Booksellers across Canada receive funding to help expand their online book sales

MONTRÉAL, November 9, 2022

Books are a way for us to be connected to our stories, explore, learn, and contribute to the cultural and economic vitality of our communities. Canadian Heritage is committed to helping the Canadian book sector continue to be adaptative and innovative in reaching readers across Canada. Today, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez, along with Rachel Bendayan, Member of Parliament for Outremont, announced $12 million in funding to help Canadian booksellers increase their ability to sell books online.

Funding will go to 180 booksellers that operate 467 bookstores across Canada. This funding will reach a wide range of businesses, including bookstores owned by or serving members of equity-deserving communities across the country, as well as those located in rural and remote communities. This is the first time funding has been distributed through the new Support for Booksellers component of the Government of Canada's Canada Book Fund. This new component will provide Canadian booksellers with two years of support to improve their online business models where it will be the most effective and to grow their online sales of printed Canadian books. Funding amounts were based on past sales of Canadian-authored books.

The COVID-19 pandemic fuelled a sharp increase in demand for online book sales, resulting in logistical challenges and extra labour, technology and shipping costs. Investments will help Canadian booksellers continue to get more Canadian books into the hands of readers, wherever they are located. Online Canadian book sales benefit the entire book industry, from authors to publishers to booksellers.

In the recent 2022 Fall Economic Statement, the Government of Canada highlighted its plan to continue its sound stewardship of the economy and to be there for Canadians.

For further details and a full list of recipients, please see the backgrounder.