Book sales in Canada have largely rebounded after a pandemic slump, reaching C$1.1 billion in 2023, up from C$998 million in 2022, according to Statistics Canada and BookNet Canada, which track data for the industry. That said, print unit sales of English-language trade books in Canada fell 2% in the first half of 2024 from the same period in 2023 at stores that report to BookNet Canada. Units dipped to 20.8 million, but price increases resulted in revenue holding even, at about C$477.1 million.
Adult fiction had the strongest six-month performance, with unit sales up 6%, while adult nonfiction sales fell 8%. Unit sales were down 5% in the juvenile and young adult category, but it remained Canada’s largest, accounting for 40% of English-language unit sales in the first half of the year. Frontlist sales continued to struggle, accounting for 26% of units sold, down from 28% a year ago.
Much of the Canadian industry’s attention is focused on the viability of one retailer: Indigo Books & Music. The country’s dominant bookseller is often considered a bellwether for the state of the Canadian publishing industry, and things at Indigo haven’t been great. The chain endured declining sales through its bricks-and-mortar bookstores during the pandemic and a cyberattack in 2023 that crippled its online sales. The sales slump continued through the final quarter of 2023, which ended with revenue down 12% from the same period in 2022, and its annual income fell to C$10 million, from C$34.3 million.
After several management machinations in recent years, including the retirement and subsequent return of founder and CEO Heather Reisman, Indigo’s shareholders agreed in July to a buyout offer from Trilogy Investments and Trilogy Retail Holdings, firms controlled by Reisman’s husband, Gerald Schwartz. Reisman will continue as CEO and promises to refocus the company on selling books—after previously guiding it to diversify into mass merchandise, such as housewares, in an effort to turn the Indigo into a “cultural department store.”
This is especially important to Penguin Random House Canada, by far Canada’s biggest publisher. “Indigo’s strategic pivot to refocus on books has been a welcome return,” says Kristin Cochrane, CEO of PRHC. “We’ve already seen significant and visible changes such as improved selection in stores, an increase in book sections with richer merchandising and storytelling, and a real energy behind not just Rania Husseini [Indigo’s SVP of print] and the head office team but also at the store-level staff.”
One standout success story for PRHC has been Canadian author Carley Fortune, whose This Summer Will Be Different, published in May, topped bestseller lists for weeks. Fortune’s books have sold more than 239,000 print copies and more than 71,000 in digital formats, according to the publisher.
HarperCollins Canada’s VP of sales and marketing Cory Beatty is also optimistic about Indigo’s recent changes. “They are committed to fixing the problems of the past and have been excellent about keeping up a constant dialogue with us,” he says.
Canadian independent publishers are feeling the changes at Indigo, too. Many indies primarily publish Canadian authors and aren’t backstopped by lists of international bestsellers like their larger counterparts, so Indigo is even more central to their businesses. One sign of the shift in strategy at Indigo is the launch of a pilot program to showcase 10 independent Canadian publishing houses—including Arsenal Pulp, Dundurn Press, Drawn & Quarterly, ECW, and House of Anansi—that gives customers extra loyalty points for purchases of their books. Branding has also shifted to promote Canadian authors, with large photos of writers and floor-to-ceiling reproductions of the works of radical Canadian artist and author Kent Monkman (known to many as Miss Chief Eagle Testicle) at the company’s new flagship store at The Well, a posh retail and living space in downtown Toronto.
David Caron, copublisher of ECW and Annick Press, expressed cautious optimism about recent initiatives. “We’ve certainly felt like Indigo’s been a really good partner as of late,” he says. “We saw the uptick on the adult side when they had those serious promotions.”
Meghan Macdonald, publisher at Dundurn, says, “We’re noticing that the titles that they’ve asked for are selling in higher numbers, so we are pleased with that.”
Whether Indigo’s refocus on promoting Canadian books can boost the relatively modest sales of Canadian authors in their home country remains to be seen. In 2023, books by Canadian authors accounted for just 12% of overall Canadian print book sales, according to BookNet Canada. Bestsellers were dominated by foreign authors in the January-to-June period, with The Women by Kristin Hannah topping the adult fiction list and James Clear’s Atomic Habits #1 in adult nonfiction. Dav Pilkey’s The Scarlet Shedder topped the juvenile and YA list. The top-selling adult title by a Canadian writer was Fortune’s This Summer Will be Different (Penguin Canada), and the bestselling juvenile and YA title by a Canadian author was Claudia and the Bad Joke (Baby-Sitters Club #15) by Ann M. Martin, illustrated by Arley Nopra (Scholastic Canada).
Looking south
For many Canadian publishers, the U.S. export market remains a high priority, and their deeper engagement with the U.S. has given them insight into how to target their sales activities. Livres Canada Books, the organization responsible for promoting Canadian export sales, recently updated its guide “Accessing the U.S. Retail Book Market” and advocated—in the absence of a single national book trade fair, now that BookExpo America no longer exists—exploring the various regional bookseller trade association shows.
This advice resonated with Dundurn’s Macdonald, who was appointed publisher in February after serving as manager of operations. “Last year we went to the New England Independent Booksellers Association meeting and this year attended the Heartland meeting in the Midwest,” she says.
Fred Horler, marketing manager at House of Anansi, says the company attended several conferences in the U.S. recently, including the National Council of Teachers of English conference and American Booksellers Association’s Children’s Institute. “The U.S. is a key market for us, and it is important for us to meet your customers in person,” he adds.
Second Story Press, the feminist children’s book publishing house, is exploring ways of finding audiences for its strong list of Indigenous titles and attended the National Indian Education Association conference in the U.S. for the first time this year. “We’re at the point where we can do more with the Second Story brand, since people recognize what we stand for and what we do, particularly around education,” says Emma Rodgers, Second Story’s marketing and promotions manager.
All told, perhaps the strongest sign of even better days to come for Canadian publishers has been the country’s burgeoning independent bookstore scene. “Our indie bookselling partners have gone from strength to strength in recent years, supported by long-term demographic trends, ‘shop local’ loyalty programs, and institutional support from the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association,” says PRHC’s Cochrane. “For the fourth year in a row we have opened more than 40 new indie accounts—including BIPOC-owned businesses, specialist genre stores, and coffee-books-and-bar combinations. All are informed by authentic connections with their communities and the energy and hustle that epitomizes local bookselling at its best.”
Read the rest of our Canadian Publishing Feature:
Canadian Publishing 2024: The Bellwether
Publishers in Canada hope changes at Indigo will revitalize the Canadian market.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Building on Success
In her new role at the top of Simon & Schuster Canada, Nicole Winstanley wants to create a culture of inclusion.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Squeezed
The Association of Canadian Publishers says indies are under pressure due to rising costs and stagnant book prices.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Building Community
The Canadian Independent Booksellers Association is gathering steam and growing its membership.
Canadian Publishing 2024: ECW at 50
The indie has made its mark as an eclectic and innovative publisher, in print and audio.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Working All the Angles
British Columbia boasts a diverse, robust, and innovative publishing community.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Unicorns and Glitter
Kids Can Press’s publisher says the book business can be demanding and unpredictable, but it’s also deeply fulfilling.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Orca’s Ruby Anniversary
The publisher is celebrating 40 years of growth, adaptation, and commitment to inclusive, diverse children’s literature.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Bridging Cultures
Inuit artist Tanya Tagaq’s children’s debut is a bilingual counting book that introduces young readers to Inuit culture.
Canadian Publishing 2024: Lingua Franca
English-language publishers face unique challenges, and enjoy distinct advantages, in Francophone Quebec.
Canadian Publishing 2024: New Titles from Canada
A selection of the top books publishers are excited about for spring 2025.
