CRTC Tightens Streaming Rules, MPA Fires Back at 'Discriminatory' Order
Canada's broadcast regulator ordered streaming services to invest 15 per cent of Canadian revenues in local content. The Motion Picture Association says the rules are unfair and unprecedented.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced Thursday that large streaming services operating in Canada must now contribute 15 per cent of their Canadian revenues to Canadian content — triple the investment requirement the regulator initially proposed in 2024.
The Motion Picture Association, representing major studios including Netflix, Amazon, and Apple, immediately condemned the ruling as "unprecedented, unnecessary and discriminatory" against U.S. streaming services. The association argues the rules impose obligations not required of traditional broadcasters and threaten the economic viability of streamers in the Canadian market.
The tighter rules come as several streamers already have challenges to the original 2024 requirement pending in court. Apple, Amazon, and Spotify have argued that the CRTC lacks the authority to impose such requirements and that the rules violate free trade agreements.
For Toronto audiences, the clash has real consequences. Higher investment obligations could translate to more Canadian content, but they might also lead streamers to reduce service offerings or increase subscription prices. The CRTC's move reflects a broader government push to protect Canadian cultural industries in an era of dominant U.S. tech platforms — a policy priority in Ottawa, but one that international companies view as economically punitive.
The outcome of the court challenges, expected later this year, will determine whether these rules survive or get rolled back. Until then, streamers face uncertainty about their long-term investment plans in Canada.