Magazine funding overhaul delayed until 2010

The implementation of the Canada Periodical Fund has been delayed and will likely not come into force until 2010-11 fiscal year, according to Scott White, manager for periodical policy of the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH).

Meanwhile, White said in an e-mail to the Independent Publishers Association of Ontario (IPAO) -- posted by Mastheadonline -- the existing programs (the Canadian Magazine Fund (CMF) and Publications Assistance Program (PAP)) will remain in place, but there is a good possibility there will be less money available. That's because, effective end of March, Canada Post is discontinuing its $15 million contribution to PAP as part of what has been a $70 million funding package. This money has not yet been replaced and the remainder of the funding depends on the forthcoming federal budget.

DCH has been working on a complete overhaul of its magazine support programs and has proposed a merger of CMF and PAP into one program called the Canada Periodical Fund.

Here is White's e-mail in full:

Things are not quite certain as so much depends on the available money. I should explain that we look at the CMF and the PAP (postal subsidy) together as forming a total package of about $75 million for magazines and community newspapers. In round numbers, the CMF is about $15 million and the PAP is about $60 million.

Depending on what happens to the budget request to replace the Canada Post money, we may move money between the programs to minimize the impact on the greatest number of publications. So the editorial funding part of the CMF in 2009-2010 may end up with less than the $10 million it had this year, which will affect the contributions that everyone receives.

I know everyone would like to know sooner, but, decisions on the federal budget are not made until January or even February. At this time, we are not planning on bringing in a new program or changing the eligibility rules of the existing programs in 2009-2010. Any new program, should it be approved by the government, would not come into place until April 2010. That much is certain.