Alive and kicking

We did it! The Creemore Echo has been successful in seeking a Qualified Canadian Journalism Organization (QCJO) designation from the Canadian Revenue Agency.

Although The Echo has long considered itself a ‘qualified’ news outlet we sought the official designation to further legitimize the newspaper in order to take advantage of tax benefits that may be made available through the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA).

To qualify, we were required to have two editorial staffers at arm’s length from the publisher, and pass a stringent vetting process.

We see this requirement as a measure to ensure that the newspaper has a balanced and unbiased approach to its coverage as it adds more voices.

Readers may remember back in May, during our annual subscription drive, that we called on the community for augmented and continued support so we could expand our team, and we did. The implementation of this plan has serendipitously positioned us to expand our distribution in Clearview Township.

At the announcement of the cancellation of distribution of Metroland Media’s community newspapers, The Echo is stepping up to fill the gap.

As of this week we are mailing newspapers to all points of call through the Stayner and New Lowell post offices. Anyone serviced by those post offices will get a copy of The Creemore Echo in their mailbox.

This is the beginning of a six-month pilot project to gauge interest and support in the new circulation areas. If we are able to draw adequate revenue from advertisers and subscribers from those areas to cover our costs we will be happy to extend the increase in circulation beyond next spring.

We hope to grow The Echo community by bringing in even more readers in Clearview Township. We strive to create a vehicle for hyper-local news, along with feature stories, sports coverage and events as a way of building community. Our philosophy is that a newspaper is a great equalizer because it is an invitation to be part of the conversation. It also creates a sense of inclusivity by promoting events and activities, removing a layer of exclusivity.

No, a community newspaper is not a ticket to Utopia, but we have seen first hand how it can help to build a sense of community, which is essential to quality of life in this area.

We hope you will come onboard and be part of The Echo community. We ask you to consider subscribing, either to our weekly email blast or choose one of our voluntary subscription rates listed at creemore.com/ shop. There are many other ways to contribute that are just as important. Please advertise with us, utilize the community calendar and classifieds, or write a letter tothe editor – and be sure to let us know what is happening in your neighbourhood.

At this turbulent time we thank everyone for their suport and words of encouragement.