Ottawa to consider having Canada Post distribute Quebec’s local weeklies

Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is methods Canada Submit might take over the distribution of Quebec’s regional and native newspapers.

“The regional newspapers […] play a basic function that others can not play,” the minister mentioned throughout a information convention Thursday.

His feedback got here after Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante’s announcement earlier this week that as of subsequent spring, weekly flyer-stuffed plastic baggage containing circulars, coupons and native newspapers — dubbed Publisacs in Quebec — will solely be delivered to households that ask for them.

At the moment, residents have the choice to refuse Publisacs. 

Rodriguez fears different municipalities in Quebec might comply with Montreal’s determination, and since weekly newspapers are distributed with the Publisacs, Quebecers might lose entry to their native info.

“This is a matter I am following,” mentioned Rodriguez. “I’ve to satisfy with Canada Submit on this subject.”

The Crown company is the one different entity that has the capability to distribute native and regional weeklies to residents’ doorsteps, however its charges are prohibitive, costing as much as thrice as a lot because the worth charged by Transcontinental, which owns Publisac.

On Monday, Plante mentioned the town will set up a monetary help program to help native newspapers through the transition interval.

Rodriguez says his division can even provide monetary help to numerous media, however he says will probably be a misplaced trigger for papers that depend upon the distribution system to get their publications into readers’ arms.

“I am going to look into it with Canada Submit, however I am actually open to dialogue,” he mentioned. 

“The papers not solely should be revealed; they’ve to succeed in individuals.”

Environmentalists welcome Montreal’s transfer

Montreal’s announcement was a victory for critics and environmentalists who’ve for years been calling on the town to cease the weekly door-to-door distribution of plastic baggage to hundreds of households throughout the island.

In 2019, Charles Montpetit, a resident of Montreal’s Rosemont neighbourhood, launched a petition calling for Publisacs to be distributed solely to those that request them, describing the present distribution mannequin as an “ecological catastrophe.” 

“I really feel fairly elated,” mentioned Montpetit earlier this week. “It is one thing we have been after for 3 years […] and [city officials] weren’t simple to persuade.”

LISTEN: Montreal resident explains why he helps Montreal’s opt-in mannequin for Publisacs: 

Nonetheless, Rodriguez says regional newspapers are a vector of democracy and he says distribution by Canada Submit is kind of attainable.

“I by no means say no. I by no means say it is inconceivable […] I am not closed to something,” he mentioned.