Province gives local media financial boost

Government agencies ordered to spend 25% of advertising budgets with Ontario news organizations

- JOSH RUBIN

The Ontario government is throwing the beleaguered journalism industry a financial lifeline.

In memos to government agencies, boards and commissions including the LCBO and Metrolinx, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has mandated that the organizations must spend at least 25 per cent of their advertising budget with Ontario-based news organizations.

“Ontario’s major government agencies are some of the largest advertisers in the province, together spending well over $100 million on marketing each year,” Ford wrote in a memo sent to the LCBO late last week.

“These significant advertising budgets should help support Ontario-based publishers and the Ontario-based workers creating local news content for people in our province,” Ford added. Other agencies, boards and commissions received similar memos.

Ford also committed to spending 25 per cent of the government’s own advertising budget with Ontario-based news organizations. Sources familiar with government finances estimated conservatively that the government itself spends at least $100 million per year in advertising.