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
