What Bayard Canada does

Bayard Canada is a privately held, bilingual (French-English) publishing and media company headquartered in Montreal with a second office in Toronto. Founded in 1991 and wholly owned by the Augustins de l'Assomption, a Catholic religious community, the company operates across three core readership segments: youth (ages 0-18) through Bayard Jeunesse, Owlkids, Bayard Canada Livres, and (most recently) La Pastèque; seniors (50+) through Publications Senior brands including Bel âge and Good Times; and religious/liturgical audiences through Novalis, which publishes Prions en Église and Living with Christ.

The company's product surface spans 40+ magazine titles, a children's book catalogue, parish and liturgical physical products (post-2023 Bertrand Foucher Bélanger acquisition), and a portfolio of multilingual digital educational applications developed by Studio Edoki (acquired 2025) and distributed in eight or more languages. Distribution combines direct subscriptions, bookstore sales, parish retail, and digital app stores, reaching a combined audience measured in the millions across all three segments.

Revenue is generated through consumer subscriptions, single-copy magazine and book sales, digital app monetization, and parish/B2B supply of religious goods. The ownership structure — a religious community rather than financial sponsors — implies a mission-oriented capital base prioritizing editorial longevity and segment coverage over short-term margin optimization.

Name

Bayard Canada

Legal name

Bayard Canada

Website

https://bayardcanada.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bayard Canada is a privately held, bilingual Canadian publisher owned by the Augustins de l'Assomption, producing magazines, books, digital educational apps, and liturgical products for youth, senior, and religious audiences across Canada and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Educational Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Publishers (51313), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Reference & Informational Series Publishing (MPAJAFAN), Children’s Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing (MPAJAFAH), Children’s Digital & Interactive Publishing (E-books, Apps, Enhanced Content) (MPAJAFAJ)

Keywords

• Children's magazine publishing
• Religious publishing
• Senior lifestyle magazines
• Educational mobile apps
• Bilingual book publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Magazine and Periodical Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from magazine publications including Bayard Jeunesse titles (Popi, Pomme d'Api, J'aime lire, Les Débrouillards), Owlkids magazines (Chirp, Chickadee, OWL), Novalis religious publications (Prions en Église, Living with Christ), and Senior Publications (Bel âge, Good Times). Subscriptions offered in both French and English.
2. Children's and General Interest Books: One-time and recurring sales of books through Bayard Canada Livres, Owlkids Books, and La Pastèque publishing houses covering children's books, documentaries, picture albums, novels, comics, and religious books.
3. Digital Educational Applications: Revenue from mobile educational applications including Montessori Preschool, I Love English 5-8, and Jungle des Maths. Applications available globally in multiple languages through digital distribution.
4. Religious and Liturgical Products: Sales of religious books, periodicals, and liturgical objects through Novalis and the Bertrand Foucher Bélanger boutique integrated in 2023, serving parishes and individual believers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bayard Canada is a bilingual (French and English) publishing group that produces magazines, books, and digital educational applications for three core audiences: children and youth (ages 0–18), active adults aged 50 and over, and Christians/Catholics. Its portfolio includes flagship magazines such as Pomme d'Api, J'aime lire, Les Débrouillards, Chirp, Chickadee, OWL, Prions en Église/Living with Christ, Bel âge, and Good Times, alongside children's book imprints, comics (La Pastèque), religious books, and Studio Edoki's Montessori-based educational mobile applications distributed globally in 8+ languages.

Product overview

Bayard Canada is a multilingual (French and English) publishing group serving three distinct markets: youth (0–18), seniors (50+), and Christians/Catholics. The portfolio consists of multiple specialized sub-brands operating under a unified corporate umbrella — Bayard Jeunesse (French-language children's magazines), Owlkids Magazines & Owlkids Books (English-language children's media), Bayard Canada Livres (children's and teen books), La Pastèque (comics and graphic novels for youth), Studio Edoki (educational apps and multilingual audio programs including the Montessori Preschool and I Love English 5–8 apps), Novalis (religious periodicals and books including Prions en Église / Living with Christ), and Publications Senior (Bel âge and Good Times magazines for the 50+ demographic). The company publishes across print magazines, books, and digital applications, with operations in Montreal (headquarters) and Toronto.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bayard Jeunesse French-language children's publishing division producing magazines (Popi, Pomme d'Api, J'aime lire, Les Débrouillards, Les Explorateurs, Curium) and co-publishing or distributing Bayard France and Milan Presse titles in Canada, serving children ages 1–18.
• Owlkids Magazines & Owlkids Books English-language children's division publishing three magazines — Chirp (ages 3–6), Chickadee (ages 6–9), and OWL (ages 9–13) — as well as books for elementary and middle school readers, reaching over one million children and their parents annually.
• Bayard Canada Livres Children's and teen book publisher offering documentaries, picture books, early reader novels, graphic novels, and comics for various age groups in French.
• La Pastèque

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches millions of readers annually across youth, religious, and senior markets
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bertrand Foucher BélangerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Integrated in 2023, Bertrand Foucher Bélanger is a distributor of religious articles and boutique specializing in religious and liturgical objects. The boutique moved into Bayard's Montreal headquarters, expanding Novalis offerings to believers and parishes.
• Studio 7coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontreal-based creative studio collaborating with Bayard Jeunesse to develop educational applications such as Jungle des Maths and Maternelle Montessori, combining Studio 7's creative expertise with Bayard's educational content.
• Bayard FrancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParent company relationship where Bayard Canada promotes and distributes Bayard France children's magazines (Astrapi, Okapi, Images Doc, J'aime lire) and Milan Presse titles in Canada, leveraging the international Bayard Group structure.
• Agence Science-Presse and Réseau TechnosciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partners of Publications BLD, the educational movement behind Les Débrouillards magazine. Together with Bayard Canada, they create and publish science education content for children.
• Saint Paul UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal owner of Novalis license. Bayard Canada acquired the Novalis license from Saint Paul University in 2000 and later purchased the full Novalis publishing activities in 2008 when the university withdrew from publishing.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cricket Media: US publisher of children's magazines (Cricket, Cobblestone, Ask, Muse) and books serving ages 0-14+. Direct overlap with Owlkids' Chirp/Chickadee/OWL and Bayard Jeunesse's age-tiered English-language magazine strategy.
• Our Sunday Visitor: Catholic publishing and parish-supply company in the US producing missalette-style resources, religious books, and parish materials. Closest North American peer to Bayard Canada's Novalis and Bertrand Foucher Bélanger operations.
• Concordia Publishing House: Lutheran-affiliated religious publisher producing periodicals, hymnals, and educational materials for parishes and households. Comparable to Novalis in mission-driven, denomination-tied publishing with church distribution channels.
• Highlights for Children: US-based children's magazine and book publisher (Highlights, Highlights High Five) targeting the same 0-13 age demographic with a similar subscription-led model. Highly comparable in product format, age-segment strategy, and recurring-revenue GTM.
• Usborne Publishing: UK-based independent children's book publisher producing illustrated, age-tiered titles for ages 0-14+. Direct peer to Bayard Canada Livres and Owlkids Books in illustrated children's trade publishing and educational content.
• Bayard France: Parent publishing group and direct peer operating the same children's magazine brands (Astrapi, Okapi, J'aime lire) in France. Bayard Canada already distributes Bayard France titles in Canada, making it the most directly comparable peer in mission, portfolio, and content.

Regional players

• Quebecor Média: Quebec-headquartered media and publishing group (Éditions du Jour, Groupe Homme/Groupe Librex) operating in French-language Canadian publishing and periodicals. Regional peer sharing Bayard Canada's Quebec Francophone market dynamics.

Others

• Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste: Quebec heritage and Francophone cultural organization. Thematically adjacent as a French-Canadian cultural institution with overlapping civic and educational mission, though not a direct publishing peer.

Broad incumbents

• Scholastic: Largest US children's book and educational publisher (Harry Potter US, school book clubs, classroom magazines). Comparable as a broad incumbent in children's trade and educational publishing, though much larger and more diversified than Bayard Canada.
• Penguin Random House Children's Books: Largest English-language trade publisher; children's imprint competes with Bayard Canada Livres and Owlkids Books. Broad incumbent rather than direct peer, but relevant for sizing the addressable children's book market and competitive context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bayard.jeunesse.canada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bayard-canada
• Instagraminstagram.com/bayardjeunessecanada
• Xx.com/BayardJCA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

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 Bayard Canada