Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is doubling pre-election federal aid for publishers approved by the Liberal cabinet. Freeland in a Fall Economic Statement yesterday said payroll rebates originally promised to expire in 2024 are now extended past the next election at almost $30,000 a year per newsroom employee.

“To ensure a strong and independent press can continue to thrive in Canada the Fall Economic Statement proposes to enhance the Canadian journalism labour tax credit,” wrote the Department of Finance. Minister Freeland avoided all mention of the measure in her speech to Parliament.

Parliament in 2019 approved a $595 million bailout to subsidize publishers deemed “qualified” by the Minister of Revenue. The subsidy currently pays a 25 percent rebate per newsroom employee earning up to $55,000 a year, a maximum $13,750 rebate.