The federal government is directing the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to review its decision to triple the tax on major television streaming platforms.
The heritage department announced on June 3 that Culture Minister Marc Miller will direct the commission to “review its recent decision to regulate online streamers and Canadian broadcasters.”
The CRTC’s implementation of the Online Streaming Act in 2024 required streaming platforms to contribute 5 percent of revenue to support Canadian and indigenous content. On May 21, the commission announced new regulations to raise the contributions to 15 percent for online broadcasters earning more than $25 million annually in Canada.
The heritage department said the new requirements would impose costs on companies that “could ultimately fall on Canadian consumers through higher prices.” The department said this was “not the time to make culture and entertainment more expensive,” given that Canadians face cost-of-living pressures….