About British Columbia's Book Publishing Industry
British Columbia has a vibrant and diverse book publishing ecosystem supported by 28 Canadian-owned publishers represented by Books BC, spanning award-winning literary presses to established trade houses. This fully independent industry plays a central role in bringing B.C.’s stories to national and global audiences, supported by a wider network of more than 270 publishing-related businesses, from editors and designers to printers and distributors.
Book publishing encompasses the creation, production, and distribution of written works across fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s literature, and educational content. This includes trade books, literary works, cookbooks, regional titles, and Indigenous storytelling. From award‑winning poetry collections to internationally distributed children’s books, B.C. publishers amplify local and Indigenous voices and bring a rich diversity of stories to readers everywhere.
B.C.’s strength lies not only in its editorial excellence but in its network of publishing professionals, editors, designers, marketers, and literary agents, who champion culturally significant works of B.C.’s writers and illustrators.
Economic Impact
$46M
Total GDP in B.C.
$51M
Direct Output in B.C.
532
Total Jobs*
790
Est. People
Key Insights
Why This Matters
The book publishing industry preserves and amplifies B.C.’s independent cultural voice, sustaining literary ecosystems, championing Indigenous and regional stories, and ensuring local narratives reach global audiences through a medium that fosters critical thought, community connection, and cultural continuity. Learn more in the Books BC’s Steps to a Sustainable Future report.
What Changed This Year
Estimated 2024 numbers for books ($46M in Total GDP and 532 Total Jobs) indicate the industry is maintaining stability, as GDP and jobs numbers are similar in each of the past five years (1.5% CAGR for GDP, 0.8% for jobs, since 2015). (Source: CIERA™, 2024e).
A Note on Total Jobs + People
The Total Jobs figure is the sum of direct, indirect and induced numbers, and it represents traditional FTE and PT equivalent jobs. It represents work, but not workers, and currently has limited ability to measure gig work. It must be noted that the creative industries include many people with gig work that is not easily assessed using this traditional measurement approach model. The estimated People figure measures hours worked in terms of positions, not the number of individual people working or sharing those positions. Because work in the creative industries is freelance and project-based, this methodology to measure estimated People is a proxy and may underestimate the total number of workers in the creative sector.
Industry Business Counts
The total number of companies in B.C. is informed by various data sources, including industry submissions, coordinated manual and automated outreach, and comprehensive research. See up-to-date lists in Industry Contacts.
Ecosystem
Associations + Communities
Books BC: The Association of Book Publishers of BC (Books BC) is a trade association, founded in 1974, whose aims are to foster an environment in which our members will flourish and to expand an awareness of the value of books in all our lives. The organization is a regional affiliate of the Association of Canadian Publishers.
Canadian Independent Booksellers Association: Founded in 2020, the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association (CIBA) offers programs and services to Canadian independent booksellers and advocates to support the strengthening of independent bookselling.
Resources
Read Local BC: Launched in 2015 by the Association of Book Publishers of BC, Read Local BC is a project that celebrates the vibrant community of authors, publishers, bookstores, and libraries that make up our province’s literary landscape.
BC Bookworld: BC Bookworld is British Columbia’s author and publishing newspaper. Since 1987, the publication has been published four times per year, as Canada’s largest-circulation independent publication about literature.
The newspaper is available via more than 675 non-virtual distributors or by subscription. View BC Bookworld issues online here.
Other Funding
Book Publishing Tax Credit: The book publishing tax credit program applies to book publishing corporations that carry out business primarily in B.C. Eligible book publishers may receive a credit of up to 90% of the base amount of Support for Publishers contributions received in the tax year.
Canada Book Fund: The Canada Book Fund (CBF) ensures access to a diverse range of Canadian-authored books nationally and internationally, by fostering a strong book industry that publishes and markets Canadian-authored books.
Visit Books BC’s website for up-to-date funding available to book publishers in B.C.
Education + Careers
Academic and Training
Jobs
Learn about career pathways via the Association of Canadian Publishers or the Canadian Publishers Council.
Find job listings via Books BC, BC Arts Alliance, Quill & Quire, or WorkInCulture.
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