Cultural groups urge Liberals to hold firm on streamers

A coalition of Canadian cultural organizations is calling on the Liberal government to maintain a 15 per cent contribution requirement for major U.S. streaming companies. More than 50 organizations, including the Canadian Media Producers Association, Black Screen Office, and Hot Docs, penned a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney (Nepean, Ont.) and Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, Que.) cautioning against weakening Ottawa’s stance on foreign streamers, like Amazon.com Inc., Netflix Inc., and Apple Inc. “If Canada does not require that a meaningful share of these contributions be directed to the production and promotion of original Canadian programming in both official languages, in culturally significant genres, we risk weakening Canada’s position as a cultural exporter and diminishing both the domestic and global reach of Canadian stories,” read the letter, published on Thursday morning. “Instead of building and sharing our own stories with the world, we would be left watching from the sidelines as foreign content increasingly defines what Canadians see on their screens.” Earlier this year, the CRTC announced it was raising Canadian content funding requirements for large streaming companies to 15 per cent of domestic revenues (up from five per cent). The policy was expected to bring approximately $2 billion into the Canadian media ecosystem each year. However, the Liberals have ordered the commission to review its decision and expressed a desire for the contribution threshold to be lowered. More recently, the attorney general’s office confirmed in a court filing that Ottawa also plans to eliminate the five per cent base contribution rules, as first reported by The Wire Report, signalling a retreat from the policy approach outlined in the Online Streaming Act, introduced by Justin Trudeau’s government in 2022. The policy has long been considered a trade “irritant” for the U.S. during ongoing discussions regarding North America’s free trade pact. Earlier this year, the Liberals announced a $600 million investment in the cultural sector, which is set to be annually renewed and designed to offset the lost funding from streamers. “The government's $600 million per year pledge, though appreciated and welcome, is not a substitute for durable, legally enforceable contribution obligations,” the groups wrote. “Discretionary funding is subject to budget and external political pressures; a regulated contribution framework is not.” Instead, the advocacy group wrote, the CRTC’s 15 per cent decision “ensures that foreign online streaming services are included within a modernized framework for the Canadian broadcasting system.” “At a time when Canada is reaffirming its economic and cultural sovereignty, ensuring that those who benefit from the Canadian market also contribute to Canadian storytelling is not only reasonable but necessary.” Miller’s office did not immediately respond to The Wire Report’s request for comment. dlegree@thewirereport.ca

Cultural groups urge Liberals to hold firm on streamers

Regulatory |
By Davis Legree
|August 13, 2026

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Cultural groups urge Liberals to hold firm on streamers

Regulatory | By Davis Legree |August 13, 2026

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Q&A: Meet Steven Harroun, Canada’s chief spam stopper

CRTC extends Broadband Fund application deadline

Telcos mount charge before CRTC to restore device-locking

Related Stories

Cardozo pushes government on broadcast spending

CMPA defends Online Streaming Act as it comes to Parliament

Directors Guild census shows strong racial, gender diversity

Canada-U.S. trade, AI top concerns for media industry players at Prime Time

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Regulatory |
By Davis Legree
|August 13, 2026