Newspaper publisher SaltWire offering employee buyouts

Photo: The Canadian Press

The Chronicle Herald sign is seen in Halifax on April 13, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

East Coast newspaper publisher SaltWire Network Inc. is offering voluntary buyouts and an option of reduced hours for employees.

In an internal memo, the company says that offers are part of its ongoing pivot from a traditional newspaper publisher to a digital media company.

SaltWire's head of people and process Nancy Cook says in the memo that the company's needs are shifting and it has to be nimble and ready to tackle the changes ahead.

The company doesn't specify how many employees it expects to take up the offer, but notes that there are several eligibility criteria and that management will have to approve any applications.

In 2020, SaltWire permanently laid off 109 staff who had been part of a wider temporary layoff, which the company said was prompted by lower ad revenue because of COVID-19.

SaltWire owns 27 media brands in Atlantic Canada including The Chronicle Herald in Halifax and The Telegram in St. John’s, N.L.