News

TORONTO, ONTARIO—(February 26, 2026)—The Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) and the Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) are deeply disappointed by the Government of Nova Scotia’s decision to eliminate provincial funding for independent publishers through the cancellation of the Publishers Assistance program. With this devastating cut, support for local publishers has been reduced from $700,000 annually to zero, making Nova Scotia the only province in Canada that does not invest in its own book publishers.

The move is a shocking about-face from the Government's previously-held position that the province is "renowned for our storytellers," one they affirmed as recently as last fall with their launch of the Nova Scotia Loyal book industry pilot program. With these announced cuts, those same storytellers are now being left behind.

The publishers affected by this decision are independent, Nova Scotia–based companies that make significant contributions to the province’s economy, educational landscape, and cultural life—and to Canada’s publishing ecosystem as a whole. Collectively, these presses publish 100+ new books each year, employ local staff, contract local freelancers, work with Nova Scotian authors and illustrators, and supply books to schools, libraries, bookstores, and readers across the country.

Independent publishers are often the only ones committed to publishing local voices and regional perspectives. With this funding eliminated, fewer Nova Scotian stories will be written, published, and shared. At a time when cultural sovereignty is increasingly vital, cutting support for local publishing is a step in the wrong direction. Across Canada, publisher assistance programs strengthen the book publishing sector in order to ensure our stories, histories, and ideas are told by and for people in our communities, rather than being watered-down to suit larger, external markets.

“Independent publishers are essential cultural infrastructure,” said Alana Wilcox, President of the Association of Canadian Publishers. “When provincial support for publishing is eliminated, the impact is immediate and far-reaching—fewer books by local authors, fewer jobs, and fewer opportunities for Nova Scotian stories to reach readers. This decision weakens not only the province’s publishing sector, but Canada’s cultural landscape writ large.”

“Nova Scotia has a brilliant and singular literary tradition, one that until now was underpinned by government investment in its writing and publishing community,” said Norm Nehmetallah, the Literary Press Group’s Board Chair. “At a time when interest in buying and supporting local is at an all-time high in our country, the decision to remove a pillar of support for Nova Scotia publishers—among other arts organizations receiving cuts—is a bewildering move. It has been proven time and again across this country that investment in the arts yields real economic returns. We urge the Nova Scotia government to recognize that reality and reverse this decision.”

These cuts are part of a broader package of reductions to arts and culture funding in the province, and they will have long-term consequences for creators, cultural workers, and readers in Nova Scotia and beyond.

ACP and LPG stand with the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association and with Nova Scotian publishers, writers, and booksellers in expressing serious concern about the damage this decision will cause. We urge the Government of Nova Scotia to reverse the elimination of support to book publishers and restore the Publishing Assistance Fund of $700,000 to recognize, along with every other province, that sustained investment in local publishing is an investment in economic resilience and cultural vitality.

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The Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) is the national voice of English-language Canadian-owned book publishers. ACP contributes to the development and maintenance of vibrant, competitive book publishing companies in order to support and strengthen the contribution that Canadian books make to Canada’s cultural, economic, and educational landscape.

Founded in 1975, the Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) is a not-for-profit association that represents Canadian-owned and -operated literary book publishers located across the country. LPG’s members produce books by some of Canada’s most innovative and creative writers, giving readers access to diverse voices that have not been well represented in mainstream publishing.

Together, ACP and LPG represent 129 independent Canadian-owned book publishers across the country.

For more information, contact:

Jack Illingworth
Executive Director, ACP
jack_illingworth@canbook.org

What independently-published books were most borrowed by library patrons in January 2026?

We consulted the data — specifically, the BookNet Canada LibraryData — to find the top 50 loaned books!

Note that this graphic represents the four-week period of January 4 – February 2, 2026.

What independently-published books were most borrowed by library patrons in November 2025?

We consulted the data — specifically, the BookNet Canada LibraryData — to find the top 50 loaned books. Note that this graphic represents the four-week period of November 30 – December 28, 2025.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Canadian Publishers Stand with Library Community in Opposing Repeal of Library Mailing Provisions

Publishing associations join national accessibility and library organizations in opposing the repeal of Canada Post provisions that ensure equitable access to books for all Canadians.

December 15, 2025

The Canadian publishing industry joins the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS), the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), and the broader Canadian library community in urging the federal government to withdraw amendments to the Canada Post Corporation Act introduced in Bill C-15 that jeopardize equitable access to books for Canadians across the country.

The provisions slated for removal ensure:

• Free mailing of letters, books, tapes, records, and similar materials for the use of people who are blind through the Literature for the Blind program, and
• Reduced postage for library materials, commonly known as the Library Book Rate.

These long-standing measures are foundational to equitable access to reading materials in Canada. Blind Canadians rely on the free mailing program to access information, cultural materials, and educational resources. The Library Book Rate benefits all Canadians by ensuring that materials can circulate nationally, which is not only vital in serving remote, rural, and northern communities, but also supports inter-library loans in urban areas.

Canadian publishers are concerned that the proposed repeal was introduced without prior notice, consultation, or mention in the November 4, 2025 federal budget, instead only appearing in Bill C-15 (Budget Implementation Act). Removing these provisions would have immediate and harmful impacts on readers who rely on accessible materials, the public libraries that serve them, and the publishers and authors whose works circulate through this system. Publishers support maintaining and strengthening the Library Book Rate, the Literature for the Blind program, and other public-interest postal measures that ensure equitable access to reading materials nationwide.

While we commend Canada Post for stating their intention to maintain the Library Book Rate regardless of changes to the Canada Post Corporation Act, publishers and libraries emphasize that the rate must remain enshrined in legislation to ensure long-term stability and affordability.

Canadian publishers stand with NNELS and CELA in calling on Parliament to preserve these provisions in full, recognizing their essential role in ensuring national access to library materials. Additionally, the government must commit to thorough and transparent consultation with affected communities before proposing any future changes to these protections.

For more information on how individuals and organizations can participate in this advocacy effort—including a template letter to send to Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works, and Procurement—please visit the NNELS website.

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The Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) is the national voice of English-language Canadian-owned book publishers. ACP contributes to the development and maintenance of vibrant, competitive book publishing companies in order to support and strengthen the contribution that Canadian books make to Canada’s cultural, economic, and educational landscape.

The Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) brings together the vast majority of French-language publishing houses in Quebec and Canada. Its mission is to support the growth of the publishing industry and ensure the visibility of Quebec and Franco-Canadian books nationally and internationally, particularly by advocating for the respect of copyright. Member publishing houses of the Association publish various types of works, from novels to textbooks, including essays and children's books.

The Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC) represents the interests of publishing companies that publish books and other media for elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and reference markets, and the retail and library sectors. CPC maintains liaison with major Canadian and international sector associations in writing and publishing, to monitor key developments in the sector and advocate for policies that promote a healthy and prosperous industry.

Founded in 1975, the Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) is a not-for-profit association that represents Canadian-owned and -operated literary book publishers from coast to coast. Their members produce books by some of Canada’s most innovative and creative writers, giving readers access to diverse voices that have not been well represented in mainstream publishing. In addition to their cultural contributions, LPG members are small businesses that support local economies through the full range of their business activities, from editorial, design, and production to marketing, sales, and distribution.

The Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens (REFC) was created to enable French-language publishing houses to undertake concerted actions in the areas of marketing, promotion, representation, and training. It also promotes a partnership-oriented approach by encouraging cooperation among members and key stakeholders in the book ecosystem, thereby ensuring consultation, dialogue, and collaboration with organizations committed to the cultural development of French-speaking communities in Canada.

For more information, contact:
Jack Illingworth
Executive Director, ACP
jack_illingworth@canbook.org

What independently-published books were most borrowed by library patrons in November 2025?

We consulted the data — specifically, the BookNet Canada LibraryData — to find the top 50 loaned books. Note that this graphic represents the four-week period of November 2 – November 30, 2025.

What independently-published books were most borrowed by library patrons in October 2025?

We consulted the data - specifically, the BookNet Canada LibraryData - to find the top 50 loaned books. Note that this graphic represents the four-week period of October 5 – November 2, 2025.

What independently-published books were most borrowed by library patrons in September 2025? We consulted the data - specifically, the BookNet Canada LibraryData - to find the top 50 loaned books.

Note that this graphic represents the four-week period of August 31 – September 28, 2025.

TORONTO, ONTARIO—(September 16, 2025)—The Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP), the Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC), and the Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) strongly condemn the Government of Alberta’s book banning policy and the devastating impact it is set to have on students, educators, authors, and communities. The changes announced last week—shifting the focus from written descriptions of sex to visual depictions—do not resolve the fundamental problem: the directive continues to restrict access to literature and undermines the expertise of educators and librarians.

The government’s original directive—framed as a ban on “sexually explicit” materials—forced school boards to prepare lists of hundreds of books for removal, including classics such as The Handmaid’s Tale, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and Brave New World. It was only when this sweeping overreach drew international criticism that the government amended its order, acknowledging that its criteria would otherwise censor works considered to be in the literary canon.

However, Alberta’s amended policy will still ban award-winning graphic novels such as Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, Flamer by Mike Curato, and Blankets by Craig Thompson—all of which centre on 2SLGBTQIA+ narratives and all of which were used as justification for this policy in statements by the Alberta Government. These acclaimed works do not endanger students; they affirm diverse identities and reflect the lived experiences of Albertans. Images of nudity are not always sexual, and images of sex are not always pornographic. Teacher-librarians are trained professionals who can make these distinctions and engage with students in thoughtful, productive ways. The removal of these texts from school libraries only serves to stigmatize queer youth and communicate that their stories are unwelcome in public education.

“Alberta’s revisions do not address the underlying issues of this directive,” said Alana Wilcox, ACP’s President. “There was no meaningful consultation with educators, librarians, or publishers, and public survey results showed that a majority of Albertans oppose government interference in what students can read. If Alberta truly wants to serve its young people, it must trust the expertise of educators and librarians to ensure that all students have access to books that foster empathy, curiosity, and critical thinking.”

ACP, CPC, and LPG call on the Government of Alberta to:

• Repeal this harmful directive in its entirety;
• End top-down approaches to education policy that bypass meaningful consultation with educators, librarians, students, families, and publishers; and
• Commit to developing future policies that respect student rights, professional expertise, and democratic values, while supporting—not restricting—access to a wide range of literature.

Book bans do not protect children. They restrict opportunities for learning, stigmatize marginalized communities, and undermine the professional judgment of educators and teacher-librarians. By politicizing school libraries, the Alberta government is narrowing the scope of what young people are allowed to read and imagine, while overburdening an education system already under strain.

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ACP is the national voice of English-language Canadian-owned book publishers. ACP contributes to the development and maintenance of vibrant, competitive book publishing companies in order to support and strengthen the contribution that Canadian books make to Canada’s cultural, economic, and educational landscape.

The Canadian Publishers’ Council (CPC) represents the interests of publishing companies that publish books and other media for elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, professional and reference markets, and the retail and library sectors. CPC maintains liaison with major Canadian and international sector associations in writing and publishing, to monitor key developments in the sector and advocate for policies that promote a healthy and prosperous industry.

Founded in 1975, the Literary Press Group of Canada (LPG) is a not-for-profit association that represents Canadian-owned and -operated literary book publishers located across the country. LPG’s members produce books by some of Canada’s most innovative and creative writers, giving readers access to diverse voices that have not been well represented in mainstream publishing.

For more information, contact:
Jack Illingworth
Executive Director, ACP
jack_illingworth@canbook.org

What independently-published books were most borrowed by library patrons in August 2025? We consulted the data - specifically, the BookNet Canada LibraryData - to find the top 50 loaned books.

Note that this graphic represents the four-week period of August 4 – 31, 2025.

What independently-published books were most borrowed by library patrons in July 2025? We consulted the data - specifically, the BookNet Canada LibraryData - to find the top 50 loaned books.

Note that this graphic represents the four-week period of July 7 – August 3, 2025.