The coalition is asking that a five-year financial assistance programme is set up, and that sales tax on sold newspapers is abolished, CBC News reports.
Moreover, the newspapers seek a tax credit that covers 40 percent of production costs and 50 percent of investments to digital platforms. The full details of the requested programme can be found in the group’s press release.
The coalition also calls on the Government of Quebec to grant a “cultural exception” to the print news industry of the province: “Our dailies and weeklies are vital to preserving a diversity of media voices, enriching debate, and accompanying communities of readers in their daily lives,” said Brian Myles, spokesperson for the Coalition and Director of Le Devoir.
The group notes that other countries have already set up programs to support their print media.