Official Google Canada Blog: September 2021

Honouring Indigenous Survivors, Families and Communities for the First Annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Editor's Note: This blog was guest written by Stephanie Scott, Executive Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), and Monika Ille, Chief Executive Officer of APTN.
On the first-ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDT&R), we invite all Canadians to honour residential school survivors and reflect on the lasting impact of the residential school system on Indigenous Peoples. Since 2013, September 30 has been known as Orange Shirt Day, in recognition of the harm and tragedies of the residential school system. In June 2021, the federal government passed legislation to mark September 30 as NDT&R. Read on to learn about NDT&R’s origins, how you can observe the day, and what special programming APTN and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) will be sharing during the inaugural holiday.
What is Orange Shirt Day? Since 2013, September 30 has been recognized as Orange Shirt Day. This annual movement opens the door to a global conversation about residential schools in Canada.
Phyllis Webstad recounted her first day attending St. Joseph Mission Residential School at six years old. Webstad described how all of her clothes were taken from her upon arrival, including the orange shirt her grandmother had recently gifted her. Today, the orange shirt represents the Indigenous identities stolen from the children forced into residential schools. In light of the recovery of more than 1,300 unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools just this year, it is a day to reflect on the tragic legacy these schools have left behind.
What is NDT&R? September 30 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. As part of the Canadian government’s commitment to reconciliation, legislation was passed to make NDT&R a federal holiday. This is not just any holiday, but a day for doing the work of reconciliation and honouring Indigenous Peoples. NDT&R responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Call to Action 80. The TRC’s Calls to Action are not political. Rather, they were developed so that all Canadians can walk together on a shared path towards reconciliation.
As a federal holiday, NDT&R applies to federal public sector employees, federally-regulated private sector workplaces and most federal crown corporations. British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Yukon and the Northwest Territories have also recognized September 30 as a statutory holiday.
NDT&R is also part of Truth and Reconciliation Week, a week of educational programming hosted by the NCTR. The NCTR derives its mandate from the TRC's Calls to Action and is a place for dialogue and learning, where the truths of residential school survivors are kept for future generations. The NCTR’s mandate is to build a foundation for reconciliation through public education about the residential school system and Canada’s long legacy of colonialism and violence.
How Can I Observe NDT&R? There are many ways to participate in this day of remembrance and reconciliation. Allies are encouraged to wear an orange shirt in solidarity with Indigenous communities, but that alone is not enough.
Here are some other meaningful actions you can take today and going forward:

Read books by Indigenous writers. Here are some of our favourites among many: Seven Fallen Feathers by Tanya Talaga, The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline, Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot, A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott, There There by Tommy Orange, and Katherena Vermette’s highly-anticipated new novel, The Strangers.
Attend a public lecture on Indigenous history.
Make an “Every Child Matters” sign to display at home.
Participate in a memorial walk or attend an event hosted by Indigenous community members.
Donate to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.
Review the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and commit to at least one.
Tune in to Indigenous programming. APTN has an incredible lineup of programs airing from September 30 — October 1, which is sure to educate and inspire.
Watch sessions from NCTR’s Truth and Reconciliation Week, featuring survivors, children of survivors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, artists and leaders from many nations and cultures.
Watch theNational Truth and Reconciliation Day special broadcast from APTN, CBC and the NCTR at 8 pm ET (9 p.m. AT, 9:30 p.m. NT).
Learn about the history of the residential school system and its ongoing consequences via APTN’s informative articles on the topic, available here.

NDT&R is a day for action, remembrance, reflection and learning about the colonial history of the lands we live on. We all have a role to play in reconciliation.
Please take a moment to honour the survivors and communities who have so courageously shared their stories. Observe a minute of silence, put out a small pair of shoes or light a candle for the children who never made it home. What matters is that you do it with intention.

Canadian news entrepreneurs: Learn how to launch your news business in our Google News Initiative Startups Boot Camp

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

The deadline to apply for this eight-week, fully remote program is November 14.

Editor's Note: This blogpost is cross posted from the Lion Publisher's website.
When I joined The Tyee in 2006, it was already several years into its scrappy startup journey. Once referred to as a blog by mainstream Canadian media, it has since won numerous journalism awards, pioneered the concept of solutions journalism, and added more than 4,000 paying supporters who wanted more thoughtful, feisty, and independent reporting in a media ecosystem considered one of the most consolidated in the world.
The Tyee is just one of several independent news publications in Canada that consistently punches above its weight. We need more like them.
That’s why I’m working with LION Publishers to bring the Google News Initiative Startups Boot Camp to Canada. The boot camp is an eight-week, fully remote program specifically for aspiring Canadian news entrepreneurs to launch independent digital publications for communities that are most in need of accurate and impactful news and information. No fees, no tuition, no income sharing arrangement. No financial barriers to your success. Just the hands-on support you need to become independent, and stay independent. Request an application here and apply by November 14 at midnight PT.
We’re also incredibly grateful to our partners Canadian Association of Black Journalists, Canadian Journalists of Colour, Journalists for Human Rights, and On Canada Project for helping us recruit and evaluate prospective boot camp participants. We hope to reach far beyond the traditional journalism community and ensure a cohort that is representative of Canada’s diversity.
Over the eight-week program, the boot camp will walk each participant through the basic steps of getting a news business up and running. That distinction — a business versus a project — is important. We focus on helping you lay the foundation of a financially sustainable publication. That includes how to set clear goals, research customers, price your product, articulate your value proposition and run experiments to navigate toward success.
What platform you choose to launch on is entirely up to you. We’re not prescriptive. We’re seeing the sprouts of a new media ecosystem on platforms like YouTube and Instagram — reaching hundreds of thousands of young Canadians in new and novel ways — and we’re excited to hear what ideas you have to serve your community. SMS? Podcast? TikTok? Let’s imagine together.
The program is unique in several other ways, too:

We will also look at ways to strengthen Canada's media ecosystem by tackling issues like how to ensure newsrooms reflect the diversity of the communities they serve and how to increase support for Canadian communities currently under-served by news. Interested in learning more? The FAQ section of our site has detailed answers about criteria for your news business idea, the boot camp curriculum, the time commitment involved and more.
If you have more questions or are feeling intimidated to apply for this opportunity, come to an info session (dates/times listed below), where we’ll answer questions about the program and application, and have a separate breakout room to help you workshop your application.
RSVP for our info sessions here:
Friday, October 15 at noon ET Thursday,October 28 at 2 p.m. ET Thursday, November 4 at 5 p.m. ET
Phillip Smith is a veteran consultant and certified Lean Startup coach. His passion is helping newsrooms to make more money, helping news startups grow their audience, and helping journalists succeed as entrepreneurs. The boot camp was inspired by his experience working in a pioneering Canadian startup newsroom, and later developed into a pilot during his time as a John S. Knight fellow at Stanford University.

Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers is a professional journalism association for independent news publishers. While most of our 300+ members across the U.S. and Canada run local news businesses, we also have members who serve larger regions and specific identity-based communities across geographies. Learn more at lionpublishers.com.

10 ways to earn money on YouTube

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

ne of the most impressive things about creators on YouTube is their incredible range of talents and skills. They’re storytellers, directors, editors, marketers and entrepreneurs — all in one. YouTube has evolved from being just a place where people upload and share videos. It’s now a destination where creators can find new audiences, connect with fans in different ways and build growing businesses.
We laid the groundwork for this modern-day creator economy over 14 years ago when we launched the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) — a first-of-its kind business model that shares the majority of revenue generated on the platform with creators. We recently crossed a new milestone with over 2 million creators globally now part of our monetization program. Over the last three years, we’ve paid more than $30 billion USD to creators, artists and media companies. And in Q2 2021, we paid more to YouTube creators and partners than in any other previous quarter.
Here in Canada, creators continue to thrive on the platform, with the number of Canadian YouTube channels making six figures or more in revenue up 30% year-over-year as of December 2020. And we're not stopping there, we continue to work with creators in Canada and around the world to encourage even more growth on the platform.
We’re investing in new monetization options for creators beyond advertising, including Paid Digital Goods, merchandise, branded content and more. Our shared goal with creators is to help them build robust and diversified business models that suit their unique content and community of fans.
Jeff Thorman, a general contractor from Ottawa with over 25 years of experience, created his YouTube channel Home RenoVision DIY to share his knowledge and help homeowners learn new home improvement skills. Jeff utilizes the Channel Memberships feature to offer exclusive content and additional perks to monthly paying members, further diversifying his revenue streams on the platform. Two years ago, Jeff shifted his business to focus on YouTube full time. Besides memberships, he earns money from ads, sponsorships and affiliate income.
And there are thousands of creators turned entrepreneurs on YouTube like Jeff from all walks of life, who use the platform to turn their traditional careers, their hobbies and passions into a sustainable, revenue-generating business.
Today we're launching the Shorts Fund in Canada, adding to our growing list of how artists and creators make money and build a business on YouTube. Canadian creators have been early adopters of Shorts such as multi award winning Canadian percussionist Joe Porter. Since uploading his first Short in April 2021, Joe Porter's channel has received more than 250M views and gained more than 875K subscribers.
Creators and artists now have 10 ways to make money and build a business on YouTube. Here’s how:
1. Shorts Fund
The YouTube Shorts Fund, a $100M fund distributed over 2021-2022, is now available to Canadian creators! Each month, we'll reach out to thousands of eligible creators around the world to claim a payment from the fund.
Creators can make anywhere from $100 to $10,000 based on viewership and engagement on their Shorts each month. The Shorts Fund is the first step in our journey to build a monetization model for Shorts on YouTube and is not limited to just creators in YPP — any creator that meets our eligibility criteria can participate. Check out all the details here.
We're also dedicated to providing funding via our Black Voices Fund and Kids Fund.
2. Ads
Ads have been at the core of creators’ revenue streams, and continue to be the main way that creators can earn money on YouTube. Creators receive the majority of the revenue generated from ads on YouTube.

3. YouTube Premium
YouTube Premium is a paid subscription option which enables members to enjoy ad-free content, background playback, downloads and premium access to the YouTube Music app. The majority of subscription revenue goes to YouTube partners.
4. Channel Memberships
With channel memberships, creators can offer exclusive perks and content to viewers who join their channel as a monthly paying member at prices set by the creator.
5. Merchandise
The merch shelf allows channels to showcase their official branded merchandise right on their watch page on YouTube. Creators can choose from 40 different retailers globally.

6. Super Chat
Fans watching livestreams and Premieres can purchase a Super Chat: a highlighted message in the chat that stands out from the crowd to get even more of their favorite creator’s attention.
7. Super Thanks
Soon, more viewers will be able to give thanks and show support on uploaded videos through Super Thanks as it continues to roll out in Canada. As an added bonus, fans will get a distinct, colorful comment to highlight the purchase, which creators can respond to.
8. Super Stickers
Another way fans can deepen their connection with creators during live streams and Premieres is with Super Stickers, which allows fans to purchase a fun sticker that stands out.
9. Ticketing
Music fans can learn about upcoming concerts and with a simple click, go directly to our ticketing partners’ sites to purchase tickets.
10. YouTube BrandConnect
Through YouTube BrandConnect (previously known as FameBit), we’ve been making it easier for creators and brands to create branded content that is both authentic and financially rewarding. BrandConnect brings insights, measurement and industry expertise to the influencer marketing landscape -- seamlessly connecting brands, creators and fans.
We’re driven to keep developing new ways for creators to continue to grow sustainable businesses on YouTube. As creators keep innovating and pushing the boundaries to produce engaging and innovative content, we'll continue to deliver more ways to help them do just that.
Posted by Andrew Peterson, Head of Content Partnerships, YouTube Canada

The new Google Cloud region in Toronto is now open

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

For over a decade, we’ve been investing in Canada to become a go-to cloud partner for organizations across the country. Whether they’re in financial services, media and entertainment, retail, telecommunications or the public sector, a rapidly growing number of organizations located or operating in Canada are choosing Google Cloud to help them build applications better and faster, store data, and deliver awesome experiences to their users, all on the cleanest cloud in the industry. To support this growing customer base, we’re excited to announce that the new Google Cloud region in Toronto is now open.

As you’d expect, we’re thrilled about this news, but we aren’t the only ones that have been looking forward to this launch. We asked some of our customers operating in Canada for their take on the upcoming cloud region. Here’s what they had to say:

"Our alliance with Google is truly distinctive in the Canadian market as we are working together to co-innovate and create new services for key industries, including communications technology, healthcare, agriculture, security, and the connected home. The new cloud region in Toronto marks another key milestone that will propel TELUS’ digital leadership by further leveraging the scalability, reliability and cost effectiveness of Google Cloud to support improved customer experience and build stronger, healthier and more sustainable communities."- Hesham Fahmy, Chief Development Officer, TELUS

“We’re simplifying, modernizing and digitizing Scotiabank to enhance the customer experience for our 25 million customers across the globe. By leveraging powerful cloud-based services including Google Cloud, we’re able to put the most advanced software engineering, data analytics and machine learning tools in the hands of our talented employees. We welcome Google Cloud's investment in Toronto and look forward to the opportunities the Toronto Cloud Region will present to our Technology team.”- Michael Zerbs, Group Head Technology & Operations, Scotiabank

“Cloud technologies—and the access to scalable compute, rich geospatial datasets and smart analytics tools—will be critical contributors to support climate action and sustainable policy decisions. At Natural Resources Canada, scientists and researchers are applying innovative digital solutions to support Canada’s natural resource sector. The new Google Cloud region in Toronto will provide our scientists, technologists and researchers with the products and services necessary to turn Earth data into actionable insights.” - Vik Pant, PhD, Chief Scientist and Chief Science Advisor, Natural Resources Canada

“At Accenture, we bring together technology and human ingenuity to create and respond to change. We’re thrilled to join forces with Google Cloud and their newest region in Toronto with an important mutual goal: to accelerate cloud innovation in Canada. Our clients already know us for our deep industry intelligence, cloud-first expertise and market-renowned delivery. We’re now combining that with Google’s human-centric design to bring even more opportunities to our clients across all industries.” - Jeffrey Russell, President of Accenture in Canada

“We are thrilled to see Google’s commitment to Canada. We look forward to helping our joint customers transform their operations, leveraging Google Cloud’s latest data center in Toronto. At Deloitte, we believe cloud is THE opportunity to reimagine everything.”- Terry Stuart, Deloitte Chief Digital Officer, Canada

“As Canadian organizations increasingly leverage cloud to transform their businesses, we are excited about the new opportunities that the Toronto Google Cloud region brings to the market. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Google Cloud to bring customized and innovative solutions that help Canadian companies fully realize the value of cloud technology, so that they can compete and win on the global stage.”- Andrew Caprara, Chief Operating Officer, Softchoice

Toronto joins 27 existing Google Cloud regions connected via our high-performance network, helping customers better serve their users and customers throughout the globe. In combination with our Montreal region, customers now benefit from improved business continuity planning with distributed, secure infrastructure needed to meet IT and business requirements for disaster recovery, while maintaining data sovereignty.

The new region launches with three zones, allowing organizations of all sizes and industries to distribute apps and storage to protect against service disruptions, and with our core portfolio of Google Cloud Platform products, including Compute Engine, App Engine, Google Kubernetes Engine, Bigtable, Spanner, and BigQuery.

We’re working to bring you new cloud products and capabilities in Canada, and our goal is to allow you to access those services quickly and easily—wherever you might be in the country. The past year has proved how important easy access to digital infrastructure, technical education, training and support are to helping businesses respond to the pandemic. We’re particularly proud of the teams who faced the unique challenges of building a cloud region during this time to help our customers and community accelerate their digital transformation.

To support all of our users, customers and government organizations in Canada, we’ll continue to invest in new infrastructure, engineering support and solutions. We’re currently hosting our first ever Google Cloud Accelerator Canada to bring the best of Google's programs, products, people and technology to startups doing interesting work in the cloud. We’ve recently received Protected B accreditation with Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, which is crucial for healthcare, education, and regulated industries adopting cloud services. We’re also pleased to announce the preview of Assured Workloads for Canada—a capability which allows you to secure and configure sensitive workloads in accordance with your specific regulatory or policy requirements.

For help migrating to Google Cloud, please contact our local partners. For additional details on Google Cloud regions, please visit our locations page, where you’ll find updates on the availability of additional services and regions. You can always contact us to help you get started or access our many educational resources. We’re excited to see what you build next with Google Cloud.

Posted by Jim Lambe, Managing Director, Canada, Google Cloud

Official Canada Blog

Honouring Indigenous Survivors, Families and Communities for the First Annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Canadian news entrepreneurs: Learn how to launch your news business in our Google News Initiative Startups Boot Camp

10 ways to earn money on YouTube

The new Google Cloud region in Toronto is now open

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