Association nationale des éditeurs de livres

The Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) is a Canadian trade association that brings together the vast majority of French-language book publishers in Quebec and across Canada. Its members are located in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, and they publish a wide range of works including novels, essays, poetry, theatre, children's books, textbooks, practical guides and scientific texts. The association's mission is to represent and support its members in order to foster the health of Quebec and French-Canadian publishing and to promote books and their creators nationally and internationally. ANEL is the reference interlocutor for all questions relating to French-language Canadian publishing, serving partners in the book ecosystem, public and private organizations, governments, media and the public. ANEL was created in 1992 through the merger of the Association des éditeurs canadiens (AEC), founded in 1943, and the Société des éditeurs de manuels scolaires du Québec (SEMSQ), founded in 1960. At its beginnings, ANEL had two sections: literary publishing and educational publishing. In 2003, the bylaws were amended to add a general publishing section alongside the literary and educational/scientific/technical sections. In 2012, a further overhaul abolished the sections and introduced a committee-based structure. The association is governed by a board of eleven directors, eight elected by the general assembly and three co-opted, and it operates through statutory committees and mandated committees and delegations. Its team of about ten people is based in Montreal. ANEL's activities revolve around several core areas: representing publishers before public authorities and other book-industry stakeholders at national and international levels; national book and reading promotion activities; information; professional training; and collective negotiations. Through its Québec Édition committee, ANEL supports Quebec and French-Canadian publishers in their export activities, including hosting programmes, market-development missions, and collective stands at major international fairs and salons such as the Göteborg Book Fair, the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Geneva Book Fair, the Brussels Book Fair and the Paris Book Festival. ANEL also organizes professional development activities, including workshops, webinars and round tables, and contributes to funding technical training for publishers. It is a member of the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The association also runs promotional initiatives such as the Pavillon de la poésie and the Prix littéraires des enseignant·e·s de français, and it addresses issues such as copyright, digital accessibility, audiobooks and the fight against piracy.

The Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) was created in 1992 through the merger of two predecessor organizations: the Association des éditeurs canadiens (AEC), founded in 1943 as the first association of Quebec publishers, and the Société des éditeurs de manuels scolaires du Québec (SEMSQ), founded in 1960. At its inception, ANEL comprised two sections: Édition littéraire (literary publishing) and Édition scolaire (educational publishing). In 2003, members at the general assembly approved amendments to the association's bylaws and regulations, adding a third section: Édition générale (general publishing), alongside the existing literary and educational/scientific/technical sections. This change reflected the growing diversity of French-language publishing in Canada. In 2012, at an extraordinary general assembly, members adopted further amendments that abolished the sections and established a committee-based governance structure. Statutory committees and mandated committees and delegations now carry out the association's work, with a board of eleven directors (eight elected by the general assembly and three co-opted). Over the decades, ANEL has expanded its role beyond representation to include professional training, export promotion and national and international advocacy. Its Québec Édition committee coordinates collective stands and market-development missions at major international book fairs, including Göteborg, Frankfurt, Geneva, Brussels and Paris. The association also organizes the Pavillon de la poésie and the Prix littéraires des enseignant·e·s de français, and it engages on issues such as copyright reform, digital accessibility, audiobooks and piracy. ANEL is a member of the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. As of 2026, Geneviève Pigeon serves as president and Karine Vachon as director general.

• 2026

  Geneviève Pigeon re-elected as president; ANEL announces 2026-2027 board.

• 2012

  Extraordinary general assembly abolishes sections and adopts a committee-based governance structure.

• 2003

  Bylaws amended to add a general publishing section alongside literary and educational/scientific/technical sections.

• 1992

  ANEL created through the merger of AEC and SEMSQ; initially has two sections: literary and educational publishing.

• 1960

  Société des éditeurs de manuels scolaires du Québec (SEMSQ) founded.

• 1943

  Association des éditeurs canadiens (AEC) founded, the first association of Quebec publishers.

The reference federation and interlocutor for French-language Canadian publishing, representing publishers before public authorities and promoting Quebec and French-Canadian books nationally and internationally.

• Professional development program

  Workshops, webinars and round tables for publishers, plus funding for external technical training.

• Québec Édition export program

  Supports publishers in export activities: hosting programmes, market-development missions, collective stands at international fairs.

• Prix littéraires des enseignant·e·s de français

  Literary prize organized with AQPF to recognize works selected by French teachers.

• Pavillon de la poésie

  A poetry pavilion at the Salon du livre de l'Estrie and other events.

1. 1ANEL official websiteanel.qc.ca
2. 2Mission et historiqueanel.qc.ca
3. 3Équipeanel.qc.ca
4. 4Perfectionnementanel.qc.ca
5. 5Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Wikipedia (French)fr.wikipedia.org