8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Study Tour registration and welcome coffee

Join INMA for your registration credentials and welcome coffee. Meet fellow study tour participants before beginning the programming.

The Globe and Mail, 351 King Street East, Toronto, ON M5A 1L1

8:30 a.m - 9:30 a.m.

Executive briefing: Subscriptions and Canada’s news media

An inspiring start to the INMA Toronto Study Tour. Greg Piechota will open with the newest global insights into news media subscriptions — highlighting emerging trends, successful experiments, and what’s next for reader revenue worldwide. Paul Deegan, President and CEO of News Media Canada, will then set the scene with an overview of the Canadian news media landscape: its key players, policy context, and current growth dynamics. Finally, Robert Whitehead and Sonali Verma will introduce participants to the day’s visits and objectives, connecting the study tour’s themes of innovation, data, and reader-first strategy.

Paul Deegan

President & CEO, News Media Canada

Greg Piechota

Readers First Initiative Lead, INMA, United Kingdom

Sonali Verma

Newsroom Transformation Lead, INMA, Canada

Robert Whitehead

Digital Platforms Initiative Lead, Australia

9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.

Coffee Break

9:45 a.m - 12:00 p.m.

Why The Globe and Mail remains the subscription model to watch

What makes The Globe and Mail so special for reader revenue? It’s its rare combination of a trusted national brand, a culture of innovation, and a fully aligned business strategy. From early adoption of AI-powered paywalls and content insights to deep journalism and a willingness to experiment, the Globe has built a machine that consistently raises the bar for subscriptions. With every part of the organisation — newsroom, product, data, commercial — working toward the same goal, they’ve shown that even in a challenging market you can grow meaningful reader revenue, not just cling to old models. Their results speak for themselves: real growth, real loyalty, and a sustainable path forward in an industry that’s searching for answers. Includes closing Q&A and office tour.

Andrew Kendall

Managing Director, Reader Revenue at Globe and Mail

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Lunch at The Globe and Mail

1:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Walk (~10 min)to The Walrus, 411 Richmond Street East, Suite B15

1:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

The Walrus: Mission-Led Loyalty that Converts

As a mission driven organisation, The Walrus blends high-trust long-form journalism with a community engine — national “The Walrus Talks” events, podcasts, and newsletters—that keeps audiences engaged between issues and warms them toward financial support. Their model deliberately diversifies reader-first revenue: tax-receipted donations, The Walrus Plus membership, events sponsorships, and subscriptions — so loyalty isn’t tied to a single paywall and value is reinforced across multiple touchpoints. For subscription leaders, this is a live case of mission → participation → payment: use ideas-driven programming to build habit and belonging, then convert with low-friction asks that feel like supporting a public good, not just buying access. The result is resilient funding for ambitious journalism and a repeatable playbook for community-powered reader revenue.

Jennifer Hollett

Executive Director, The Walrus

Bryan Maloney

Director of Audience Engagement, The Walrus

Monita Mohan

Marketing Director, The Walrus

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Walk (~20 min) or 10-minute ride to The Green Line

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The Green Line: A Hyperlocal News Model Built for Conversion

A hyperlocal newsroom built for Gen Z and Millennial Torontonians, The Green Line leads with problem-solving service journalism (explainers, guides, how-tos) and actionable on-ramps (events, Story Circles, newsletters, social video). The focus isn’t fandom or legacy brand equity — it’s utility and participation that earn trust quickly, then graduate audiences into low-friction support: partnerships, entry-tier memberships and donations. Led by Anita Li, it’s a compact, low-overhead and repeatable acquisition-and-conversion playbook for markets where youth attention is scarce and paywalls alone won’t move the needle.

Anita Li

Publisher and CEO, The Green Line

5:00 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Day 1 debrief

A relaxed and interactive reflection session to share take-aways and insights from the day’s visits.

5:45 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Drinks on INMA

Wrap up the day of tours and learning with a laid-back evening of good company and conversation.

7:00 p.m.

End of first day — return individually to hotels or dinner on your own.

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Arrival and welcome coffee

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) – School of Journalism & DMZ, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto ON M5B 2K3

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

TMU School of Journalism & DMZ: The innovation bridge between newsrooms and start-ups

At the intersection of academia, startups, and innovation, TMU and its DMZ incubator offer a glimpse into the future of news products and talent. This unique pairing forms a living lab for newsroom innovation, where journalists, technologists, and entrepreneurs collaborate on prototypes that bridge storytelling, data, and product. From AI-assisted reporting tools and immersive news formats to creator-led content startups, TMU fosters experimentation that keeps journalism connected to emerging talent and technologies. For executives focused on reader revenue and growth, TMU offers a clear window into the next generation of ideas and people who will shape the subscription economy — a reminder that sustainable innovation depends on continuous learning, cross-pollination, and bold experimentation.

Sonya Fatah

Associate Professor at the School of Journalism, Toronto Metropolitan University

Ravindra N. Mohabeer

Ph.D., Chair and Associate Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University

10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

Walk (~15 min) or 5-minute transfer from TMU to CBC / Radio-Canada, 250 Front Street West

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

CBC/Radio-Canada: Building daily habits at national scale

Canada’s national broadcaster operates at a scale few others can match across television, radio, and digital on and off-platform. CBC/Radio-Canada reaches almost every household but its true power lies in habit formation. CBC has built an audience that acts like subscribers - loyal, habitual, and deeply integrated into the brand’s ecosystem. For executives, its model offers lessons in product evolution, audience onboarding, and cross-platform retention. Case studies will include discussions on the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics as the host broadcaster in Canada.

12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Lunch Break

1:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Short transfer (~10 min) to third stop

1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Visit (TBD)

3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Transfer to Toronto Star, 1 Yonge Street

3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Toronto Star: How one of Canada’s biggest newsrooms wins at subscriptions

What powers one of Canada’s most successful digital subscription engines? At the Toronto Star, it’s strategic clarity, cross-functional collaboration and a ruthless focus on the data that matters. Get an inside look at a disciplined acquisition strategy that dramatically accelerated growth, how focusing on the data that matters drives retention and revenue, and why a cross-functional approach makes subscription growth everybody’s job. Also get a behind- the-scenes look at the test & learn culture creating constant improvements and innovation. This visit is a front-row seat to subscription success — fast, focused, and fueled by data.

Angus Frame

President, Torstar Corporation

Kelly Montague

VP Marketing, Torstar Corporation

Tammy Lombardo

Director, Digital Subscriptions, Torstar Corporation

Ashley Hawley

Chief Product Officer, Torstar Corporation

Robin Honderich

Head of Audience and Data, Toronto Star

4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Final debrief

Reflect on insights and connections made during the two-day tour — a moment to toast new ideas and collaboration.

5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Transfer to CRAFT Beer Market Toronto

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Reception at CRAFT Beer Market Toronto

1 Adelaide Street E, Toronto, ON

Kick off the Subscription Summit 2026 at CRAFT Beer Market Toronto. Think 100+ beers, high ceilings, downtown views, and an easy buzz of conversation. This is where the week starts strong — a casual yet electric Toronto evening where strangers become colleagues over a pint (or two). You can pick up your summit badge at the CRAFT Beer Market Toronto.
NB: This programme is subject to change. If you would like to learn more about the programme, please contact: ioana.straeter@inma.org.