In a move to bolster local journalism, the Ontario government announced today that provincial agencies will allocate at least 25% of their advertising budgets to Ontario-based publishers.
This initiative is seen as a crucial step to support the struggling news industry in the province.
“We all know that community, regional and national news publishers have been facing and struggling with declining ad sales,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “This initiative will help give Ontario publishers support to keep afloat.”
The directive applies to key government agencies, including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), the Ontario Cannabis Store, Metrolinx, and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Together, these agencies spend over $100 million annually on marketing. With the new policy, Ontario-based publishers, recognized as Qualified Canadian Journalism Organizations by the Canada Revenue Agency, can expect to receive over $25 million in ad revenue.
“This is a step in the right direction,” stated Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. “It’s great to see the government supporting Canadian journalism and prioritizing local news and media workers in Ontario.”
Unifor, representing over 10,000 media workers, including 5,000 in the broadcast and film industries, has long advocated for diverse funding sources for Canada’s media sector. The union urged the federal government and other provinces to follow Ontario’s example.
The new policy will take effect on September 3, 2024, with the government committed to reviewing its impact quarterly.
Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, representing 320,000 workers across various industries.