Even saying the word newspaper feels like it doesn’t belong in this century. While there are still physical papers in circulation, the news media as a whole has finally conceded that a strong online strategy is what will keep eyeballs on its content. And while Canadians are some of the top consumers of online news content, we’re also one of the worst when it comes to paying for it.
According to a broad study by Reuters that included 38 countries and 75,000 consumers of news, only 9 per cent of Canadians have admitted to paying for news content in 2018. That’s pushing the boundaries of not being significant at all.
That said, some online news platforms ask for payment in order to access the majority of their stories. We took a look at some of the top news subscriptions in Canada and what they’re charging so you can make an informed choice that works well for your wallet.
Leading Canadian news subscriptions
Toronto Star
Subscription cost: $1.50 CAD per week.
The Toronto Star (also known as Torstar) is still the top print newspaper in Canada with the largest readership. Interesting, because they have less than a million followers on Twitter and less than a half a million followers on Facebook. That would suggest they haven’t figured out how to effectively engage with a defined audience on social.
Learn more about Toronto Star subscriptions.
The Globe and Mail
Subscription cost: $1.99 CAD per week for the first six months; $6.99 CAD per week thereafter.
With close to 200 years of history, The Globe and Mail has cemented itself as a fixture of Canadian news. And with a readership of 7.4 million across all platforms, it’s 4.9 million weekly digital readership is the largest in the country.
Learn more about The Globe and Mail subscriptions.
Postmedia Network key brands: National Post | Toronto Sun | The Montréal Gazette
Subscription cost: $9.95 CAD per month for each individual newspaper.
The National Post, the Toronto Sun, The Montréal Gazette, the Vancouver Sun, The Financial Post, the Calgary Sun, the Calgary Herald, the Winnipeg Sun, and many more are all published by various divisions of the Postmedia Network. This is one of the reasons why the subscription cost for all these newspapers is similar, with little to no difference.
The National Post has a reputation for its financial reporting. Maybe it’s that focus that allows it to charge slightly more for its content than other news publications. With close to a million Twitter followers, the National Post is pushing itself to stay up to date and relevant throughout its social platforms.
On an average, the Toronto Sun has a circulation that’s less than half of top news publications like the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. Still, the Sun promotes itself as an antithesis to these news publications and has maintained a prominent voice in Toronto headlines.
Founded in 1778, The Montréal Gazette is Quebec’s oldest daily newspaper and Canada’s oldest daily newspaper still in publication. It is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal. The Gazette’s audience is primarily Quebec’s English-speaking community.
Subscription plan details for each of the newspapers are available on their respective websites.
| Did you know that a digital news subscription in Canada can make you eligible for a tax credit? Read How to get tax credit for digital news subscriptions in Canada to learn more and understand how to claim the benefit. |
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The future of news subscription services
Although Canada does seem overly cautious when it comes to paying for newspaper subscriptions, the future isn’t all bad. Consumers between the ages of 18 to 34 are twice as likely to have paid for a news subscription than their 35 and over counterparts. While the number still sits at 14 per cent for this younger demographic, it does signal a small shift in how the younger generation values their news sources.
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