Postmedia announced that it will close six community newspapers in Ontario and Alberta and halt the print editions at three other newspapers in Manitoba and Ontario as it moves to cut salary costs by 10%.
The company said that the Graphic in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, the Northern News in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, and the Pembroke Observer in Pembroke, Ontario will halt their print editions but continue publishing online. Newspapers scheduled to close completely include two in Alberta – the Camrose Canadian and the Strathmore Standard – along with four publications in Ontario – the Kapuskasing Northern Times, the Ingersoll Times, the Norwich Gazette and the Petrolia Topic.
Postmedia also said the High River Times in Alberta will shift from publishing twice per week to once a week. The company said in a news release that the changes are part of its plan to reduce salary expenses by 10% by August 31, the end of its fiscal year. Some jobs have been identified for elimination, while voluntary buyouts will also be offered to all unionized employees, and to all editorial staff, both unionized and non-unionized.
In November 2017, Postmedia obtained two dozen regional community newspapers across Ontario, for no cash cost, in a deal that saw the company give as many other community newspapers to The Toronto Star. Following the deal, both companies announced that most of the acquired newspapers would be shut down, which resulted in the loss of 300 jobs across the two media chains.
