Quebecor is among those welcoming a Federal Court ruling streamlining the blocking of copyright-infringing pirate TV domains and live sports streams.
Sought by Quebecor’s Groupe TVA, Rogers, Columbia Pictures, Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Universal Studios and Warner Bros., the new order differs from previous decisions in that it targets not only the infringing platforms presently operated by specific piracy platforms, but encompasses similarly infringing platforms operating under other brands allowing for the blocking of domains, subdomains and/or IP addresses without the need for a further motion or order.
Quebecor says it’s a meaningful step forward as the online piracy ecosystem becomes faster and more automated.
“Rogue operators routinely generate domains, spin up copycat websites, and build evasive infrastructure at scale,” the company said in a statement. “When a domain is blocked or a brand disrupted, operators frequently resurface under new names within hours, forcing rightsholders and courts into costly, repetitive cycles. The omnibus order addresses this reality by creating a more agile mechanism for extending existing blocks to successor domains and services, without requiring a full return to court each time.”
“For years, Quebecor has stood behind judicial site blocking as an indispensable mechanism to defend both creators and consumers against digital piracy. The explosive growth of illicit devices, add-ons, and apps poses a serious and ongoing threat to the legal marketplace for content — from films and television to sports programming — and undermines the Canadian creative and broadcasting industries that depend on it,” the statement continued.
“Smaller players cannot sustain their role in that ecosystem when a significant share of their audience is diverted to illegal services. Today’s ruling builds on a solid foundation of responsible, court-supervised enforcement and sends a clear signal: our legal tools must keep pace with the increasingly sophisticated tactics of those who profit from stolen content.”
The latest Federal Court ruling follows 2019’s landmark GoldTV site-blocking order requiring third-party ISPs like Bell, Rogers and TekSavvy to block specific pirate domains under copyright law. The order was later upheld by the Federal Court of Appeal in 2021. Subsequent judgments have included expanding dynamic real-time blocking to cover live sports streaming, forcing ISPs to block shifting IP addresses in real-time during game windows, and sanctioned illegal set-top box sellers.
