Canada’s National History Society

What Canada’s National History Society does

Canada's National History Society is a Winnipeg-based registered charity incorporated in 1993 by the Hudson's Bay Company to promote public engagement with Canadian history. Operating under the "Canada's History" brand since a 2010 rebrand, it publishes two quarterly magazines — Canada's History (the flagship print/digital magazine) and Kayak: Canada's History Magazine for Kids — and operates a digital content platform (canadashistory.ca) featuring articles, podcasts, webinars, videos, and a searchable archive of The Beaver magazine dating back to the Society's founding acquisition.

The Society administers the Governor General's History Awards — Canada's top honours in history and heritage — across five categories (Teaching, Museums, Scholarly Research, Community Programming, and Popular Media / Pierre Berton Award), with ceremonies held at Rideau Hall and the Citadelle of Québec. It runs the annual Canada's History Forum (since 2007), the Heritage Fairs youth program with a National Showcase, and educational initiatives including Kayak in the Classroom, Truth Before Reconciliation class sets, and the Nobleman Scholar Program.

The revenue model combines magazine subscriptions ($29.95/year for four issues, digital and print), charitable donations, foundation and government grants (Hudson's Bay Company History Foundation, Department of Canadian Heritage, Power Corporation of Canada, River Philip Foundation), tiered memberships (Editor's Circle at $500+), advertising, and online store sales of back issues, books, and merchandise. The organization employs 11–50 staff distributed across Canada, with headquarters in Winnipeg and operating geography limited to a national Canadian scope.

Name

Canada’s National History Society

Legal name

Canada's National History Society

Website

https://canadashistory.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Canada's National History Society is a Winnipeg-based registered charity that publishes Canada's History and Kayak magazines, administers the Governor General's History Awards, runs the annual Canada's History Forum and Heritage Fairs program, and provides educational resources on Canadian history for educators, students, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

History Magazine Publishing

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations (BPAGAHAG), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

Keywords

• History magazine publishing
• Educational publishing
• Heritage awards programs
• Nonprofit publisher
• Youth history education

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital subscriptions to Canada's History and Kayak magazines. Subscription rates from $29.95 for 4 issues annually, with discounts up to 40% off cover price.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered charity, Canada's History relies on charitable donations from visitors and supporters to fund programs, magazines, and free online content.
3. Online Store Sales: Sale of back issues, books, and merchandise through the online store.
4. Advertising: Magazine advertising opportunities
5. Memberships: Annual memberships including Editor's Circle ($500+) and Adventurers program for major contributors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Canada's National History Society is a registered charity that publishes two Canadian history magazines—Canada's History (adult) and Kayak (for kids)—in print and digital formats, and operates an annual Canada's History Forum. It also administers prestigious awards including the Governor General's History Awards (across five categories) and the John Bragg Award for Atlantic Canada, and runs youth and educational programs such as Heritage Fairs and classroom resources.

Product overview

Canada's National History Society operates a multi-product content and education platform centered on Canadian history and heritage. The core offerings include Canada's History Magazine (print and digital), Kayak Magazine for Kids, and the Canada's History Forum (annual event). The Society administers major awards including the Governor General's History Awards (five categories: Teaching, Museums, Scholarly Research, Community Programming, Popular Media) and the John Bragg Award for Atlantic Canada. Education products include Heritage Fairs, Kayak in the Classroom, Truth Before Reconciliation, and Classroom Resources. Additional offerings include podcasts, webinars, online archives, and youth programs. The portfolio is unified under the Canada's History brand following a 2010 rebrand that consolidated The Beaver magazine and various programs into a cohesive identity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kayak: Canada's History Magazine for Kids - a youth-oriented publication covering Canadian history
• Governor General's History Awards
• Canada's History Forum
• John Bragg Award for Atlantic Canada

Products and services

• Canada's History Magazine The flagship print and digital quarterly publication of Canada's National History Society, featuring award-winning stories about Canadian history, heritage, and culture, available by annual subscription.
• Kayak: Canada's History Magazine for Kids A youth-focused magazine exploring Canadian history, heritage, and culture through engaging stories, activities, and contests designed for children and students, available by subscription and classroom distribution.
• Canada's History Forum An annual national discussion event bringing together Canada's leading public figures, historians, educators, museum curators, and community leaders to discuss issues and opportunities in Canadian history.
• Governor General's History Awards Canada's top honours in history and heritage, administered by Canada's National History Society in partnership with the Canadian Historical Association and Canadian Museums Association, recognizing excellence across five categories: Teaching, Museums, Scholarly Research, Community Programming, and Popular Media (Pierre Berton Award).
• John Bragg Award for Atlantic Canada

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 individuals and organizations have been honored through Governor General's History Awards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• National Council on Public HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnered with Canada's National History Society to organize the 10th History Forum 'Making History Relevant' at the Canadian Museum of History in 2017.
• National Centre for Truth and ReconciliationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Collaborated with Canada's National History Society to organize the 2016 History Forum on Engaging Authentic Indigenous Histories, coinciding with Canada's 150th anniversary.
• Canadian Historical AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Partner organization administering the Governor General's History Award for Scholarly Research. Expanded the awards program in 2011 from one to five categories.
• Canadian Museums AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Partner organization administering the Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!
• Carleton UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Host partner for the first National History Forum in 2007, partnering with TD Bank Financial Group and Canada's National History Society.
• Les DébrouillardsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Partnered to produce the French edition of Kayak magazine in 2006, financed by the Hudson's Bay Company History Foundation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Historica Canada: Canadian heritage nonprofit producing educational content (Heritage Minutes, educational resources, Canada150 programming) about Canadian history. Most directly comparable peer in mission, audience, and educational focus.
• Canadian Geographic: Canadian nonprofit magazine publisher (Canadian Geographic magazine) covering geography, culture, and heritage. Operates a similar subscriber-donation hybrid model with national educational programming.
• The Walrus: Canadian nonprofit cultural magazine publisher with a subscription-donation funding model, covering arts, culture, and Canadian society. Similar operational structure and audience overlap.
• History Today: UK-based history magazine publisher with subscription and educational content. Comparable history-focused publishing model targeting history enthusiasts and educators.
• National Trust for Canada: Canadian heritage nonprofit focused on historic places, advocacy, and education. Comparable nonprofit heritage mission with national programming and government partnerships.
• Heritage Canada Foundation: National nonprofit dedicated to built, natural, and cultural heritage preservation in Canada. Comparable mission around heritage advocacy and education programs.
• BBC History Magazine: UK-based history-focused magazine publisher (BBC History Magazine, HistoryExtra) covering historical content for general audiences. Closely comparable print/digital history publication model.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Magazine: Major US history/culture/science magazine affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. Comparable publication model with nonprofit heritage focus, though operates at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Maclean's: Canadian national magazine publisher covering current affairs, culture, and Canadian identity. Comparable subscription-based Canadian magazine model though broader editorial scope.

Others

• Library and Archives Canada: Canadian federal institution responsible for preserving Canada's documentary heritage. Adjacent archival mission and serves as both content source and institutional partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/CanadasHistory
• Facebookfacebook.com/CanadasHistory
• Instagraminstagram.com/canadashistory
• Xx.com/canadashistory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Canada’s National History Society