Ottawa-Gatineau - Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
The CRTC is taking a major step forward in the implementation of the Online Streaming Act (formerly Bill C-11).
The Online Streaming Act, which amended the Broadcasting Act, requires the CRTC to modernize the Canadian broadcasting framework and ensure that online streaming services make meaningful contributions to Canadian and Indigenous content.
Immediately after the new legislation was adopted, the CRTC published a regulatory plan and launched four public consultations, including one on what base contributions online services must make to support the Canadian broadcasting system.
During this consultation on contributions, the CRTC received more than 360 detailed submissions and held a three-week public hearing where it heard from over 120 groups. Based on the public record, the CRTC is requiring online streaming services to contribute 5% of their Canadian revenues to support the Canadian broadcasting system. These obligations will start in the 2024-2025 broadcast year and will provide an estimated $200 million per year in new funding.
The funding will be directed to areas of immediate need in the Canadian broadcasting system, such as local news on radio and television, French-language content, Indigenous content, and content created by and for equity-deserving communities, official language minority communities, and Canadians of diverse backgrounds.
Online streaming services will have some flexibility to direct parts of their contributions to support Canadian television content directly.
As a quasi-judicial tribunal, the CRTC will continue to balance consulting widely with moving quickly to build the new regulatory framework.
Quotes
"Today's decision will help ensure that online streaming services make meaningful contributions to Canadian and Indigenous content. The CRTC will continue to move quickly, listen carefully, and take action as we implement the new legislation."
- Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC
Quick facts
- The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record.
- The CRTC is fulfilling the mandate given to it by Parliament to modernize the broadcasting framework. The CRTC has already held four public consultations and issued four decisions to implement the new legislation.
- Key dates:
- April 27, 2023: Online Streaming Act (formerly Bill C-11) receives Royal Assent.
- May 8, 2023: CRTC publishes regulatory plan.
- May 12, 2023: CRTC launches three public consultations (base contributions to support Canadian and Indigenous content; registration of online streaming services; and exemption orders and basic conditions of service).
- August 23, 2023: CRTC launches public consultation on regulatory fees.
- September 29, 2023: CRTC publishes decisions on registration and conditions of service.
- November 9, 2023: Government issues direction to CRTC on how to design and implement new regulatory framework.
- November 20 to December 8, 2023: CRTC holds three-week public hearing on base contributions.
- March 21, 2024: CRTC publishes decision on regulatory fees.
- June 4, 2024: CRTC publishes decision on base contributions.
- The CRTC will soon be launching more public consultations on the amended Broadcasting Act, including on the Independent Local News Fund and a fund to support local news production by commercial radio, and will continue to publish decisions as they are made.
