Dear reader, this week’s print edition will mark the final time this newspaper is printed and delivered in its traditional form.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly.
For decades, this paper has been part of the daily rhythm of Lloydminster and the surrounding communities. Many of you have picked it up week after week, supported it, talked about it and made it part of your lives.
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That loyalty has never gone unnoticed — in fact, it is the only reason we have been able to carry on as long as we have.
But the reality is simple, and difficult: we can no longer afford to continue printing.
Over the past five years, the financial losses have been significant. Like many in our industry, we have felt the impact of changing habits, shifting advertising and the lasting effects of COVID. While a core group of local businesses continued to support us—and we are deeply grateful for that—it has not been enough to sustain the costs of print production.
This newspaper has deep roots.
My father started a paper here in 1959 — the Meridian Booster — with a belief that strong local journalism matters. Years later, Clark Wright and I launched a competing paper with that same belief. Eventually, we had the privilege of bringing both papers together, continuing a legacy that has spanned generations.
That history makes this moment even harder.
But while print is ending, the mission is not.
We are not going away.
We will continue to report on the stories that matter to this community — the wins, the challenges, the people and the issues — with the same commitment to fairness, accuracy and local voice that has always defined us. The difference is simply the platform. Moving online allows us to continue doing this work in a way that is sustainable, while preserving important jobs and keeping local journalism alive.
We know this change will be felt. There is something special about holding a local paper in your hands and we share in that sense of loss.
But we also believe the heart of what we do — telling your stories — does not depend on ink and paper. It depends on trust and on community. And those remain as strong as ever.
To our readers: thank you.
Thank you for picking us up every week.
Thank you for reading, sharing and supporting local journalism.
Thank you for believing that your community deserves to be covered.
As we put down the pen and move to a digital platform, we hope you will continue this journey with us online.
Continue reading online at meridiansource.ca
With sincere appreciation,
Reid Keebaugh, Publisher
This article ran on Page 1 of the March 26, 2026 edition of the Meridian Source.
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