The feds are keeping mum on who received tens of millions of dollars in media subsidies..Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault’s department refused to name publishers awarded nearly $61 million in pre-election “emergency relief,” says Blacklock’s Reporter..The grants were to ensure readers receive “timely information they require from their government,” Guilbeault wrote in a letter to MPs..“These measures demonstrate the government’s commitment to both a robust, diverse and sustainable news ecosystem and ensuring Canadians can receive the timely information they require from their government,” Guilbeault wrote in a July 21 letter to the Commons Heritage Committee..The letter disclosed unnamed publishers received $60.8 million as “emergency support” through an existing heritage department program called Aid To Publishers..The grants were in addition to annual subsidies already paid, including proceeds from a $595 million media bailout approved by Parliament in 2018..“This final component helps address some of the gaps that have been identified by the industry,” the department said in a statement..Staff would not answer repeated requests for names of publishers and the amounts they received under the ad hoc program called Emergency Support For Cultural Industries..“The abrupt, unanticipated and destabilizing effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has served to exacerbate financial pressures on the industry at a time when access to reliable news is perhaps more important than ever,” wrote Guilbeault..The grants were intended for magazine and weekly newspaper publishers..“We remain committed to supporting the long-term vitality of the sector,” wrote Guilbeault..Periodicals in Canada are already heavily subsidized. Bayard Presse Canada Inc. of Toronto, publisher of children’s magazines like Chickadee, received $1.35 million on April 1. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, publisher of Ontario Out Of Doors, received $568,703. OP Media Group Ltd. of Vancouver, publisher of Pacific Yachting magazine, received $251,999. The Halifax publisher of Frank Magazine was paid $109,594..Other subsidies included $1,473,363 to the publisher of Reader’s Digest, a total $1,354,619 for The Western Producer of Saskatoon, a total $1,166,408 to Maclean’s magazine, a total $1,073,549 to Canadian House & Home and $1,007,018 to Chatelaine magazine..An $817,081 grant was paid April 1 to Ontario Farmer. Subsidies worth $720,241 were given to Canadian Geographic magazine, and $570,794 to Toronto Life..The Catholic Register received $503,475 in subsidies, separate from $346,369 given to The B.C. Catholic, a periodical published by the Archdiocese of Vancouver. Cottage Life received $407,457. Fashion magazine was awarded $379,662..The Western Standard does not receive, nor does it seek, any government bailout money..Mike D’Amour is the British Columbia Bureau Chief for the Western Standard.,.mdamour@westernstandardonline.com
