The Role of the Book Importation Regulations in Canada's Market for Books

Operating under the Copyright Act, the Book Importation Regulations contain provisions regulating the distribution of imported titles in Canada. Since the Regulations came into effect in 1999, the environment for book distribution in Canada and internationally has changed dramatically, and it continues to evolve in a number of important ways, especially with respect to online commerce and the rise of digital reading.

The Role of the Book Importation Regulations in Canada's Market for Books (2012) presents the findings that resulted from two separate research studies commissioned in 2011 by the Department of Canadian Heritage. These studies addressed the role of the Regulations in Canada's English- and French-language markets for books and were led, respectively, by Turner-Riggs and Édinova inc. These independent consultants based their findings on extensive quantitative and qualitative research that they conducted from July to December 2011.

The full report also contains a background section and an international comparison annex based on research conducted internally at Canadian Heritage. The complete text of the Book Importation Regulations is also annexed.

It is hoped that the full report will serve as a useful resource in any examination of the Book Importation Regulations and their effectiveness and utility in the market for books in Canada as it continues to evolve.

The Role of the Book Importation Regulations in Canada’s Market for Books
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2012
Catalogue No.: CH44-143/2012E-PDF
ISBN: 978-1-100-20980-7