Vancouver World City of Literature - The Association of Book ...

publishing houses
BC publishing activity is the highest in Canada outside of Toronto and BC ranks among
the most prolific and successful publishing hubs in North America. There are approximately
70 book publishers operating in the province. They produce roughly 1,200 titles every year
and generate annual revenues of approximately $150 million 8 .
In recent years, BC publishers have achieved notable success in developing international
markets and growing export sales. The country’s largest Canadian-owned English-language
publisher, D&M, is based in Vancouver, and a number of other BC-based publishers play
leading roles in Canada and abroad.
Even so, the publication of titles of regional interest for a local audience has long been a
defining characteristic of BC publishing, and it remains so today. This reflects both a commitment
on the part of publishers to engage local authors and support local stories and
strong demand among readers for books of and about British Columbia.
This demand has been an invaluable foundation for BC publishers. It has allowed authors
and publishers to create an extensive body of regional literature, helped to support a critical
mass of writing and publishing activity in the province, and given BC authors and publishing
firms the wherewithal to compete on the larger national and international stage.
A representative sample of BC-based publishing houses follows.
Arsenal Pulp Press: A bastion of counterculture and an important player in Vancouver’s
burgeoning publishing scene in the 1970s, Arsenal Pulp remains a sophisticated and
culturally significant publisher of literature and niche non-fiction titles.
D&M Publishers: BC’s largest trade book publisher, D&M Publishers is also one of
the largest independent publishing houses in Canada. With three imprints, Douglas &
McIntyre, Greystone Books, and New Society Publishers, D&M Publishers publishes
significant fiction and non-fiction writing in all genres.
Harbour Publishing: Located on BC’s idyllic Sunshine Coast, Harbour is a key
regional publisher famed for its books on BC history and culture.
International Self-Counsel Press: The leading Canadian publisher for do-it-yourself
legal titles, Self-Counsel also specializes in business, reference, and self-help titles.
Orca Book Publishers: Based in Victoria, Orca publishes beautiful illustrated and nonillustrated
books for children and teens.
chapter three: the literary city
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