Canada’s broadcast regulator, the CRTC, is raising the Canadian content funding requirement for online streamers under the Online Streaming Act. Multiple outlets report that streamers will be required to pay an amount equal to 15% of their annual revenues to support Canadian programming. The decision follows the introduction of the Online Streaming Act by the federal government about three years earlier, and it applies to the online streaming sector covered by the framework.
The change is described as a potential source of increased tension with the United States, with both outlets characterizing it as a trade irritant. One outlet notes that the move could further strain U.S.-Canada relations over the online streaming policy. Another outlet also emphasizes that the regulator is not involved in trade negotiations, presenting the CRTC’s role as implementing the regulatory framework rather than negotiating international trade issues.
Overall, the reported CRTC requirement links streaming platforms’ revenue levels to Canadian content funding, with the 15% figure forming the central new element in the regulatory approach.
