Times Colonist
Times Colonist is a privately held regional newspaper serving Vancouver Island and Greater Victoria with comprehensive local news, sports, and business coverage delivered through print subscriptions, a digital website, an E-Edition, a daily newsletter, and integrated marketplace tools.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1858
- HeadquartersVictoria, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Times Colonist does
Times Colonist is a privately held regional newspaper company headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, operating continuously since 1858 under successive brand identities (Daily Colonist, Victoria Daily Times, and the current Times Colonist brand formed in 1980). The publication serves Vancouver Island and Greater Victoria residents with comprehensive local, regional, national, and international news coverage across print and digital channels.
The company's core product is its comprehensive news website (timescolonist.com), supplemented by an E-Edition digital replica distributed through PressReader, a free daily email newsletter, a classifieds marketplace, an obituaries service, a GasBuddy-powered gas price comparison tool, a REW.ca-powered real estate listings portal, and a daily interactive crossword. The publication covers local news, B.C. news, national and world news, business, sports, opinion, life and arts, real estate, and entertainment. Marketing and distribution are conducted through email newsletters, social media (Facebook, X, LinkedIn), and the website's category-driven content structure.
The business model is a traditional newspaper revenue mix: print and digital subscriptions (home delivery plus online), display advertising (managed through advertising partner Lodestar Media), and classified advertising (jobs, real estate, vehicles, obituaries). The publication also runs community charity programs including the Christmas Fund, Book Drive, and the TC Literacy Society. The company is led by Editor and Publisher Dave Obee, with a small executive team including Director of Advertising and Marketing Ed Kennedy and Finance Manager Rachel Sawry, plus dedicated editors for city, news, business, sports, and photography functions. No public ticker, parent company, or institutional investors are disclosed.
Times Colonist firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Times Colonist
- Legal name
- Times Colonist
- Website
- https://timescolonist.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1858
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Times Colonist is a privately held regional newspaper serving Vancouver Island and Greater Victoria with comprehensive local news, sports, and business coverage delivered through print subscriptions, a digital website, an E-Edition, a daily newsletter, and integrated marketplace tools.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Times Colonist industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Newspaper Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper Publishers (51311), Newspaper Publishers (513110)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers (MPAJADAC)
Keywords
Where Times Colonist is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Victoria
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Times Colonist business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Times Colonist product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Times Colonist is a regional newspaper publishing local, regional, national, and international news for readers in Victoria and Vancouver Island. It sells print and digital subscriptions, runs an E-Edition digital replica via PressReader, distributes a free Daily Newsletter, and operates an online Classifieds marketplace for jobs, real estate, vehicles, and obituaries. Editorial content is supported by complementary tools including a Gas Prices comparison tool and a Real Estate Listings portal.
Product overview
Times Colonist operates as a digital-first news publication serving Victoria and Vancouver Island with a primary news website supplemented by several interconnected digital services. The core offering is the Times Colonist news website delivering Local News, B.C. News, National News, World News, Business, Sports, Opinion, Life & Arts, and specialized sections including Real Estate, Entertainment, and Food & Drink. The product portfolio includes an E-Edition digital replica of the print newspaper, a free Daily Newsletter delivered via email, a Classifieds marketplace, an Obituaries service, a Gas Prices comparison tool powered by GasBuddy, and Real Estate Listings integrated with REW.ca. The company also offers charity initiatives including the Christmas Fund and Book Drive. All services are accessible through the main website platform at timescolonist.com.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Times Colonist (Website) The Times Colonist website (timescolonist.com) is the primary digital news platform delivering local, regional, national, and international news to readers in Victoria and Vancouver Island across categories including Local News, B.C. News, National, World, Business, Sports, Opinion, Life & Arts, Real Estate, Entertainment, and Food & Drink.
- E-Edition Digital replica of the Times Colonist print newspaper, accessible through the PressReader platform, allowing subscribers to read the full print edition online.
- Daily Newsletter Free daily email newsletter delivering six curated local news stories to subscribers each morning at 6 AM.
- Classifieds Online classified advertising platform featuring third-party listings for jobs, vehicles, real estate, and other categories, serving the Vancouver Island community.
- Obituaries Online obituary listings and funeral announcements for the Victoria and Vancouver Island community, available via a dedicated obituaries portal.
- Gas Prices Real-time local gas price comparison tool powered by GasBuddy, showing current fuel prices at nearby gas stations in the Victoria area.
- Real Estate Listings Real estate property search portal powered by REW.ca, enabling users to find homes for sale and apartments for rent in the Victoria area.
Companies that use Times Colonist
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Times Colonist technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Times Colonist partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Lodestar MediaminorLodestar Media is referenced as an advertising partner, handling media sales and ad placement services for the publication.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Times Colonist competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Lodestar Media: Advertising sales partner that handles media sales and ad placement for Times Colonist. A captive-commercial relationship — Lodestar also represents other regional media, making it an indirect channel competitor for ad spend.
- PressReader: Digital newspaper distribution platform on which Times Colonist distributes its E-Edition. Also distributes many competing newspapers, making it both a partner and an indirect competitor for digital reader attention.
Broad incumbents
- Postmedia Network: Canada's largest newspaper chain, owner of the National Post, Vancouver Sun, and The Province. Competitor for digital advertising, syndicated wire content, and national ad budgets in the same British Columbia market.
- Globe and Mail: National Canadian newspaper with subscription model and strong business news vertical. Competes for Vancouver Island subscribers in business and national news categories and for digital advertising.
- CBC British Columbia: Public broadcaster's BC regional news operation, providing free digital news coverage of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. Competes directly for local news audience and digital ad attention in the same geography.
Direct peers
- CHEK News: Independent Victoria-based television news outlet serving Vancouver Island. Directly competes for local news audience in the same primary market with overlapping local news, sports, and community coverage.
- Vancouver Sun: Western Canadian daily newspaper published by Postmedia, covering British Columbia with similar mix of local, regional, and national news. Most direct comparable in terms of regional coverage scope, print+digital subscription model, and classifieds business.
- The Province: Postmedia-owned Vancouver-based daily newspaper with a regional British Columbia focus, similar print and digital subscription structure, and comparable advertising sales model. Operates in the same broader BC regional media market.
- Victoria News: Black Press community newspaper serving Greater Victoria. Directly competes in the Times Colonist's primary market with overlapping coverage of local news, sports, and community events.
Regional players
- Nanaimo News Bulletin: Black Press-owned community newspaper serving Nanaimo and mid-Vancouver Island. Comparable product (local/community newspaper), overlapping but non-identical territory on Vancouver Island.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Times Colonist social profiles
Digital presenceTimes Colonist financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Times Colonist leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Times Colonist funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Times Colonist M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Times Colonist
What does Times Colonist do?
Times Colonist is a regional newspaper publishing local, regional, national, and international news for readers in Victoria and Vancouver Island. It sells print and digital subscriptions, runs an E-Edition digital replica via PressReader, distributes a free Daily Newsletter, and operates an online Classifieds marketplace for jobs, real estate, vehicles, and obituaries. Editorial content is supported by complementary tools including a Gas Prices comparison tool and a Real Estate Listings portal.
Is Times Colonist a public or private company?
Times Colonist is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Times Colonist founded?
Times Colonist was founded in 1858. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Times Colonist based?
Times Colonist is headquartered in Victoria, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are Times Colonist's main competitors?
Others on record are Lodestar Media and PressReader. Broad incumbents are Postmedia Network, Globe and Mail and CBC British Columbia. Direct peers are CHEK News, Vancouver Sun, The Province and Victoria News. Nanaimo News Bulletin is listed as a regional player.
Does Times Colonist have an API?
No public API is recorded for Times Colonist.
What industry is Times Colonist in?
Times Colonist's product category is Local Newspaper Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital), with a secondary code of MPAJADAC, Business, Financial & Trade News Publishers. Its NAICS code is 51311 and its SIC code is 2711.