Novalis

What Novalis does

Novalis is a Canadian Catholic publishing and e-commerce retailer operating as a division of Bayard Canada, headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. The company distributes books, eBooks, liturgical and theological magazine subscriptions, faith formation curricula, and physical religious items (candles, vestments, jewellery, sacramental gifts) through bilingual (English and French) Shopify storefronts at en.novalis.ca and fr.novalis.ca. Its catalog spans over 4,000 titles developed or curated over more than a century of operation, with the Bertrand Foucher Bélanger sub-brand handling physical devotional goods and church supplies since 1910.

The business is organized around four primary revenue streams: one-time book and merchandise sales, recurring subscriptions (Living with Christ from $44.95 CAD/year, Living with Christ Plus from $49.95 CAD/year, Critical Theology), digital products (eBooks, newsletters, webinars), and ancillary services (manuscript evaluation, pilgrimages, parish and school programs). Pricing is in Canadian dollars. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the e-commerce storefront, with email newsletters, social media (Facebook, YouTube), and seasonal catalogs supporting top-of-funnel activity. Customer segments are split between individual Catholic consumers, Catholic parishes, and Catholic schools (K-8), with faith formation programs such as Finding God and On Our Way with Jesus serving the institutional market.

The company has no disclosed proprietary technology platform, no mobile app, no public API, and no AI/ML capability layer. It is a private subsidiary of Bayard Canada, which is itself part of a broader Bayard media group that includes Bayard Canada Livres and Owlkids Books.

Name

Novalis

Legal name

Novalis Publishing (operating as Bayard Canada)

Website

https://en.novalis.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Novalis is a Canadian Catholic publishing and e-commerce retailer, operating as a division of Bayard Canada. It sells books, eBooks, liturgical and theological magazine subscriptions, faith formation curricula, and religious items through bilingual Shopify storefronts to individual Catholics, parishes, and Catholic schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Worship & Liturgy Publishing (Liturgical Texts, Missals, Service Books, Hymnals) (MPAJAHAE), Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Spiritual, Metaphysical & Inspirational Gifts Retail (CRALAJAJ), Sacred Texts & Scripture Publishing (Bibles, Qur’ans, Vedas, Torah, Sutras) (MPAJAHAA)

Keywords

• Religious publishing
• Catholic books
• Liturgical resources
• Faith formation
• Sacramental preparation

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: One-time sales of physical books, eBooks, and religious items through the e-commerce storefront. Includes both Novalis-published titles and distributed titles from partner publishers.
2. Subscriptions: Recurring subscription products including Living with Christ (liturgical magazine companion), Living with Christ Plus, and Critical Theology. Offered at annual billing cadence with automatic renewal options.
3. Digital Products: eBook sales through digital collection, online newsletters, and webinars accessible to customers.
4. Services: Manuscript evaluation services, pilgrimages, and parish/school-specific offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Novalis is a Canadian Catholic publishing house and religious goods retailer that creates, curates, and sells Catholic books, magazine subscriptions, faith formation and sacramental preparation programs, eBooks, and physical religious items (candles, rosaries, vestments, church furnishings) under its own brand and the Bertrand Foucher Bélanger brand. The company operates a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront serving individual Catholics, parishes, and Catholic schools across Canada.

Product overview

Novalis is a Catholic publishing and retail company offering a diverse portfolio of religious products and services. The core offerings include physical and digital books across multiple categories (Bibles, theology, spirituality, biographies, children's books), magazine subscriptions (Living with Christ, Living with Christ Plus, Critical Theology), and religious items under the Bertrand Foucher Bélanger brand (candles, crosses, jewellery, rosaries, statues, vestments, church furnishings). Educational programs include the Finding God faith formation program for K-8 students and On Our Way with Jesus sacramental preparation. Digital services encompass eBooks, newsletters, and webinars. The company serves parishes, schools, and individuals seeking Catholic resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bertrand Foucher Bélanger: Brand specializing in religious items, candles, jewellery, rosaries, crosses, vestments, church furniture, and gifts for sacraments including baptism, first communion, confirmation, reconciliation, wedding, and anointing of the sick

Products and services

• Living with Christ Monthly spiritual and liturgical magazine subscription positioned as Canada's companion to praying and living the Eucharist, distributed annually to individual subscribers and parishes.
• Living with Christ Plus Enhanced annual subscription tier of Living with Christ offering additional content and features for subscribers seeking deeper liturgical engagement.
• Critical Theology Annual subscription to a theological magazine providing academic and scholarly perspectives on Catholic theology, aimed at clergy, scholars, and informed lay readers.
• Finding God K-8 faith formation program rooted in Scripture, Catholic doctrine, and Catholic social teaching, marketed as Canada's most popular Christian initiation program and found in conformity with the Catechism; sold to Catholic schools for classroom religious education.
• On Our Way with Jesus Sacramental preparation program branded as Canada's most popular Christian initiation program, designed for parishes to prepare children and families for sacraments including baptism, first communion, and reconciliation.
• Catholic and Christian Books Extensive catalog of physical Catholic and Christian books spanning Bibles, biographies and saints, children's books, faith formation, grief and healing, liturgy, ministry resources, personal growth, Pope, religion and society, sacramental resources and RCIA, spirituality, and theology and philosophy; includes both Novalis-published titles and titles distributed from partner publishers.
• eBooks Digital versions of select Catholic and Christian titles covering theology, spirituality, prayer, and religious education, sold as standalone units for electronic reading.
• Bertrand Foucher Bélanger Religious Items Canadian-made line of religious items including candles, crosses, jewelry, rosaries, statues, vestments, communion items, church furnishings, and gifts for sacraments (baptism, communion, confirmation, wedding, reconciliation, anointing of the sick); sold to individuals, parishes, and churches.
• Manuscript Evaluation Professional editorial assessment and evaluation service for manuscript submissions of religious and spiritual content, offered to prospective authors seeking publication with Novalis.
• Pilgrimages Organized pilgrimage services arranging spiritual journeys for individual Catholics and parish groups seeking guided faith-based travel experiences.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pauline Books & Media: Catholic publisher and retailer operated by the Daughters of St. Paul, selling books, media, and religious articles through stores and online. Highly comparable to Novalis in product mix (Catholic books + religious items) and parish/individual customer focus.
• Ignatius Press: Large Catholic publisher covering theology, scripture, devotionals, and faith formation, with a strong online retail operation. Directly comparable in scope of Catholic book publishing and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
• Our Sunday Visitor: Catholic publisher producing parish resources, catechetical curricula, and periodicals for dioceses and individuals. Comparable to Novalis in serving parishes and schools with catechetical and liturgical content.
• Ave Maria Press: Catholic publisher specializing in parish ministry, faith formation, and spirituality books. Comparable to Novalis in targeting parishes, schools, and individuals with Catholic publishing programs.
• Liturgical Press: Catholic publisher known for the Workbook for Lectors and other liturgical/worship resources used by parishes. Directly comparable in worship and liturgy publishing, similar target buyer.
• Saint Mary's Press: Catholic publisher focused on adolescent faith formation curricula and youth ministry resources. Comparable to Novalis's Finding God program in K-12 Catholic education publishing.
• Catholic Book Publishing Corp: Publisher of Catholic Bibles, missals, prayer books, and liturgical texts. Comparable to Novalis in sacred texts and liturgical resource publishing for parishes and individual Catholics.

Regional players

• Catholic Truth Society: UK-based Catholic publisher producing prayer books, missals, catechetical leaflets, and devotionals. Similar product mix and audience to Novalis but serves primarily the UK and Commonwealth Catholic market.

Broad incumbents

• Bayard Presse: Parent group of Bayard Canada (and therefore of Novalis). Operates a broad portfolio of Catholic and family-oriented publications across multiple countries. Comparable as a large incumbent Catholic publisher with multi-segment reach.

Emerging players

• Sophia Institute Press: Catholic publisher of devotionals, theology, and Catholic culture titles, with growing online direct-to-consumer presence. Comparable to Novalis in devotional and theology publishing targeting individual Catholics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@novalispublishing5463
• Facebookfacebook.com/NovalisBooks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Novalis