Category: Advocacy

In our commitment to transparency and to supporting Nova Scotia’s arts and culture community, we have prepared and sent an open letter this morning to the Premier and Members of the Nova Scotia Legislature regarding the proposed provincial budget cuts.

We encourage you to share the attached letter and social posts widely within your libraries and throughout your communities.

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March 6, 2026

Open Letter Regarding Proposed Provincial Budget Cuts in Nova Scotia

Dear Premier Houston,

The news of the impending cuts, specifically towards arts and culture, to the Nova Scotia provincial budget was met with distress and disbelief by the members of our association. APLA represents approximately 400 library workers and library supporters across the Atlantic region. I am writing on their behalf to ask that you reconsider the proposed cuts to these sectors that are not only foundational for the community, but are critical to our regional economy.

The importance of arts and culture in our province cannot be overstated. Art programs and cultural organizations are crucial to lifelong learning and skills development for Nova Scotians of all ages. The loss of community arts programming, especially youth-focused education initiatives, will narrow access to creative learning opportunities across the province. Beyond the immediate impact on these sectors, these cuts threaten long-term negative impacts on cultural life, social cohesion and the broader economy of Nova Scotia.

The consequences of these cuts will be felt immediately in our libraries. All libraries – public, academic, special – rely on a vibrant local publishing ecosystem to build collections that reflect Nova Scotian voices and stories. Reductions to publishing grants and cultural funding weaken the very supply chain that sustains literacy, local authorship, and access to diverse Canadian content in our communities. While the Minister of Community, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage stated that “library funding was not cut”, the elimination of emergency bridge funding effectively reduces operational capacity, particularly for rural and regional libraries already managing rising costs of library materials. For many communities, even modest funding losses translate into reduced hours, fewer programs, delayed acquisitions, and staffing shortages. Libraries and arts organizations operate in partnership; when cultural programming shrinks, libraries are left to absorb increased demand with fewer resources.

While we acknowledge the fiscal pressures facing the province, it is difficult to accept that reductions to arts funding  represent prudent long-term solutions. Cost savings achieved through deep cuts – specifically to arts and culture, are offset by broader economic and social consequences. The question must be asked: will the projected savings outweigh the cultural vibrance and energy of local publishers, theatres, galleries, and festivals? Youth will lose access to creative and educational opportunities. Emerging writers and artists may be forced to leave the province in search of sustainable support. The arts sector contributes significant GDP and supports thousands of jobs across Nova Scotia. Weakening this sector undermines not only Nova Scotia’s cultural vibrancy but economic adaptability.

The concerns we raise here are shared widely across the sectors we help to promote, and the communities we serve. We respectfully urge you to reconsider these proposed cuts, recognizing the profound and lasting impact they would have on individuals, artists, organizations and the broader economy of Nova Scotia. We thank you for your attention to this matter and remain ready to engage in constructive dialogue toward a resolution.

Sincerely,

Terri Winchcombe
APLA President

The decision by Correctional Service Canada (CSC) to eliminate all librarian positions in federal penitentiaries across Canada — coupled with its intention to end funding for the CEGEP education program serving incarcerated people in Quebec’s federal institutions — represents a sweeping and regressive dismantling of rehabilitative infrastructure within our prison system.

Taken together, these actions signal a stark retreat from education, literacy, and meaningful rehabilitation. They undermine decades of progress and contradict both Canada’s domestic law and its international human rights commitments.

Sign the open letter here by Friday, February 27, 2026

This year’s provincial budget is defunding Nova Scotia books.

The Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage sent letters yesterday informing Nova Scotia publishers that it is eliminating a $700,000 fund that helps local publishers publish new books by local authors.

“It’s drastic and devastating,” says Nimbus manager Terrilee Bulger. “Books are an important pillar of our culture. This budget decision by Premier Tim Houston’s government will mean that fewer Nova Scotian creators will get their books published. Not only that, Nova Scotian publishers will be forced to lay off staff, and spend less on local freelancers.”
Nova Scotia publishers release more than 100 new books, most by local authors, every year.

“We need a government that will defend Nova Scotia books, not defund them,” adds Bulger. “New books are vital for local booksellers and their business. They bring people to public libraries too.”

Nova Scotia’s Publisher Assistance Program parallels similar funding available to locally owned publishers in all nine other provinces. Nova Scotia’s program was already less generous than in most other provinces.

“This budget cut will make Nova Scotia the only province to cancel support for publishing books that is the backbone of our entire industry,” she adds.

Among the other publishing companies affected are Breton Books, Macintyre Purcell Publishing, Formac Publishing, Pottersfield Press, Conundrum Press, and Fernwood Publishing.

“Without this provincial support, we’ll have to cut new titles from 15 to 7,” says Formac CEO Jim Lorimer. “Books won’t get written, they won’t get published, and they won’t be there for readers to enjoy.”

“It’s a small, proud, and diverse industry, encompassing everything from graphic novels to children’s books to scholarly works, employing local artists, authors, staff, and more,” states Jeff Cox, President of MacIntyre Purcell Publishing. “Removing 100% of provincial support leaves Nova Scotia as the ONLY province in Canada that does not support its book publishers and authors.

Lesley Choyce, prolific author and the Publisher of Pottersfield Press states: “Since Pottersfield Press was founded in 1978, provincial publishing support has allowed us to publish a wide range of Nova Scotia authors that includes Maxine Tyne, George Elliott Clarke, Joan Baxter, Rita Joe, Harry Bruce and at least 100 others, many of whom were first time authors. The loss of the Publishers Assistance Fund will be devastating to the continued growth of culture in the province and silence many new creative voices that need to be heard.”

The publishers are hoping that Premier Tim Houston and Finance and Treasury Board Minister John Lohr will remember the lessons of the disastrous film tax debacle created by the previous government more than 10 years ago.

“One of Tim Houston’s best qualities as a leader is that he has the courage to listen and the courage to change a government decision,” notes Bulger. “I am hopeful that he will consider the damage this budget decision will have on local book publishers, the broader Nova Scotian cultural economy.”

Source: Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association

House Finance Committee amendment reinstates protection for Library Book Rate

During its clause-by-clause review of the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-15), the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance adopted an amendment put forward by the government to reinstate protections for free literature for the blind and reduced postage rates for library materials in the Canada Post Corporations Act.

The committee’s report to the House of Commons includes:

In accordance with its Order of Reference of Wednesday, December 10, 2025, your committee has considered Bill C-15, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025, and agreed on Monday, February 23, 2026, to report it with the following amendments:

Clause 196

That Bill C-15, in Clause 196, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 296 the following:

“(3.1) The Corporation must provide for

1. 1. ) the transmission by post, free of postage, of letters, books, tapes, records and other similar material for the use of the blind; and
   2. ) a reduced rate of postage for library materials lent by a library to a borrower, including by means of an interlibrary loan.”

News of the amendment was shared by the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) and the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) in an email to their stakeholders.

Bill C-15 must now be sent back to the House of Commons for Report Stage and 3rd Reading. Once passed, it will proceed to the Senate. We do not expect any major changes to this section and certainly none that should cause further harm to Canada Post rates for library materials or materials for the use of the blind.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported and helped in this important advocacy work. NNELS and CELA worked collaboratively with the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), and Public Library InterLINK on this issue. We also worked alongside CNIB, Braille Literacy Canada and other disability partners – all of our voices together have collectively made a difference.

Source: Librarianship.ca

The provincial government says it is aware of proposed changes to Bill C-15, the Canada Post Corporation Act and has been assured that the current reduced postage rate for library materials will be maintained.

Changes to the bill will allow the corporation to set it’s own rates without seeking the approval of the federal government.

That was a great concern for the province’s 94 public libraries that regularly send books and other materials through the mail.

Regional Librarian for St. John’s Public Libraries, Emma Craig says libraries make regular use of the postal service to share materials not just between libraries in the province, but with libraries in other provinces as well.

“If an item is not available with us here at NLPL, but another library in Canada has it, we will be able to work with them in order to get items that might be a little harder for patrons to get” says Craig.

“About a quarter of our library circulation just from last year were done through this system-wide hold system.”

The Department of Education says it has received confirmation from the federal government that Canada Post will maintain free materials through the Library Book Rate.

Source: VOCM

Amendments to the Canada Post Corporation Act in Bill C-15 (the Budget Implementation Bill)

This Friday, the Canadian Parliament will hear the second reading of Bill C-15, which includes a proposal to amend the Canada Post Corporations Act and repeal Canada Post’s Library Book Rate and the Free Materials for the Blind clause. This loss would have catastrophic impacts on library services in our region, and across Canada.

The Free Materials for the Blind service is currently protected, and allows eligible individuals to receive accessible materials by mail at no cost, while the Library Book Rate allows for reduced postage for library materials.

The proposed repeal of Section 19 (1)(g)(i) was included in Bill C-15 without the government mentioning their intent to do so in the budget delivered by the Federal Minister of Finance on November 4, 2025; nor was there consultation with libraries or organizations that provide library services for Canadians with print disabilities.

Without the Library Book Rate, library systems will not be able to share material between libraries, and patrons in rural areas will be limited to whatever materials are housed in libraries within driving distance. Many of our Atlantic Canadian Library systems use Canada Post to ship materials across their provinces, a service that greatly benefits rural and urban populations. In addition, organizations who support people with print disabilities across Canada, like CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Services) and NNELS (National Network for Equitable Library Service), will not be able to continue mailing accessible formats like braille and audiobooks to library patrons. This will have a negative impact on library systems across our region, and on literacy Canada-wide. We are encouraging people to write their MPs about this and let them know how important your local library service is to your community.

As Parliament continues its study of Bill C-15 at Second Reading, it is incumbent upon organizations impacted by this change to raise their objections to the Minister responsible for Canada Post, the Hon. Joël Lightbound, and to seek an opportunity to appear before the House and Senate Committees that will be charged with reviewing the legislation.

If opposition to the repeal is not voiced, Parliament will assume that there are no concerns with the proposed changes.
Time is of the essence, as the House of Commons is seeking to complete its Second Reading debate of Bill C-15 and refer the legislation to Committee before the House rises for the winter break on Friday, December 12, 2025.

The Senate has begun a pre-study of the legislation and the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications has been charged with reviewing sections of Bill C-15 impacting the Canada Post Corporations Act. To date, it is has not heard from any witnesses affected by the proposed repeal of Section 19 (1) (g)(i).

We would expect the government to seek to have Bill C-15 pass all stages of review in the House of Commons and the Senate by early February 2026.

This leaves little time for Parliament to consider amendments to the legislation, including the reversal of the proposed repeal of Section 19 (1) (g)(i) of the Canada Post Corporations Act from Bill C-15.

A coalition of organizations, including APLA, has prepared a letter to federal elected officials urging them to remove this clause from Bill C-15.

A copy of the letter can be found here.