Canadians have access to high-quality, diverse editorial content.
grant_single_labels|summary
grant_single|eligibleFinancing
- grant_single|maxCount
- grant_single|projectCostPercent
grant_single|deadlines
- grant_single|closingDateDecember 01, 2023
grant_single|financingType
Grant and Funding
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- Information and cultural industries
grant_single|grantors
- Government of Canada
grant_single|status
grant_card_status|closed
grant_single_labels|preview
The Canada Periodical Fund's Aid to Publishers provides financial support to Canadian publishers of print magazines, print community newspapers, and digital periodicals to produce and distribute high-quality, Canadian editorial content. Eligible activities include creation, production, marketing, distribution, and website development and enhancement. This program ensures access to diverse editorial content for Canadian readers, with special measures for official-language minority, Indigenous, ethnocultural, and 2SLGBTQI+ periodicals.
grant_single_labels|projects
Yes, there are several activities eligible for this grant. The eligible expenses encompass diverse aspects of magazine production and distribution.
- Creation (writing, editing, photography, illustration, and design)
- Production (pre-press and printing)
- Marketing
- Distribution
- Website development and enhancement (including content development, and enhancements to the site's architecture and functionality)
grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample
$250,000
Winnipeg
Launch a new Indigenous digital periodical focusing on cultural and social issues
$200,000
Vancouver
Implement a digital transition for a well-established print community newspaper
$150,000
Montreal
Produce a bilingual magazine focusing on Canadian culinary arts and cuisine
$180,000
Calgary
Create a digital periodical to cover local arts and cultural events
$210,000
Ottawa
Improve and expand the website of a digital ethnocultural magazine
$140,000
Toronto
Expand an online 2SLGBTQI+ magazine with enhanced website features and new content
grant_single_labels|admissibility
To be eligible for the Aid to Publishers component of the Canada Periodical Fund, both the publishing firm and the periodical must meet specific criteria. These criteria ensure the firm is majority-owned by Canadians, operates primarily in Canada, and produces content in print or digital formats that adhere to specific editorial standards.
- The publishing firm must be a private-sector entity, majority-owned and controlled by Canadians.
- The primary place of business must be in Canada.
- The firm must have published at least one eligible periodical by the application deadline.
- The periodical must be majority-owned and controlled by Canadians.
- The periodical must be a printed magazine, using paid circulation or request circulation.
- The periodical must have completed at least one uninterrupted 12-month publishing cycle by the application deadline and continue until at least March 31, 2025.
- The periodical must publish between two and 52 regular issues, with no more than 65 issues during the publisher’s financial year.
- The content must contain an average of at least 80% Canadian editorial content (50% for ethnocultural periodicals).
- Advertising must not exceed 70% of the content on average.
- A minimum of 51% of the content must be original.
- The periodical must be edited, designed, assembled, and published in Canada.
- For paid circulation magazines, at least 3,500 paid copies must be sold during the financial year (2,000 for official-language minority, Indigenous, ethnocultural, and 2SLGBTQI+ magazines).
- Subscriptions must be sold at a minimum average subscription price of $12 per year or $1 per copy.
- Single copies and newsstand copies must be sold at a minimum average price of $1 per copy.
- For request circulation magazines, at least 3,500 request copies must be distributed during the financial year.
- At least 50% of total circulation must consist of direct request and other request copies.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply
Yes, there are specific types of companies eligible for this grant. Eligible companies include private-sector entities with a majority Canadian ownership and control that produce print paid or request circulation magazines.
- Corporations
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Partnerships
- Sole proprietorships
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_cannot_apply
Yes, certain types of companies are not eligible for this grant. These include companies that do not meet specific industry or ownership criteria.
- Print or digital daily newspapers
- Periodicals produced by or for an organization that primarily reports on the activities or promotes the interests of the organization
- Periodicals produced by or for an organization providing goods or services in which the main goal of the periodical is to promote the sales of the goods or services
- Periodicals produced under contract by a non-Canadian organization on behalf of a Canadian client
- Periodicals produced under contract by a Canadian organization for a non-Canadian client
- Periodicals produced by or for an organization that promotes the organization's main business, when it is not periodical publishing
- Professional association periodicals
- Periodicals produced by or for a government, a Crown Corporation, or a government agency
- Any periodicals that contain or promote offensive content as defined by the Department of Canadian Heritage
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
Yes, there are eligible expenses for this grant. Financial support can be spent on various activities listed below:
- Creation (writing, editing, photography, illustration and design)
- Production (pre-press and printing)
- Marketing
- Distribution
- Website development and enhancement (including content development, and enhancements to the site's architecture and functionality)
grant_eligibility_criteria|zone
The eligibility for the grant requires that the principal place of business must be in Canada. This includes all provinces and territories within Canada.
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
grant_single_labels|criteria
The evaluation and selection criteria for this grant help determine funding based on the number of eligible copies circulated and eligible editorial expenditures incurred during the financial year. Additional considerations include circulation business model, volume, size, type, and category of the periodical.
- Total number of eligible copies circulated for a periodical during the financial year
- Eligible editorial expenditures incurred during the financial year
- Circulation business model
- Circulation volume
- Size of the periodical
- Type of periodical
- Category of periodical
- Whether the periodical also exists in digital format
- Additional support considerations for farm periodicals
grant_single_labels|register
- Step 1: Read these Application Guidelines in their entirety before completing your application.
- Step 2: Report on the publishing activities that occurred during the publishing firm's twelve (12) month financial year that ends on a date within the period of April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.
- Step 3: Choose the paid circulation business model or the request circulation business model. You cannot apply using a combination of both.
- Step 4: Meet all eligibility requirements.
- Step 5: Submit a complete application package, including the Aid to Publishers – Application Form – Magazine and the following supporting documents:
- Articles of incorporation
- Marked-up copy of the last regular issue of the financial year
- Most recent regular issue
- Last three printers invoices of the financial year (showing the number of copies printed)
- Circulation reports, if applicable
- Step 6: Digitally mark-up a PDF version of your magazine or use a hard copy and mark it up using a black marker, then upload the marked-up PDF or scanned copy to the "Supporting Documents" section.
- Step 7: Identify all images and text on each page of the last regular issue of the financial year using the following codes:
- C: Canadian editorial content
- F: Foreign editorial content
- A: Advertising pages
- N: Non-revenue pages
- L: Listings (specify if the content is Canadian (CL) or Foreign (FL))
- Step 8: Calculate and enter the number of pages or fractions of pages for each type of content in the "Marked-up Issue" section of the application form.
- Step 9: Provide circulation verification documents if required. This includes:
- Circulation reports from accepted audit circulation boards like CCAB/BPA, AAM, or CMCA.
- For paid circulation magazines with 50,000 paid copies and over, provide circulation reports at the time of application or proof of application to an accepted audit circulation board within four months of the application deadline.
- For request circulation magazines, provide circulation reports at the time of application.
- Step 10: Submit your application, including all supporting documents, electronically through the Canadian Heritage Funding Portal. If you are unable to access the online system or apply online, contact the program for assistance.
grant_single_labels|otherInfo
This grant promotes diversity and equality by expecting organizations to adhere to Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy. It also requires funded organizations to create a workplace free from harassment, abuse, and discrimination.
- Organizations must respect the values of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy.
- Recipient organizations must ensure a workplace free from harassment, abuse and discrimination.
- Funded projects require public acknowledgment of Government of Canada support in both English and French.
- Funding decisions are final and recipients may be subject to audits or program evaluations.
- Records related to the funding must be maintained for five years for auditing or evaluation purposes.
- Any change in the status of the publishing firm or periodical must be immediately communicated.
- Grant agreements may require a final report at the end of the project.
grant_single_labels|contact
fondsdesperiodiquescanada-canadaperiodicalfund@pch.gc.ca
1-866-811-0055
Apply to this program
Canada Periodical Fund - Aid to Publishers Grant
The Canada Periodical Fund provides vital financial support to Canadian publishers of print magazines, print community newspapers, and digital periodicals to help them produce and distribute high-quality Canadian content. The Aid to Publishers component ensures these periodicals can overcome market disadvantages and foster diverse Canadian editorial offerings.
Understanding Canada Periodical Fund: Aid to Publishers
The Canada Periodical Fund is an initiative by the Department of Canadian Heritage, aimed at offering financial assistance to publishers of print and digital periodicals in Canada. The goal is to ensure Canadians have access to diverse editorial content, reflecting the country's cultural and societal values. This grant is particularly crucial for small and mid-sized publishers who face significant market disadvantages. Let’s delve into the specifics of the Aid to Publishers component, its eligibility criteria, application process, and other pertinent details.
Objectives and Expected Results
The primary objective of the Canada Periodical Fund is to support Canadian print magazines, print community newspapers, and digital periodicals. By providing financial backing, the fund ensures these publications can produce and distribute high-quality Canadian content. This support helps maintain a diverse range of Canada’s editorial voices, encompassing various demographics, including official-language minority communities, Indigenous peoples, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
Application Deadline
The application deadline for the Aid to Publishers component is November 30, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (EST). It is critical for applicants to adhere to this deadline to ensure their submissions are considered.
Who Can Apply
The grant is available to publishing firms that produce print paid or request circulation magazines. To be eligible, the publishing firm and its periodicals must meet specific criteria until March 31, 2025. Notably, the applying publishing firm must be a private-sector entity, primarily owned and controlled by Canadians, based in Canada, and must have published an eligible periodical by the application deadline.
Eligibility Criteria
Publishing Firms: To qualify, the firm must:
- Be a private-sector entity, including corporations, not-for-profit organizations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships.
- Be majority owned and controlled by Canadians.
- Have its principal place of business in Canada.
- Have published one or more eligible periodicals by the application deadline.
Periodicals: The periodicals must:
- Be published by an eligible publishing firm.
- Be majority owned and controlled by Canadians.
- Be a printed magazine distributed through paid circulation or request circulation.
- Have completed at least one uninterrupted 12-month publishing cycle by the application deadline and continue until at least March 31, 2025.
- Contain an average of at least 80% Canadian editorial content (50% for ethnocultural periodicals).
- Contain an average of at most 70% advertising content.
- Contain a minimum of 51% original content.
- Be edited, designed, assembled, and published in Canada.
Certain periodicals are ineligible, including daily newspapers, non-stand-alone inserts, free print periodicals, newsletters, websites, blogs, social media platforms, and those promoting offensive content, among others.
Eligible and Ineligible Expenses
Publishing firms can utilize the funds for various activities, such as:
- Creation (writing, editing, photography, illustration, and design)
- Production (pre-press and printing)
- Marketing
- Distribution
- Website development and enhancement
Funds must be expended on eligible activities during the next fiscal year (from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025). Ineligible expenses include dividends, bonuses, and compensation for company shareholders or owners.
Limits of Government Assistance
The maximum financial support per periodical (except farm periodicals) is up to $1.5 million. However, the total financial assistance from the Aid to Publishers component and all other government levels cannot exceed 75% of the publisher's total expenditures for creating, producing, marketing, and distributing the periodical.
Application Process
Applicants must carefully read the Application Guidelines and complete the application form, reporting on activities from the publishing firm's twelve-month financial year that ends between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. A complete application package must include:
- Aid to Publishers – Application Form – Magazine
- Articles of incorporation
- Marked-up copy of the last regular issue of the financial year
- Most recent regular issue
- Last three printers’ invoices of the financial year
- Circulation reports, if applicable
Additional documentation may be requested for eligibility verification.
Evaluation Criteria and Processing Time
Applications are evaluated based on the total number of eligible copies circulated and eligible editorial expenditures. The proportional distribution of funding considers the circulation business model, volume, size, type, category of periodical, and digital format presence. Small and mid-size periodicals and those catering to specific communities (such as farm periodicals) receive additional consideration. The processing time varies; applicants receive an acknowledgment of receipt via email upon submission.
Funding Decisions and Disbursement
Funding decisions are final, with funding provided either as a grant or contribution. A grant is a straightforward payment, while a contribution is a conditional payment requiring a funding agreement. Additional conditions may apply and will be outlined in the funding agreement.
Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate
Canadian Heritage emphasizes combating systemic racism and discrimination, promoting diversity, and ensuring equality. Organizations receiving funding must uphold values in line with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy.
Workplace Well-Being
Funded organizations must foster healthy workplaces free from harassment, abuse, and discrimination, reinforcing a commitment to creating supportive and inclusive environments.
Official Languages Requirements
Funded entities must adhere to the official languages requirements, enhancing the vitality of official-language minority communities and promoting the use of English and French in Canada.
Acknowledgement of Financial Assistance
Funding recipients must publicly acknowledge the financial support from the Government of Canada in both English and French in all relevant communications and promotional materials.
Access and Disclosure of Information
Applicants authorize the government to disclose application information within the Government of Canada or to external entities for decision-making, project evaluation, and transparency purposes. Applications are subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
Audits and Program Evaluation
Canadian Heritage reserves the right to audit the recipient's accounts and records. Recipients must retain relevant documentation for five years for potential audits or program evaluations.
Contact Information
For further inquiries:
Department of Canadian Heritage
Canada Periodical Fund, Aid to Publishers
25 Eddy Street, 25-8-U, Gatineau, Quebec, J8X 4B5
Email: fondsdesperiodiquescanada-canadaperiodicalfund@pch.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-866-811-0055 (toll-free)
TTY: 1-888-997-3123 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired)
Agents are available Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST).
This extensive overview should equip Canadian publishers with the necessary information to apply for the Aid to Publishers component of the Canada Periodical Fund, ensuring they meet the eligibility requirements and successfully complete the application process.
