Fond Farewells to Reader’s Digest Canada

The April 2024 print edition of Reader’s Digest Canada was its last. Founded in 1947, 25 years after the original U.S. publication, Reader’s Digest Canada brought a focus to Canadian stories and became a national treasure for more than 70 years. Its readers were incredibly loyal. So while the website will no longer be updated and newsletters no longer sent, we will leave you with some words from readers themselves that we ran in the final print edition. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey.

“I will be very sad to see the Canadian edition of Reader’s Digest discontinued. The summer my mother died, I was shipped off to live with an aunt and uncle. They were very nice people but I was away from the familiarity of my own neighbourhood and friends. Their children were much younger than me, so I felt totally alone.

Then I discovered in their basement many boxes of an unfamiliar magazine called Reader’s Digest. As I was bored and lonely, I got permission (as a voracious reader) to “peruse” these magazines. I was hooked and would read them from cover to cover. They were marvelous and as soon as I returned to my home, I asked my father to get me a subscription.

Even after marrying and then moving to the United States and back, my subscription followed me. My son had no interest in reading. I showed him my monthly arrival and pointed out sports stories or humorous articles and jokes for him to read. Eventually it was a race to see which one of us would grab the latest issue first. He would then read it cover to cover. And he is now an enthusiastic reader like me. So I will miss my monthly magazine as it truly did shape my life and my son’s.”

— BRENDA GRAVES

“The annual holiday issue is always my favourite and I look forward to it each year. This year’s Dec. 2023/Jan. 2024 issue didn’t disappoint. Each story left me with tears, smiles and moments of reflection. Thanks so much for being a part of our family for all these years. I must say it will be a sad day when I receive the last edition.”

— DOUGLAS WOODS, Napanee, Ont.

“I just want you to know how sad I will be when you cease to publish the Canadian edition of Reader’s Digest. We have been receiving the monthly magazine since we were married in 1965, and it was also in my childhood home for many years. It has provided us with so much information we might never have seen anywhere else. It is a staple in our home for everyone to read! Thank you for the many, many years of enjoyment reading the magazine.”

— ARLENE GRAVES

“My mother has gifted me a subscription to your English magazine for almost 30 years. I enjoy the Canadian content, stories and humour in the perfectly sized magazine that I can tote around and read any time. I have always appreciated the health-related articles, and found them stimulating and informative. Reader’s Digest has allowed me to connect with the rest of Canada.”

— MARIE COYEA, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que.

“I’m saddened to hear that the Canadian edition of Reader’s Digest will no longer be published. It’s been a joy in our house my whole life! It’s been one of my mother’s Christmas presents for years. We’ll both miss it dearly. Thank you for the inspiring stories, the useful tips, and of course, the laughter. I will treasure my old copies of Reader’s Digest forever.”

— ANITA RAMSKI