‘Where’s the plan B?’: Media executives ask for contingency plan if Liberals axe Online Streaming Act during trade talks

Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller said the law was part of ongoing trade discussions with the U.S. — putting the country’s modernized broadcasting framework in jeopardy. Leaders of Canada’s largest media organizations are concerned Ottawa could sacrifice the Online Streaming Act during trade negotiations with the U.S. — which they say would render Canada’s broadcasting framework outdated and insufficient. “To the extent that C-11 (Online Streaming Act) and C-18 (Online News Act) are at risk, and it sounds like they are…, we need a plan B,” said John Gossling, interim CEO of Corus Entertainment, during a panel discussion at Prime Time, an annual conference hosted in Ottawa by the Canadian Media Producers Association. “We can’t go back to the old Broadcasting Act. It just doesn’t apply to most of what happens today.” The Online Streaming Act, introduced in Parliament as Bill C-11 in 2022, was the Justin Trudeau government’s effort to update Canada’s broadcasting legislation, which had been largely untouched since becoming law in 1991 — before internet and cell phone usage became mainstream. Among other things, the Online Streaming Act, which received Royal Assent in April 2023, sought to add digital undertakings to the existing legislative framework and introduced a funding mechanism that, following a CRTC decision in 2024, required large streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video, to allocate five per cent of their Canadian revenues to the development of domestic media. This requirement, which analysis suggests could annually bring more than $2-billion into the Canadian media ecosystem, caused consternation amongst U.S. government officials and industry players, several of whom have challenged the rule at the Federal Court of Appeal. Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has identified the Online Streaming Act, as well as the Online News Act, as priorities for the upcoming review of North America’s free trade deal, set to begin in July. During a recent appearance before Congress, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the Online Streaming Act "discriminates against U.S. tech and media firms.” He later noted that the “resolution” of the act, amongst other irritants, would be necessary for a successful renewal of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Last week, Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, Que.) acknowledged the legislation would be part of trade discussions, as reported by Politico, though he also emphasized the government maintained “red lines” that it would not disclose publicly. “We want to make sure people are getting a fair shake and we’re protecting Canadian content because that’s part of who we are as a country,” he said following a fireside chat at Prime Time. “It's an industry that needs money…, and we’re going to protect culture and artists. No question about it.” The Liberal government has publicly stated that certain cultural protections, including all French-language supports, are off the table. When asked why he wouldn’t explicitly rule out sacrificing the Online Streaming Act, Miller told The Wire Report that discretion is an important element of bilateral trade negotiations. “It’s prudent, just because we represent Canadians, to make sure that we are discrete,” he said. “These are negotiations that are sensitive in nature and, at the end of the day, there are Canadian jobs across all industries that could be on the line.” During a panel discussion on Friday, corporate executives in the media industry agreed their preference would be for the Online Streaming Act to go untouched during trade talks, though they acknowledged the federal government is in a difficult position vis-à-vis cross-border negotiations. However, they continued, if Ottawa opts to sacrifice the law, it must be replaced with new legislation. “It’s a very different world,” said Gossling, compared to when the Broadcasting Act was passed in 1991. “We need modernization.” “We’ve got to figure out, if C-11 is somehow redone or reworked, then what does that look like? I don’t think we’re really thinking about that.” Gossling’s concerns were echoed by Colette Watson, president of Rogers Communications’ Sports and Media, who said she “wholeheartedly agree(d)” that reverting back to 35-year-old legislation was not a viable option. “Where's the plan B?” she asked. “I’ve had a chance to talk to people in government…, and they look at and think we’re big telcos, so we can withstand everything.” “We’re good, strong Canadian companies, and we’re fucking proud of it, but my competitors are Amazon, Google, Meta, Apple and Netflix, so we’re tiny compared to that.” As such, Watson said, adopting a “peanut butter” approach that treats Canadian and American companies equally would leave domestic cultural industries vulnerable. Meanwhile, Monika Ille, CEO of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), said the Online Streaming Act also made important strides for Indigenous content, which was largely absent from the previous broadcasting framework. “In 1991, when the was written, it said that Indigenous programming should be provided in the Canadian system, but as resources are available, meaning Indigenous programming was contingent upon available resources,” said Ille. “Now, Indigenous content is a core priority.” “This changed everything for Indigenous media, Indigenous creators and Indigenous funding agencies.” dlegree@thewirereport.ca

‘Where’s the plan B?’: Media executives ask for contingency plan if Liberals axe Online Streaming Act during trade talks

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By Davis Legree
|February 2, 2026

Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller said the law was part of ongoing trade discussions with the U.S. — putting the country’s modernized broadcasting framework in jeopardy.

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‘Where’s the plan B?’: Media executives ask for contingency plan if Liberals axe Online Streaming Act during trade talks

Broadcast | By Davis Legree |February 2, 2026

Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller said the law was part of ongoing trade discussions with the U.S. — putting the country’s modernized broadcasting framework in jeopardy.

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By Davis Legree
|February 2, 2026