Publishing and Printing
Stern Partners has been actively involved in the publishing and printing industries for over 20 years. Our early involvement was with magazine publications in Western Canada and pre-press graphics services. This has evolved into newspaper publishing and specialty printing businesses today.
Newspaper Publishing
FP Newspapers Income Fund
FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership owns the Winnipeg Free Press, the Brandon Sun, Canstar Community News Limited, and special interest newspapers in the Winnipeg region as well as their respective related businesses. Based in Winnipeg, the business employs over 600 people on a full-time basis in Winnipeg and Brandon, Manitoba, and Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Founded in 1872, the Winnipeg Free Press is the major metropolitan daily newspaper serving Winnipeg and the rest of the Province of Manitoba.
The Brandon Sun, the daily newspaper serving the City of Brandon and surrounding regions, was founded in 1882.
Canstar Community News publishes seven community and special interest newspapers in the Winnipeg region.
FP Newspapers Income Fund, an income trust that trades under the symbol "FP.UN" on the Toronto Stock Exchange, owns securities entitling it to 49% of the distributable cash of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership. A portion of the Fund and 51% of the Limited Partnership are owned by Stern Partners members.
Canstar Publications Limited
Canstar Publications Limited (CPL) is the holding company for the group's newspaper publishing interests, and in past years was involved in feature film and multimedia gaming production, financing and production services. CPL holds a controlling interest in FP Newspapers Income Fund, and its operating unit, FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership.
Printing
Westkey Graphics Ltd.
Based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Westkey Graphics Ltd. is one of the largest business form manufacturers and specialty printers in the Pacific Northwest. Westkey has recently expanded into the label business by acquiring two state of the art presses that are capable of producing pressure sensitive labels in up to 8 colors, including in-line cold foil transfer, embossing, adhesive print, multi-layer label application and laminating. Westkey employs more than 130 full-time staff in its facility, which houses a wide range of presses and specialty manufacturing equipment, collators and bindery. Stern Partners became a co-shareholder with the founder of Westkey in 2006.