Toronto Star Owner Shutters Weekly Papers With Bankruptcy Filing

Metroland Media Group, a chain of small Canadian newspapers, has filed for bankruptcy protection and will lay off 605 people, according to the Toronto Star, Metroland’s sister company.

• The company will stop publication of its weekly community papers in Ontario and move them to online-only publication
• Layoffs represent nearly two-thirds of staff, who won’t receive termination or severance pay because the company doesn’t have sufficient funds, Metroland said
• “Metroland has faced substantial declines in both print advertising and the flyer business over the past several years, to the point where the community newspaper business is no longer viable in ...