Government of Canada Invests in Southern Alberta Community Newspapers

June 21, 2010

Claresholm, Alberta – On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, Ted Menzies, Member of Parliament for Macleod and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, today announced funding for eight southern Alberta community newspapers.

“Our Government is proud to renew its funding for Canadian non-daily newspapers,” said Minister Moore. “A strong periodical sector contributes to our economy and allows Canadian stories, opinions, and perspectives to be told and heard.”

“I am happy to see the Government of Canada provide assistance through the Canada Periodical Fund to local community newspapers in southern Alberta,” said Mr. Menzies.  “This funding will help these local community papers to survive during tough economic times.”

“The financial support received from Canadian Heritage towards the mailing costs for The Okotoks Western Wheel has allowed us to get the community message out to as many area residents as possible,” said Paul Rockley, Publisher of The Okotoks Western Wheel. “We have been able to reduce subscription rates for our readers due to the subsidy.”

The Government of Canada has provided funding of:

• $269,656 to The Okotoks Western Wheel
• $40,185 to the Vulcan Advocate
• $26,426 to the Claresholm Local Press
• $23,170 to the Pincher Creek Echo
• $21,562 to The Macleod Gazette
• $16,700 to the Nanton News
• $12,213 to the Crowsnest Pass Promoter
• $10,693 to the Crowsnest Pass Herald

This funding has been under the Aid to Publishers component of the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF). The Fund invests in periodicals like these to help increase the overall health of the Canadian magazine and non-daily newspaper industries. The Aid to Publishers component works to ensure that Canadians can continue to have access to the Canadian content they want from paid or request circulation magazines and community newspapers, and provides those titles with the support they need to respond to a complex marketplace. This component provides greater flexibility for publishers to invest where needed in creation, production, marketing, distribution, and Web and digital development.

The CPF, which was created following public consultations, replaces two former programs: the Publications Assistance Program and the Canada Magazine Fund.