Ex-Journalists Mourn Closure of Ming Pao, Canada’s Last Chinese Daily

Former journalists and community leaders across British Columbia are expressing deep sadness over the closure of Ming Pao Daily News, Canada’s last Chinese-language daily newspaper, which will cease print operations later this month.

B.C. legislator Teresa Wat said she was overwhelmed with emotion when she learned the paper would shut down. Wat, who worked as an assignment editor at Ming Pao’s Richmond newsroom in the 1990s, described the publication as far more than a newspaper, calling it a vital lifeline for Chinese-speaking immigrants from Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China.

Wat said Ming Pao played a crucial role in helping newcomers navigate life in Canada by providing information on housing, employment, language barriers and cultural integration. She added that the paper helped challenge stereotypes by blending Asian perspectives with Canadian local issues.

Ming Pao announced that its final Vancouver and Toronto print editions will be published on January 16, with its Canadian newsrooms and offices closing on January 31. About 60 employees in British Columbia, along with an undisclosed number in Toronto, were issued termination notices.

Launched in Canada in 1993, Ming Pao said the decision to close was made by its Hong Kong-based head office due to financial challenges. A letter sent to the B.C. Ministry of Labour confirmed the business was shutting down permanently for financial reasons.

The newspaper previously sought government support through the Canada Periodical Fund in 2024 but did not receive subsidies. However, records from the Canadian Journalism Collective show Ming Pao received more than $1.1 million in funding in 2025 under Canada’s Online News Act. The collective has not clarified what will happen to the funding following the closure.

The shutdown comes amid broader struggles in Chinese-language media across Canada. Fairchild Radio recently closed its dedicated Chinese-language AM station in Vancouver, while Ming Pao’s main competitor, Sing Tao, ended its Canadian print editions in 2022.

Former Ming Pao reporter Austin Feng, who worked at the paper for more than a decade, said the closure marks the end of what he described as the “golden age” of Chinese-language media in Canada. He recalled a time of intense competition among newspapers and reporters, particularly on major news and entertainment stories linked to Hong Kong and overseas Chinese communities.

Wat said the loss of Ming Pao will be deeply felt, particularly among older immigrants who relied on the daily paper as part of their routine. She warned the absence of a Chinese-language daily could increase isolation and reduce accountability on issues affecting immigrant and Chinese-speaking communities.

Although saddened, Feng said he believes journalism itself will endure. “The paper era is ending,” he said, “but storytelling never dies.