Good news today coming from Magazines Canada - a strong year is hopefully ahead. The national, non-profit trade association says that with new opportunities for growth in the digital space, and new investments and jobs and digital distribution strategies, "Canada's magazines are back."

Magazines Canada is an organization that represents the leading Canadian-owned, Canadian-content magazines in the country. "The economic downturn was very challenging for all publishers but we are seeing some good signs for the year ahead," says the association's chair, Terry Sellwood. "With continued economic stability in Canada and supportive and predictable government periodical programs, Canada's magazine media will do its part in creating jobs and economic growth, and providing ever-increasing choice and convenience for Canadian consumers."

Below is an excerpt from a recent Magazines Canada release, reporting the results from some recent polling about the state of the industry:

• Advertising spending in Canadian magazines is improving over the previous two years, during which time all media faced major challenges due to reduced advertising spend. Data indicates that advertisers and marketers continue to use and benefit from their exposure in Canadian content consumer, business–to-business (b2b) and cultural magazines.

• Canadians continue to buy Canadian content magazines! Despite the state of the economy in the previous two years, Canadian's demands for their magazines remained steady, particularly among the Canadian titles that offer 80-100% Canadian content. Canada's consumer magazine titles command over two thirds of subscription sales in Canada. In the b2b space, Canadian brands dominate business decision maker preferences in sourcing and promoting products and services that generate economic activity in Canada.

• Canada's magazines are now fully integrated digital media companies. Readers will continue to rely on the delivery of their print magazines to their mailbox but, today, readers can also access Canadian magazine brands and content almost anytime, anywhere: on desktops, digital tablets, smart phones and more.  In the digital space, magazine brands are now offering original content online, on television, through interactive materials as well as providing more links to additional information, products and services.

• The growth of digital platforms means that Canada's magazine media is advancing the skill sets of its 15,000 employees to take full advantage of the unprecedented new opportunity to reach new audiences in Canada, and, increasingly around the world.