Simon & Schuster is being allowed to publish in Canada and not just distribute titles from the U.S. and elsewhere, the Globe and Mail reported.
A spokesperson for Heritage Canada, which aims to protect the country's culture, told the paper that "Simon and Schuster Canada has met its obligations under the Investment Canada Act and may now launch a book publishing business in Canada. Canada has a vibrant book industry. This shows that companies want to invest and publish in Canada's publishing industry."
Kevin Hanson, president of S&S Canada, said in a statement (via the Bookseller): "This will give Canadian authors more opportunities to be published in Canada, discovered by Canadian readers and made known abroad through Simon & Schuster's global publishing platform. We look forward to making our own contribution to Canada's vibrant literary scene."
The Globe and Mail said that the impending merger of Random House and Penguin, "is widely expected to reduce opportunities for Canadian writers to find a market for their work," which influenced the Heritage Canada decision.
S&S Canada has pushed to publish in Canada since it opened more than a decade ago, the Globe and Mail wrote. It has published some Canadian-themed books, and in November will publish a history of hockey by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
The National Post noted that last November S&S hired "veteran publisher and editor Phyllis Bruce as a consultant."