A coalition of 50 Canadian screen sector organizations have written an open letter, appealing to Ottawa to preserve Canadian content contribution requirements for foreign streaming services.
Drafted in response to the government’s announcement in early June that it intends to issue a new policy direction to the CRTC related to the Online Streaming Act, as well as recent correspondence between the Attorney General of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal signalling Ottawa’s intention to replace base contribution requirements with government investment, the letter is addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller.
“While we recognize the government’s stated commitment to Canadian storytelling, the June 3 announcement has introduced significant uncertainty into the production sector,” the letter states. “The government’s $600 million per year pledge, though appreciated and welcome, is not a substitute for durable, legally enforceable contribution obligations. Discretionary funding is subject to budget and external political pressures; a regulated contribution framework is not. Against that backdrop, the government’s indication that online streamers will still be required to reinvest a portion of their revenues in Canadian and Indigenous content is welcome, but it underscores the need to maintain clear and meaningful contribution requirements.”
The coalition maintains that the 15% Canadian programming expenditure requirement established by the CRTC in its May 21 policy decision remains an appropriate benchmark.
“A fifteen per cent contribution requirement ensures that foreign online streaming services are included within a modernized framework for the Canadian broadcasting system,” the letter states. “The Commission’s decision also provided new contribution requirements for large Canadian broadcasting groups. The respective contribution levels are representative of the distinct roles of Canadian broadcasters and foreign online streaming services within a single system and ensure that both will contribute in an appropriate manner to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming.”
“These contributions are not a tax or a levy. They are investments in the acquisition and production of globally exploitable assets for foreign streaming services, showcasing Canadian stories and talent while strengthening the domestic production ecosystem. Foreign streaming services are well positioned to monetize these assets and have every incentive to do so. In fact, this is the preferred distribution model for global streamers in other countries that have successfully introduced domestic programming contribution requirements.”
The coalition cautions that not requiring streamers to meaningfully contribute, risks “weakening Canada’s position as a cultural exporter and diminishing both the domestic and global reach of Canadian stories.”
“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. 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.”
Among the letter’s signatories are the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA), Directors Guild of Canada (DGC),Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM), Quebec English Language Production Council (QEPC), Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), Friends of Canadian Media, Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC), Black Screen Office (BSO) and Disability Screen Office (DSO), among many others.
