HERI Committee Report
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APPENDIX H
SELECTED CANADIAN BOOK
INDUSTRY
CHRONOLOGY, 1991-2000
* January
The federal Goods and Services Tax takes effect.
* January
Communications Minister Perrin Beatty introduces the "net benefit" policy on foreign ownership in the book industry.
The federal government promises to increase publishing grants from $38 million to $140 million over five years and to amend the Copyright Act to prevent sourcing outside of Canada.
* September
Peter and Diane Waldock launch national wholesaler, North 49 Books.
* December
CanCopy issues its first cheques to creators, worth $185,000.
* February
Raincoast Books launches wholesaling division, Book Express.
* March
The federal government phases out the book postal rate, announcing a new postal subsidy program targeted at Canadian publishers only.
* April
Funding cutbacks at the Canada Council bring an end to the National Book Festival.
* September
Nelson Canada acquired John Wiley & Sons Canada's school list, thereby further concentrating school publishing.
* November
Montreal's Champigny book chain buys the Flammarion bookstore chain.
* February
The federally owned Canadian Development Investment Corporation sells a majority stake in Ginn Publishing to Paramount in the United States.
* May
Pathfinder Capital and Canadian General Capital buy SmithBooks for $21.5 million.
* August
SmithBooks proposes buying Coles and merging, creating a 434-store chain.
* February
The federal government cuts support for publishing programs by 50%. The government also announces that the BPIDP and PDAP will be merged and further reduced in 1996.
* March
The Bureau of Competition Policy approves the merger of Coles and SmithBooks. The new chain, renamed Chapters Inc., quits the Canadian Booksellers Association.
* June
Tom Bullen opens Canada's first independent book superstore -- a 23,000-square-foot outlet in downtown Vancouver.
* November
Chapters Inc. opens its first superstore in Brampton, Ontario.
* January
U.S. book retailer, Borders, abandons plans for an expansion into Canada after federal officials reject a proposed partnership with former Cott Corp. executive, Heather Reisman.
* Spring
U.S. book retailer, Barnes & Noble, acquires a 20% stake in Chapters Inc.
* Summer
Quebec bookstore chain Renaud-Bray closes three of eight stores after filing for bankruptcy protection.
* August
Heather Reisman announces plans for her own chain of book superstores.
* December
Chapters Inc. raises $40 million with its initial public offering.
* September
Heather Reisman's book superstore chain, Indigo, opens its first store in Burlington, Ontario.
* January
The Canada Council announces top-ups to publishers' 1997-98 grants after receiving $125 million in new money from the federal government.
* March
Chapters Inc. takes over the management of McGill University Bookstore, marking its entry into the campus sales market.
* October
Chapters Inc. launches its first website, www.chaptersglobe.com.
* March
Toronto's 106-year-old Albert Britnell Book Shop closes its doors.
* April
Chapters Inc. launches www.chapters.ca.
* May
Chapters Inc. announces the formation of Pegasus Wholesale. Chapters holds an 82% stake in the new company.
The B.C. mini-chain Duthie Books files for bankruptcy protection, then later drops to a single location (from 10 at its peak).
* June
Renaud-Bray acquires rival Quebec book chains Champigny and Garneau.
* September
Chapters Inc. raises $46 million for its online division with an initial public offering.
Copyright legislation (Bill C-32) takes effect after 10 years of negotiations. The regulations require booksellers to place orders with Canadian suppliers first, but publishers must meet a set of service standards.
* October
Book of the Month Club shuts its Canadian operation after 23 years.
* November
Pegasus Wholesale Inc. announces that Industry Canada's Competition Bureau has confirmed that its creation does not contravene the Competition Act.
* January
The Canadian Manda Group signs a partnership agreement with Pegasus Wholesale Inc. to sell the wholesaler's offerings to traditional bookstore outlets as well as to nontraditional bookstore outlets throughout Canada.
* February
Indigo drops plans for initial public offering because of concerns over a "soft market."