Magazines line the walls of the tiny office, a brilliant variation of colour and imagery. From local Calgary delicacies to snow sports and outdoor living, there seems to be a cover that represents nearly every genre hanging on the wall.
Light trickles into the small office through two skylights that, despite being covered in snow during the Calgary winter, still allow for enough light to pour through to provide visibility in the office.
This office, which has been converted from an artist’s studio, as is visible by the paint stains on the floor, houses the Alberta Magazine Publisher’s Association’s headquarters.
AMPA is a small-scale operation in every way. From their tiny office on the fourth floor of a reconstructed school building near Marda Loop, to the only two employees that are housed in their headquarters. Their impact, however, can not be overstated.
The organization has 60 member magazines, which in all produce over 1,000 jobs, and serve an estimated reader base of 4.8 million.
In the coming year, AMPA will be celebrating their historic 30th anniversary, an achievement that only serves to highlight the longevity, and overall impact that the non-profit has had on Alberta magazine publication over the decades.
From promotion and publishing to professional development workshops and government advocacy, AMPA covers a wide array of supportive tactics to help magazines grow and progress, actively stimulating the industry in western Canada.
The assocation uses a two-pronged approach to supporting magazines—by being advocates for their members in government, while also providing professional development.
Suzanne Trudel, executive director at AMPA, has been greatly involved in the many advocacy efforts that AMPA has used to help Alberta magazines
“AMPA works with all levels of government to build industry awareness and influence policy to support the sector,” said Trudel. “Our advocacy issues have ranged from funding eligibility to Bill-C18, the Online News Act, to intellectual property and principles guiding artificial intelligence systems, to the impact the current Canada Post strike is having on the industry.”
Trudel says their work is incredibly important, despite a shift in the magazine industry in the last 15 years.
“The business model is shifting due to external pressures,” said Trudel, “However, publishers are meeting the challenges through innovation and readers love magazines.”
“Canadians and Albertans rely on local and diverse magazine titles to stay informed about their communities, interests and the stories that are significant to them.”
Along with their advocacy, AMPA puts on workshops and webinars for members and non-members alike, with an entry fee of $20, an accessible price for magazine writers to attend and learn more about the industry.
“And not only do you get to go, but you also get a recording usually,” said Kiley Pole, the communications and event manager. “We give resources after the webinar, and members also access them through our member resource library.”
These webinars feature industry experts and are incredibly useful tools for up-and-coming magazines in Alberta, as well as already-established magazines, as they provide highly valuable industry information.
Pole, one of only two on-site employees at AMPA, described the great experiences she has had working on these webinars.
“I get to talk to people about their experiences in attending our events,” said Pole. “I actually spoke to someone this morning who said that she had such a wonderful time at one of our recent webinars—she learned so much and she was very excited to take her learnings back to her job, that was really rewarding.”
Linda Garson, editor-in-chief at Culinaire magazine, has been a member of the association since they began publishing in 2012.
“It’s not easy running a magazine,” said Garson. “They are always out there promoting members’ magazines at various events, they advocate for us with the government—with various opportunities that could arise, they put on all sorts of seminars for training and stuff as well.”
“They are very active and very supportive.”
Culinaire, like many other magazines, felt the strain of the pandemic in 2021. However, AMPA was right there with them, trying to keep Alberta magazines alive through the economic troubles of the global pandemic.
“During COVID we only stopped one issue, which is when it first happened, and we have carried on publishing since,” said Garson. “It was a huge shift and everybody tried to accommodate it in their own way, but AMPA were there for us, saying ‘you need to help these people, you need to give them a grant, for the industry, or else there won’t be any magazines’.”
The association helped Culinaire and many other magazines through the pandemic, by negotiating for grants from the government, something that may have saved many publications.
AMPA is set on continuing their work into the foreseeable future, helping to facilitate paths to success for up-and-coming magazines.
Both Pole and Trudel have hopes to continue to grow in the future, helping magazines along the way.
Trudel said that she wishes to see “continued training, funding opportunities and capacity building for the sector ensure a media landscape that is underpinned by the respected journalistic practices essential to readers and is strong into the future.”
To celebrate their 30th anniversary, AMPA will be putting on a whole year of celebrations in 2025, from a special awards ceremony to a retrospective of their storied history and founding members.
One major event occurring in the next year is their magazine awards ceremony, which both serves to highlight some of the magazines’ achievements throughout the year and to create further publicity for member magazines with AMPA—while also serving to celebrate the major milestone for this impactful non-profit.
AMPA’s big awards ceremony, which will cap off their 30th anniversary celebrations, will take place next year, on Sept. 25, 2025.
Editor’s note: This article was completed as part of a Community Service Learning course at MRU