Subsidies will not save money-losing news media, says a Department of Heritage memo. A $595 million bailout fund approved by Parliament in 2019 is up for renewal next March 31.

“At least one third of Canadian journalism jobs have disappeared since 2010,” said the May 17 memo The Online News Act. “Between 2008 and February 1, 2023 a total of 470 local news operations closed in 335 communities across Canada.”

“Between the same period 210 new news outlets launched,” said the memo. “The government supports journalism in several ways but supports alone cannot redress the structural decline of the current business model.”