Monarch Speaks With Marketplace About Why Books Cost More in Canada

October 23, 2026

Marketplace

Ryan Monarch

Economics Department

Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs

Canada

Economic Policy

Marketplace

Ryan Monarch

Canadian book prices are often higher than U.S. prices because of 1999 regulations written when the Canadian dollar was much weaker, and because of added distribution costs. The gap can widen when exchange rates shift, since Canadian prices are set well in advance and printed on the books, and publishers are unlikely to adjust them for short-term currency swings.

Ryan Monarch, associate professor of economics, points out that It can be harder to get books to the more remote areas of Canada, accounting for more costly logistical expenses.

And one of the challenges with books especially is that the prices are printed on the books themselves, which means you can't just change them that easily when the currency exchange rate changes, Monarch says

Read more in the Marketplace article, “Why do books cost more in Canada?”