Aug 12, 2025

I hope you read the announcement in Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest last week that the OP Media Group is acquiring Canadian Boating, Boating Industry Canada, and the PORTS Cruising Guides. The acquisition, effective September 1, 2025, is a significant step in OP Media Group’s mission to serve the full spectrum of Canada’s recreational and commercial boating community. This strategic acquisition brings together four cornerstone brands that have long been trusted resources for boaters, marine professionals, and industry stakeholders.

For you, our readers, advertisers, partners and association friends, this is great news. Advancing the interests of businesses in all areas of the marine industry, using both print and digital media platforms is an essential way to reach the biggest available audience. Where many other industries are plagued by audience fragmentation, we can boost boating by having a bigger nation-wide organization with more resources.

We will enjoy a bigger roster of writers to bring you more variety and more points of view. In this sudden era of threats to Canada’s business environment, we will be better equipped to deliver the national picture. This brings Canada a world-class and scale integrated recreational media entity that rivals anyone anywhere. 

Earlier in my career, I had the great privilege of being a media industry spokesman and my role was to visit and present research information to media professionals in all the English language markets from coast to coast from Halifax and Truro to Victoria and Prince George. My “turf” also included markets like Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Barrie, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Vancouver and all the other Canadian markets of significance. I did almost a decade in that role and learned the hard way how fragmented the Canadian market really has been.

In response to today’s pressures to reorder the global trade relationships, a more unified Canadian perspective will certainly have great value.

I think the timing for this is ideal and our whole team is excited for the future.

We thank you for your support and please, write me if you want to express an opinion or an idea; aadams@kerrwil.com

Andy Adams – Editor