TikTok Canada has announced an agreement with the federal government that will allow the short-form video platform to continue local operations.
The agreement follows a court ruling in late January that set aside a wind up ordered by former Innovation, Science & Industry Min. François-Philippe Champagne in November 2024. Following a national security review under the Investment Canada Act, Champagne said at the time that the federal government was taking action to address “specific national security risks” related to Beijing-headquartered ByteDance Ltd.’s operations in Canada, acting on the advice of the security and intelligence community and other government partners.
The new agreement includes commitments by the social platform to enact enhanced data security for Canadian TikTok users with third-party oversight; additional support for Canadian organizations that work in youth online safety and digital literacy; access to TikTok’s Research Tools Program for Canadian academics; and continued support for Canadian creators and cultural organizations with a focus on Francophone and Indigenous creators.
“The Government of Canada has completed the further national security review of the investment by TikTok Technology Canada Inc. (TikTok Canada) under the Investment Canada Act and has decided to permit the investment to proceed, subject to new legally binding undertakings provided by TikTok Canada,” Industry Min. Mélanie Joly said in a statement issued late Monday. “The decision follows a thorough assessment of the information and evidence gathered during the review process, including advice from Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners. Protecting Canadians’ data and the safety of children online will always be a top priority of the government.”
Joly said the government is continuing to investigate measures to make social media safer for young Canadians, including reviewing initiatives introduced in other countries.
“Since opening our Canadian operations in 2020, TikTok Canada has been committed to having a local team in place that supports Canadian creators, artists and organizations. Today, more than 16 million Canadians come to TikTok every month to be entertained, learn something new and build their businesses,” the company said in a statement. “We look forward to investing in new and returning programs that support the thriving ecosystem of Canadian creators, artists and small businesses.”
