A graphic with a black and white photo of a bookshelf in the background. In the centre of the graphic there is white text with a red background that reads “Canadian Books Deserve Better.” Below that, there is white text with a black background that reads “Increase the Canada Book Fund.” The logos for l’Association nationale des éditeurs de livres and the Association of Canadian Publishers are in the bottom right corner.

Increase the Canada Book Fund - ensure the government keeps its promise!

Calling all book lovers, publishing professionals, and champions of Canadian writing: we need your help!

In the most recent mandate letter from the Prime Minister, the Minister of Canadian Heritage was directed to increase key writing and publishing programs, including increasing the Canada Book Fund budget by 50% in the 2022-23 fiscal year. This mandate letter commitment has not been fulfilled by the government during the last two federal budgets.

The Government must not let down the book publishing industry yet again.

We are asking for your support to help ensure that the government fulfills this commitment to the publishing sector in Budget 2024. Please take 30 seconds to send a letter to your MP to help maintain a thriving Canadian publishing ecosystem. Make your voice heard

Send a letter to your MP

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Dear [recipient position will go here] [recipient name will go here],

Your Letter *

I write to request your support for an increase to the budget of the Canada Book Fund (CBF), a program administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage, as part of Budget 2024. The CBF supports Canadian-owned publishers who employ best business practices, commit to innovation, and promote Canadian authors at home and internationally. The standards for success within the program are high and the CBF is an essential support that ensures their businesses remain competitive, and that a diverse, Canadian-owned publishing sector thrives in all regions of the country.

In the most recent mandate letter from the Prime Minister, the Minister of Canadian Heritage was directed to increase key writing and publishing programs, including increasing the CBF budget by 50% in the 2022-23 fiscal year. This mandate letter commitment has not been fulfilled by the government during the last two federal budgets.

This lack of action is not tenable. The Government must not let down the book publishing industry yet again.

We need you to demand that Ministers St-Onge and Freeland finally fulfill their promise in Budget 2024.

Publishers invest in new authors reflective of Canada’s diversity, experimenting with innovative and inclusive marketing strategies, and reimagining the way books are published to improve the industry’s environmental sustainability. The current federal investment in book publishing has not kept pace with the needs of an evolving industry, resulting in serious consequences for Canadian publishers. This lack of support from the federal government is creating an unstable environment that will have a negative ripple effect on the future of Canada’s publishing sector.

Increased investment in the CBF’s permanent programs would be consistent with other Heritage programs that have received increased funding over the last couple of years (e.g. Canada Music Fund, Canada Arts Presentation Fund, Canada Cultural Spaces Fund), and would help provide the necessary tools for publishing houses to compete in today’s marketplace and remain stable for years to come. Book publishers can no longer be left behind if you wish to maintain a billion-dollar industry.

I urge you to support implementation of the Minister’s mandate letter commitment as part of Budget 2024. Please reach out to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Finance to show your support. The future health and sustainability of Canada’s book industry is in your hands. Do what is right and support a vital industry in Canada.

Yours sincerely,
[your name will go here]
[your email address will go here] [your location will go here]

The Canadian book publishing industry plays an important role in sharing local stories with audiences across the country and around the world.
Minister St-Onge has a mandate to increase the budget of the Canada Book Fund (CBF). In their 2021 election platform, the Liberal Party of Canada committed to increasing the CBF budget by 50%, which would represent new investment of $19.2M annually. This commitment has not yet been fulfilled.
The budget of the CBF’s permanent programs has not increased since 2001, resulting in the erosion of its real value by more than 55%.
Federal investment in book publishing has not kept pace with the needs of an evolving industry, or with investment in other arts and culture sectors.

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