Support for Booksellers – Canada Book Fund
Support for Booksellers (SFB) is a 2-year program component of the Canada Book Fund (CBF) that will provide support in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 to help Canadian booksellers increase their online sales for Canadian-authored books and improve their business model for online sales.
Note: Apply now! 2023-2024 is the last year for this temporary recovery initiative announced in Budget 2021. Updates to program guidelines include a change from 2019 to 2022 for the sales data reference year, as well as adjustments to the funding conditions.
Update: The SFB component will be hosting information sessions on the program and to answer questions on submitting an application.
Sessions will take place:
- in English: April 12, 2023, at 1 pm (ET)
- in French: April 13, 2023, at 1 pm (ET)
To register, please send an email to sal-sfb@pch.gc.ca.
Booksellers Initiative — Support for Organizations
Eligible industry organizations can also apply for funding for collective projects aimed at supporting and strengthening online sales of Canadian books through a special call under the Support for Organizations component of the program. The 2023-2024 special call for applications will close on April 24, 2023.
To learn more about who can apply for funding under this initiative, see the Booksellers Initiative - Support for Organizations component of the CBF.
Who can apply
The SFB component of the CBF supports individual Canadian booksellers or affiliated groups of booksellers. It provides funding for eligible expenses related to the sale of new print books online. This funding is allocated based on past sales of Canadian-authored books.
At the time of application and through to the end of your funding agreement, a bookseller must meet all of the following requirements:
- be at least 75% owned and controlled by Canadians
- have its headquarters and at least 75% of its employees based in Canada
- specialize in the sale of new print books to the public
- sell Canadian-authored print books
- have a physical retail store that is open to the public
- have been in operation since at least January 1, 2022
- sell books by a minimum of 25 publishers
- have eligible total book sales of $50,000 between January 1 and December 31, 2022
- sell new print books online to the public through a transactional website at the time the application is submitted
Further information on program eligibility can be found in the Application Guidelines. This includes potential exceptions for booksellers owned by or serving members of priority communities.
The following organizations are not eligible for support:
- booksellers that exclusively sell used books, discounted books or digital books
- booksellers that do not sell any Canadian-authored titles
- events like festivals and salons du livre
Application deadline New!
April 24, 2023, by 23:59 pm (local time).
How to apply
Applicants are required to:
- review the Application Guidelines — Support for Booksellers in their entirety
- contact the program to obtain an application form
You need to submit a complete application package to be considered for funding. Please review the Application Guidelines for a checklist of required documents.
Please send your application by email. We are not able to accept applications by mail at this time.
Contact us
- Address
- Canada Book Fund
Department of Canadian Heritage
25 Eddy St 25-8-T
Gatineau QC J8X 4B5 - sal-sfb@pch.gc.ca
- Telephone
- 819-997-0055
1-866-811-0055 (toll-free) - TTY
- 1-888-997-3123 (toll-free)
Agents are available to answer your questions, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (ET).
Guides and help
- Application Guidelines — Support for Booksellers
- Guide on the public acknowledgement of financial support — Canadian Heritage
- Service standards for Canadian Heritage funding programs
Related services and information
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