Metroland Media Group
Metroland Media Group is a Canadian community-media, printing, distribution, and digital-marketing organization focused primarily on Ontario.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Metroland Media Group is a Canadian mass-media and commercial-printing organization associated with Torstar Corporation and historically focused on local communities in Southern and Eastern Ontario. Its principal identity was built around the publication and distribution of community newspapers, including a portfolio of more than 70 local titles and six daily newspapers at its peak. The group also developed related digital properties, magazines, specialty print products, flyer and circular distribution, consumer exhibitions, and marketing services for small and medium-sized businesses. The organization was formed in February 1981 when Metrospan Community Newspapers, a Torstar unit, merged with Inland Publishing Company. The resulting business combined local newspaper operations with a broader community-publishing platform. In 2006, Metroland Publishing was combined with CityMedia Group, creating the Metroland Media Group structure. This expanded the business beyond newspaper publishing and strengthened its position across local print, commercial production, distribution, and digital media. Metroland's newspaper network served metropolitan suburbs, smaller cities, and regional communities across Ontario. Its activities included editorial publishing, classified advertising, local shopping information, flyer distribution, and online news. The company also operated printing facilities and supplied commercial printing for outside clients, producing newspapers, magazines, inserts, flyers, and other specialty products. Its digital portfolio included online versions of community publications as well as consumer-oriented services such as Save.ca, a coupons and flyers platform, and Gottarent.com, a rental-listings website. The group moved into digital publishing during the 1990s as its community newspaper websites migrated online. In 2008, it created a Metroland Digital division to provide small and medium-sized businesses with services including custom websites, e-commerce development, paid search, search-engine optimization, social-media marketing, and display advertising. This reflected the wider transformation of local media companies from print publishers into multi-channel advertising and marketing providers. Metroland also operated or produced consumer shows and exhibitions aimed at specialized audiences. These included events connected with golf and travel, weddings, family life, active aging, and local community interests. Its magazine and specialty publishing activities covered lifestyle, leisure, parenting, transportation, and other targeted subjects. The company's operating model was affected by the long-term decline of print advertising and local newspaper circulation. In 2013, three Toronto suburban newspapers—the Scarborough Mirror, North York Mirror, and Etobicoke Guardian—reduced their publication frequency from twice weekly to once weekly. Metroland continued to consolidate and reorganize some local titles and websites, including the integration of several Hamilton-area properties and the merger of Kawartha Lakes This Week and Peterborough This Week into The Peterborough Examiner. On September 15, 2023, Metroland filed for bankruptcy protection and ceased production of its weekly community newspapers. The weekly publications shifted to an online-only model, while the company's printing operations continued to serve commercial customers rather than producing Metroland's former weekly newspaper editions. The filing marked a major change from a large-scale print-newspaper network to a substantially digital community-news operation. Metroland's history illustrates the consolidation of Canadian local media, the integration of newspaper publishing with printing and marketing services, and the difficult economics facing community newspapers in the digital era.
History
Metroland Media Group originated in February 1981 through the merger of Metrospan Community Newspapers, a division of Torstar, and Inland Publishing Company. Inland had previously been associated with The Telegram Corporation, whose ownership included the Eaton and Bassett families. The merger created a community-newspaper organization with a strong Ontario focus and connected it to Torstar’s broader publishing interests. During the 1980s and 1990s, Metroland expanded its role as a local publisher and distributor. Its business was centered on newspapers serving suburban and regional communities, but it also developed related advertising, classified, shopping, and flyer-distribution activities. Like other newspaper groups, it began moving its local titles onto the internet during the mid-1990s. The digital migration eventually produced a network of local-news websites and additional online properties. A major structural change occurred on September 11, 2006, when Metroland Publishing was combined with CityMedia Group to form Metroland Media Group. The enlarged organization operated across several connected areas: newspapers, printing, distribution, digital media, and consumer marketing. It published six daily newspapers and more than 70 community newspapers, while also producing magazines, inserts, specialty print products, and commercial work for outside customers. Metroland increased its digital-service capabilities in 2008 by creating Metroland Digital. The division offered small and medium-sized businesses a range of online-marketing services, including custom websites, e-commerce sites, paid search, search-engine optimization, social-media marketing, and display advertising. The group also operated consumer-facing digital properties, including Save.ca for coupons and flyers and Gottarent.com for rental listings. The company's print footprint included multiple Ontario printing operations. These facilities produced newspapers and commercial products such as flyers, magazines, inserts, and specialty publications. Metroland also distributed flyers and circulars and organized consumer shows aimed at audiences interested in golf and travel, weddings, family activities, lifestyle, and active aging. Its magazines and specialty titles addressed subjects including leisure, parenting, transportation, and local lifestyles. In October 2011, Metroland acquired Performance Printing in Smiths Falls, Ontario. The transaction expanded its printing and community-media reach in Eastern Ontario. At the same time, the company continued adjusting its newspaper portfolio to changing audience and advertising conditions. In 2013, three Toronto suburban newspapers reduced their frequency from two issues per week to one. Several local titles and digital properties were subsequently consolidated, including Hamilton-area newspapers and the integration of Kawartha Lakes This Week and Peterborough This Week into The Peterborough Examiner. The decline of print advertising, changing reading habits, and the broader financial pressure on local newspapers eventually produced a decisive transformation. On September 15, 2023, Metroland filed for bankruptcy protection and ceased production of all weekly community newspapers. Those publications moved to online-only operation. The group’s printing infrastructure continued to be used for commercial clients, but the former model of producing a large weekly newspaper network in print ended. Metroland therefore entered its current phase as a substantially digital community-news and commercial-media organization, while remaining historically significant as one of Ontario’s largest local newspaper networks.
- 2023
Weekly print newspapers end
[1]Following a bankruptcy-protection filing on September 15, Metroland stops producing its weekly community newspapers and shifts them online.
- 2013
Reduced frequency for three Toronto-area newspapers
[1]The Scarborough Mirror, North York Mirror, and Etobicoke Guardian move from twice-weekly to weekly publication.
- 2011
Performance Printing acquisition
[1]Metroland acquires Performance Printing of Smiths Falls, expanding its presence in Eastern Ontario.
- 2008
Metroland Digital is established
[1]The company creates a digital-marketing division serving small and medium-sized businesses with web, search, social, and display-advertising services.
- 2006
Metroland Media Group is formed
[1]Metroland Publishing combines with CityMedia Group on September 11 to create Metroland Media Group.
- 1990
Community newspaper websites begin moving online
[1]Metroland begins migrating its community-newspaper presence onto the internet during the mid-1990s, establishing the basis for its later digital network.
- 1981
Metrospan and Inland Publishing merge
[1]Metrospan Community Newspapers and Inland Publishing Company merge in February, creating Metroland as a Torstar-connected community-publishing operation.
Products and positioning
A regional community-media and marketing network combining local journalism, print production, flyer distribution, digital publishing, and targeted consumer services, with its historical center of gravity in Ontario community newspapers.
Newspapers · 1981
Community newspapers
Metroland’s core historical product was a network of local and regional newspapers serving communities across Southern and Eastern Ontario. At its peak, the group published more than 70 community newspapers in addition to six daily newspapers. The weekly print titles ceased production in 2023 and moved to online-only publishing.
Newspapers
Daily newspapers
The group’s newspaper portfolio included six daily newspapers alongside its community titles. These publications provided regional news, local reporting, advertising, classifieds, and community information within Ontario markets.
Digital marketing · 2008
Metroland Digital
Created in 2008, Metroland Digital provided online-marketing services for small and medium-sized businesses. Its capabilities included custom and e-commerce websites, paid search, search-engine optimization, social-media marketing, and display advertising.
Digital media
Save.ca
Save.ca was a consumer digital property focused on coupons, flyers, and shopping offers. It extended Metroland’s traditional circular-distribution and local-advertising activities into an online format.
Classifieds
Gottarent.com
Gottarent.com was an online Canadian apartment-rental listing service within Metroland’s portfolio of classified and consumer websites.
Printing · 1981
Commercial printing
Metroland operated printing facilities that produced newspapers, flyers, magazines, inserts, and specialty products. After weekly newspaper production ended, the print operations continued to provide commercial printing for external customers.
Magazines
Magazines and specialty publications
The company published and produced specialty titles covering lifestyle, leisure, parenting, transportation, and other targeted interests. These products complemented the local newspaper portfolio and supported audience-specific advertising.
Events
Consumer shows
Metroland produced consumer exhibitions and shows for specialized audiences, including events focused on golf and travel, weddings, family life, active aging, and local community interests.
Brand decisions
2023
Shift weekly community newspapers to online-only publishingStrategyBackground
Metroland filed for bankruptcy protection amid severe pressure on the economics of printed local newspapers.
Action taken
On September 15, 2023, the company ceased production of all weekly community newspapers and moved those publications online.
Aftermath
Metroland’s former weekly print network ended, while its digital news operations and commercial printing activities continued.
2013
Reduce publication frequency of three Toronto suburban newspapersStrategyBackground
Metroland adjusted its print schedule amid changing local-newspaper economics and audience behavior.
Action taken
The Scarborough Mirror, North York Mirror, and Etobicoke Guardian were reduced from two issues per week to one.
Aftermath
The change reflected the broader shift toward lower print frequency and digital delivery in local media.
2011
Acquire Performance PrintingM&ABackground
Metroland sought to expand its printing and community-media footprint in Eastern Ontario.
Action taken
The company acquired Performance Printing of Smiths Falls, Ontario.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Metroland’s community-newspaper coverage and printing presence in Eastern Ontario.
2006
Combine Metroland Publishing with CityMedia GroupM&ABackground
Torstar’s community-publishing interests were combined with CityMedia Group as part of a broader regional media consolidation.
Action taken
The businesses were combined on September 11, 2006, creating Metroland Media Group.
Aftermath
The enlarged organization operated across newspapers, printing, distribution, digital media, and consumer marketing.
Recent events
GiveSmart for Salesforce launched on Salesforce AppExchange[2]
Reported:
Community Brands announced that it had launched GiveSmart for Salesforce on Salesforce AppExchange, enabling access to GiveSmart's fundraising platform and data syncing through Salesforce.
Media Classified acquires City Parent magazine[3]
Reported:
Media Classified Corp. said it acquired City Parent, a monthly parenting and lifestyle magazine, from Metroland Media.
Sources3 sources
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