The Association of Canadian Publishers is launching a new program that will help readers identify books from Canadian-owned publishers.

Under the Certified Canadian Publisher program, books from independent Canadian-owned publishers – who publish 80 per cent of all English-language books by Canadian authors, despite accounting for only 5.6 per cent of reported book sales in Canada in 2024 – will have a Certified Canadian Publisher seal on their back cover, spine, or copyright page.

“Canadian publishers are deeply connected to their communities and play an essential role in amplifying Canadian voices, yet they are often hard to identify at point-of-purchase,” ACP president Alana Wilcox said in a press release. “This program makes it easier for readers to choose books that directly support Canada’s authors, culture, and economy.”