The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) joins with industry colleagues throughout the Canadian arts sector in condemning the drastic and destabilizing cuts to cultural organizations and programs by the government of Nova Scotia. With the cancellation of Writers in Schools funding and the Publishers Assistance Program, the province will now produce fewer writers and books telling Nova Scotian stories to Canadian readers and students. The cuts are particularly galling at a time when artists in Canada have been challenged to shoulder the weight of Canadian sovereignty in the face of rapidly shifting international relationships.
“Canadian writers and publishers pay back to society far more than they receive in funding support,” insists TWUC Chair Kim Fahner. “We’re talking about a sector producing $1.7 billion in revenue nationally, and thousands of jobs for well-trained professionals. That anyone would pull writers from Canadian classrooms and discourage the creation of new Canadian books, at this moment when Canada is feeling such cultural threat, is short-sighted and self-destructive.”
Fahner, a poet and novelist, has also worked as a secondary school teacher for the past twenty-four years.
“I have seen that creative spark ignited in students when a Canadian author speaks directly to them,” she says, “either through a relatable book or story, or during an in-person visit. I can’t understand a decision to not invest in that kind of outcome. Canadian creativity is a hugely valuable resource.”
The funding cuts are expected to impact work across Nova Scotia’s arts and culture sector, threatening the viability of established organizations like the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia, presenting opportunities like the Afterwords Literary Festival, and proudly Nova Scotian publishing houses like Nimbus, Conundrum, and Fernwood.
“You want cultural sovereignty?” asks TWUC CEO, John Degen. “These organizations and businesses are cultural sovereignty. Canada’s authors and publishers define our country to the world.”
TWUC urges the Government of Nova Scotia to recognize the inherent value of significant and impactful cultural investment and reverse the cuts.
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The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) is the national organization of professionally published writers. TWUC was founded in 1973 to work with governments, publishers, booksellers, and readers to improve the conditions of Canadian writers. With almost 3,000 members, TWUC advocates on behalf of writers’ collective interests, and delivers value to members through advocacy, community, and information. TWUC believes in a thriving, diverse, well-funded Canadian culture that values and supports writers.
For additional information:
John Degen, Chief Executive Officer
The Writers’ Union of Canada
jdegen@writersunion.ca
DATE: February 27, 2026
