Ontario says magazine support so far this year tops $1.3 million

The Ontario government has so far this fiscal year invested $1.3 million into the Ontario magazine publishing sector, including $862,500 that has gone to 37 Ontario-based publishers for various strategic initiatives through the OMDC Magazine Fund, according to a release from the Ontario Media Development Corporation. (OMDC is an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Culture and concerns itself with all cultural industries including film, television, book publishing, electronic media and sound recording as well as magazines.)

Other funding went to industry associations such as Magazines Canada's direct marketing campaign, support for Word on the Street book and periodical festival and in support of Magazines University, a joint venture principally of Masthead magazine and the Canadian Business Press.

According to a study commissioned by Magazines Canada, with funding assistance by OMDC, the value of the magazine sector in Canada is $1.56 billion and Ontario has over 75% of the activity (jobs/revenue) and exports more than half of magazine production to other provinces and territories.