Ming Pao Closes in Canada

Ming Pao will print its last edition on January 17

The media landscape in Canada continues to shrink with Ming Pao announcing it was winding down operations in Vancouver and Toronto due to financial reasons, with the last day of publication on January 17.

My dad was very upset to see the headline stating this on the front page of the Ming Pao paper on January 12.

Sing Tao (below) is available online

That was the same day employees based in the two cities were given termination letters that were sent by the parent company in Hong Kong.

"Staff in Canada were informed by management that the decision to cease operations and halt publication was made by the Hong Kong headquarters," the notice said. Sixty employees are affected.

Ming Pao was the only Chinese-language print newspaper after Sing Tao ceased printing its Canadian edition in August 2022, though a digital version still continues. 

Started in 1993, Ming Pao also published a weekly magazine that covered Hong Kong's entertainment scene, and a food publication featuring recipes from the city's well-known Chinese and western chefs.

For many Chinese immigrants, Ming Pao and Sing Tao were papers they depended on for news from a Hong Kong and China point of view. They also covered stories that were focused on Asia that would rarely make it in western media, and gave practical advice on settling down to newcomers to Canada.

Ming Pao's food magazine

People like my dad are newspaper readers, so used to touching newsprint, and in his case, likes to cut out articles in the paper, and sometimes shares them with friends. 

We used to subscribe to both papers and when Sing Tao stopped its print edition, he was encouraged to read it online, but that it is not something he is comfortable doing. 

It's a pity to see fewer media outlets operating, which means less information being disseminated and fewer opportunities for the media to hold others, particularly governments to account. And with Ming Pao closing, that means only Sing Tao is left to be the voice of the Chinese community in Canada.