Minister Guilbeault Extends Pandemic-Era Media Subsidies, Citing ‘Sea of Disinformation’

Ottawa says it is extending media subsidies first launched in 2020 to ensure Canadians will continue to have access to “unbiased” information.

Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault announced $12 million in funding on Oct. 14 to extend the Special Measures for Journalism component of the Canada Periodical Fund for fiscal year 2025-26.

The funding aims to help non-daily community newspapers and magazine publishers, especially those using a free distribution model or with a smaller paid circulation, overcome market disadvantages and produce quality editorial and journalistic content, Heritage Canada said in an Oct. 14 news release.

The department said Canadian voices are needed now “more than ever” to help readers access “relevant and reliable” perspectives, citing a prevailing climate of untrustworthy information. 

“In a sea of disinformation, ensuring that Canadians have access to local, unbiased and timely information is critical,” Guilbeault said in the Oct. 14 statement.

He noted the funding will help small independent media outlets to produce quality reporting and share Canadian stories, while also “protecting our democracy and cultural sovereignty.”

The Special Measures for Journalism component of the Canada Periodical Fund has cost Ottawa more than $100 million since it was launched in 2020 as a COVID-19 “emergency measure” to provide relief to media outlets during the pandemic.

Canadian Heritage provided $45 million in funding when it was launched in 2020, followed by an additional $23 million in 2021-22, and $40 million to extend the fund for another three years, from 2022-25. The funding ended on March 31.

Ottawa provides several other subsidies to media outlets such as the Aid to Publishers component, the Business Innovation component, and the Collective Initiatives component of the Canada Periodical Fund. The Local Journalism Initiative also provides funding to media outlets for hiring journalists or paying freelance journalists to produce content for “underserved” communities.

Ottawa has also implemented the Changing Narratives Fund, which provides funding to media outlets that are part of communities such as indigenous, black, ethno-religious minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBT communities.

The Tories have not been as supportive of media subsidies as the Liberals, but Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said during his election campaign earlier this year that he would boost the Local Journalism Initiative by $25 million for local news outlets and provide another $25 million in funding for indigenous language media.

He has long pledged to defund the CBC, but says that CBC’s French service, Radio-Canada, should still be supported. He said the English-language CBC should be a “Canadian-owned, self-sufficient media organization that is a not-for-profit and supported by listeners, donations, sponsorships, ad revenue, and licensing revenue.”