For 40 years, the Book and Periodical Council (BPC) was the driving force behind Freedom to Read Week. The BPC brings together a diverse range of organizations that support the written-word sector in Canada. It provides members with opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building that will strengthen their individual and collective impact on the industry.
In 2024, four influential organizations—Library and Archives Canada, the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, the Ontario Library Association, and the Book and Periodical Council—joined forces to propel Freedom to Read Week into its next chapter. Together, these organizations reinforce the campaign’s mission and drive continued growth in such areas as content creation and programming.
Statement on Freedom of Expression
A statement of the basic tenets of the Freedom of Expression Committee of the Book and Periodical Council.
Freedom of Expression Committee
Historically, the BPC’s Freedom of Expression Committee monitored censorship issues in Canada, organized the annual Freedom to Read Week, and produced an information kit each year on issues of intellectual freedom. Freedom to Read Week would not have been possible without the dedication of its committee members, government funders and industry sponsors, in-kind contributors and the many volunteers across the country who held events and organized activities.