Canada’s biggest-circulation newspaper the Toronto Star is preparing to launch a paywall for its website sometime next year, the newspaper’s publisher said Monday.
It’s the latest major Canadian newspaper to ask readers to pay for full-access to online content with a digital subscription model.
“This move will provide a new source of revenue for the Star that will help support our ability to provide readers of both our print and online editions with the best and most comprehensive package of news and information in Canada,” said publisher John Cruickshank in a note to readers.
Earlier this year, National Post owner Postmedia began unrolling its own paywall structure at its dailies across the country.
The Globe and Mail followed with a similar model last week.
Toronto Star is owned by Torstar Corp., which also publishes the Hamilton Spectator and other daily and community papers throughout Ontario.
Its announcement came as both the Wall Street Journal and New York Times pulled down their paywalls temporarily so that readers would have unlimited access to their coverage of Hurricane Sandy.
Torstar’s B shares were down four cents to $8.66 near midday on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
