Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
Today Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour was joined by Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender, Her Honour Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon, Speaker of the House Linda Reid, and representatives from the Association of Book Publishers of BC, to officially proclaim March 8 Book Day in the province.
As part of the celebrations, guests were invited to tour a book showcase, featuring the theme of books for women, by women, in honour of International Women’s Day, also March 8. Over fifteen publishers, authors and booksellers participated in the showcase.
(flickr.com) The fourth annual B.C. Book Day highlights the vitality of B.C.’s publishing industry and its contribution to the creative economy. Ranging from large commercial publishers to smaller literary presses, B.C.’s thirty plus active book publishers produce books that tell the stories of all British Columbians, from those who live in large cities to those in rural communities. Producing diverse, eclectic and successful works, the province’s book sector is an important economic contributor, producing over 1000 titles a year, generating approximately $150 million in sales.
The creative industries are a major contributor to the province’s economy and job creation, responsible for more than 85,000 quality jobs, and contributing over $4 billion to the provincial GDP.
The Province will continue to support B.C.’s creative industry through BC Creates, a communications initiative started in 2015 to celebrate and create awareness of British Columbia’s growing creative industries. As well, Creative BC, a not-for-profit agency, was created in 2013 by the Province of British Columbia to support and promote B.C.’s dynamic creative sector at home and in the global marketplace.
(flickr.com) Quotes:
Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour –
“On behalf of government, it is my pleasure to be in the legislature today on International Women’s Day to proclaim the 4th annual B.C. Book Day. This is an opportunity to celebrate and highlight the contributions of the many talented creative writing professionals, publishers, librarians, and booksellers, whose work enriches our communities and contributes to the cultural fabric of the province.”
Peter Fassbender, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development —
“For British Columbians of all ages, books are essential to sharing stories, ideas and knowledge. On B.C. Book Day, we celebrate and showcase the importance of books, publishing and reading, and the many talented people who work in the publishing sector that fuel this component of the creative economy. Congratulations to all the dedicated British Columbians who help keep our bookshelves well-stocked and our minds full with inspiration.”
Heidi Waechtler, executive director, Association of Book Publishers of B.C. —
“B.C. book publishers, who are based around the province, produce titles that both reflect and shape their communities and regions, and that are recognized by readers across the country and internationally for their quality. The Province has made a strong investment in our sector through the BC Arts Council, the Book Publishing Tax Credit, and Creative BC – support which is vital to the competitiveness and stability of an independent B.C. publishing industry. We look forward to celebrating our vibrant industry with our partners in government and our colleagues in the publishing sector on B.C. Book Day.”
Quick Facts:
- B.C. has the second largest English language book and magazine publishing sector outside of Ontario.
- B.C. is home to the largest Indigenous publishing company in the country, Theytus Books, and one of the largest of children’s publishing houses, Orca Book Publishers.
- Each year, the Association of Book Publishers of BC celebrates Read Local B.C., a provincewide campaign that encourages local reading by B.C. based authors.
- In 2015, The Association of Book Publishers of BC launched a database called BC Books Online. With nearly 9,000 titles, it is the largest regional digital collection of books in the country, taking B.C. books around the globe.
- The Province is expected to invest approximately $620,000 in B.C. publishers in 2016-17 through funding from the BC Arts Council.
- In February 2017, the Ministry of Finance announced the extension of the B.C. Book Publishing Tax Credit for two more years, to March 31, 2019.
- In 2015-16, the total amount of book publishing tax credits assessed was $2.9 million. Since the tax credit was introduced in 2003, $26.8 million in credits for B.C. book publishers have been assessed.
Learn More:
The Association of Book Publishers of BC: http://books.bc.ca/
BC Books Online: http://www.bcbooksonline.com
BC Creates: www.bccreates.com
Creative BC: http://www.creativebc.com/
BC Arts Council: http://www.bcartscouncil.ca
Creative Economy Strategy: http://www.gov.bc.ca/creativeeconomy
