ST. PAUL - The Town of St. Paul postponed a decision regarding its Advertising Bylaw, following a public hearing held on Jan. 8. The Advertising Bylaw, as presented to council on Nov. 27, removed the requirement for the municipality to advertise public notices in the local newspaper, Lakeland This Week.
Before opening the floor for the public to speak, administration presented information on the topic. In a written question-and-answer attached to the meeting agenda, it stated that the amendment to the Advertising Bylaw was being brought forward because, “Administration was tasked with finding ways to save [money] for budget 2024 and future budgets."
The Advertising Bylaw is required when a municipality chooses to advertise public notices differently than outlined in the Municipal Government Act.
Also included in the question-and-answer information was information about how residents could access information if they do not have a computer or digital device. It was noted by the Town’s administration that, “Individuals can access a computer for free at the local library or call the respective department to print a copy of the notice for them.”
When addressing the amount of money the amendment could potentially save the Town, Director of Planning and Legislative Services Aline Brousseau stated it would be hard to pinpoint the exact amount spent on advertising public notices but estimated it would be about $5,000 a year.
Also, the Town keeps notices posted on the “news” section of its website for one year, heard those in attendance.
Administration received two letters opposed to the byline, and none in support of the bylaw. Speaking first at the public hearing was Tim Shoults, vice-president of Great West Media, the company that publishes Lakeland This Week.
Headquartered in St. Albert, Great West Media is a “family-owned Alberta company,” that publishes nine community newspaper and affiliated websites that serve more than 20 communities in the province.
He noted that Lakeland This Week has a staff of six journalists based out of St. Paul, Lac La Biche, Bonnyville, Elk Point and Cold Lake.
“Our community newspapers have been publishing for 100 years this year, going back to the founding of the St. Paul Journal in 1924,” said Shoults, in his introduction.
Speaking to changes that have taken place since 2018 regarding the Municipal Government Act, Shoults noted that “Under the new Municipal Government Act, municipalities are still required to communicate their intentions to the public.” Recognizing the increased use of digital communication channels, the province removed the mandatory requirement to use a local newspaper or mail, “if a municipality was confident that its public notices would reach substantially all affected members of the public by other means.”
Shoults noted that while many municipalities have considered local advertising bylaws, not all have chosen to adopt them. He acknowledged that other municipalities have expressed concerns about the old MGA requiring two weeks' worth of advertising, which can lead to inefficiencies, but some have maintained newspaper advertising to single or non-consecutive notifications.
Shoults noted that the Town of St. Paul has spent just over $18,000 in regular municipal advertising with Lakeland This Week in 2023. This, he noted, is less than one tenth of one per cent of the Town’s total spending according to its interim budget for 2024.
Advertising from the various local governments served by Lakeland This Week accounts for 25 per cent of total advertising revenue for the newspaper, according to Shoults.
“That advertising revenue enables us to cover the expense of those six journalists who provide editorial coverage of St. Paul land all our communities in the Lakeland – both those coming from this town hall and from all over,” said Shoults.
“We’re not in this business to make millions. We're here because we believe in the mission of community news. We believe that by informing and connecting our communities, we make them better,” he said.
But as a business, a newspaper must remain viable to fulfill its mission.
Speaking about other communities that have lost their community newspapers, Shoults quoted Dawson Creek Mayor Darcy Dober saying the end of the Dawson Creek Mirror led to a “communication gap” that makes it more difficult to get information to citizens – especially those who are not on social media.
Shoults requested the Town keep the local newspaper as a means of posting public notices in some capacity.
Also speaking during the public hearing was Dennis Merrell, executive director with the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association. The organization represents 76 weekly community newspapers.
“Readership of community newspapers in Alberta remains strong,” said Merrell. “An Alberta research study commissioned in 2020... shows that nearly 80 per cent of respondents in households in communities under 100,000 that receive a community newspaper reported having read it in the last week,” said Merrell.
Ads in printed local newspapers are more than twice as likely to “inspire action” than advertisements on social media or ads on random websites.
“Continuing to publish these ads in your local newspaper is a small price to pay to ensure all citizens are informed and would deliver the message that your administration is fully open and transparent,” said Merrell.
Lakeland This Week Publisher Clare Gauvreau also spoke during the public hearing. She offered a bit more history on the St. Paul Journal itself.
“The St. Paul Journal’s publishing history in this community dates back to 1924 with publisher Gilbert Larue at the helm. In 1949, L.H. Drouin purchased the St. Paul Journal and in 2001 it was purchased by Great West Media. The St. Paul Journal has served as the newspaper of record here for 100 years, chronicling the life, and times of the community and surrounding area. We continue in that role today,” said Gauvreau.
She noted that the role of the newspaper to “uphold the public’s right to know in a free and democratic society,” is similar to the responsibility the Town of St. Paul has to “effectively communicate with all of its residents – to be open and transparent.”
She added, “You have many tools at hand in order to engage your residents and communicate information that impacts their lives in this community, among them is the newspaper. Not all communities are so lucky.”
Gauvreau also stated that the proposed amendments to the Advertising Bylaw “dismiss the residents in this community who look to our newspaper weekly for news and information of the town.”
She explained that 2,000 newspapers are distributed each week in the Town of St. Paul and immediate surrounding area. Another 7,000 newspapers are distributed beyond that area.
“Our readers are engaged and, trust me, when their newspaper is delayed by mail or weather, we hear about it,” said Gauvreau. She also acknowledged that not everyone reads the newspaper, and noted that over the years “we have developed a local news website to engage with residents who prefer to consume their news online.”
In 2023, Lakeland Today had 2.8 million pageviews, which further translates to 81,602 readers.
The last to speak during the public hearing was local resident Monique Jaman. She noted that she is a regular reader of Lakeland This Week and feels the amendment to the advertising bylaw would impact many residents like her.
She noted that when she accesses the Town’s website, it is after she’s been prompted by something she has read in the local newspaper, not before. She also questioned if the cost-savings projected were more important than transparency.
Coun. Nathan Taylor said he would like to make an amendment to the bylaw, maintaining a minimum of one week or advertisement for public notices, but twice when it did not cause any impact to timelines of work being done.
He noted that Lakeland This Week is “very much a local newspaper,” and spoke to his own experience working in the industry prior to moving to St. Paul. Having worked in Smoky Lake previously, he often hears residents speak about the impacts that the loss of the Smoky Lake Signal has had on the community.
Taylor noted that he understands the context of the MGA changes to cities, but a weekly newspaper is different than a daily newspaper, and is easier for residents to keep up with, therefore has a greater value.
“I think that we need good journalism more than ever,” said Taylor. He also noted that he does not want to see the number of people the Town reaches with its public notices reduced in any way.
“Tonight is a very good example of why we need it,” said Taylor, referring to an earlier public hearing that included a room filled with concerned residents.
Mayor Maureen Miller said she would like to send the item back to administration to look at, specifically around the budget. Also, the mayor noted that more information, and possibly a policy, would be needed to decide if a public notice was only going to be advertised for one week or two weeks.
Also speaking in favour at taking another look at the bylaw was Coun. Ron Boisvert, who stated “We’ve got to support them [the newspaper]. They support us.”
The item was postponed to the next Town council meeting, which is scheduled for Jan. 22.
