The Association of Canadian Publishers was formed in 1976, born of its predecessor the Independent Publishers' Association (IPA). The IPA formed in 1971 in response to the 1970 takeover of the Ryerson Press by McGraw-Hill of New York. With ownership of the Ryerson press no longer in Canada, Canadian-owned publishers decided to unite and lobby the government for improved conditions and greater support for the Canadian publishing industry. In the years that followed, the lobbying efforts of the IPA/ACP resulted in the development of a number of beneficial programs and policies:
1972: the Canada Council creates the first major programs of federal support for publishers - direct funding to publishers by the Canada Council and support for export initiatives from the Department of Industry, Trade & Commerce
1974: the government opts to restrict and regulate new foreign investment in the book industry
1979: the government introduces a new funding program, the Canadian Book Publishing Development Program (BPDP), forerunner of today's Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP)
1985: the government introduces the Baie Comeau Policy on foreign investment - all new foreign investments had to take the form of joint ventures with Canadian control
1992: the government introduces new policy measures in direct response to the ACP's intensive lobbying campaign, including an increase in the BPIDP budget, a new distribution assistance program, revisions to the Copyright Act, and revisions to the Baie Comeau Policy on foreign investment
1997: the government restores BPIDP funding cut in 1995 and announces the creation of a loan-loss reserve program
2001: the government provides additional money for BPIDP and Canada Council funding to publishers. In response to serious supply-chain problems in the industry, the Canadian Book Industry Supply Chain Initiative is established with strong involvement from the ACP and its members
Over its 30-year history, the ACP has been instrumental in helping Canadian publishers create a national literature that introduces Canadians to each other and Canada to the world. The preceding list highlights some of our notable achievements over the past 30 years, but others we're proud of include helping improve the stability and viability of small literary presses, facilitating professional development to ensure Canadian-authored books are unparalleled in their professionalism, and delivering targeted, successful marketing projects on a cooperative basis to help ensure those books find an audience.
Our work continues today. Through all of its actions, the ACP remains committed to assisting Canadian publishers achieve the goal of a strong, healthy Canadian-owned and -controlled publishing industry.