Canada's broadcasting regulator has set new spending obligations for streaming platforms and traditional broadcasters under rules implementing the Online Streaming Act.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced Thursday that online broadcasters must contribute 15% of their domestic annual revenues to Canadian content. That requirement replaces an earlier online base contribution set at 5%.
For traditional broadcasters, the regulator reduced the mandated share to 25% of domestic annual revenues. That level is lower than the prior required range, which the CRTC said ran from 30% to 45%.
The rules target broadcasters whose annual Canadian broadcasting revenues exceed $25 million. Entities below that threshold will not be obligated to dedicate spending to Canadian content under the new regulations.
The CRTC said the combined contributions are expected to stabilize funding for Canadian and Indigenous content at more than $2 billion. The regulator also issued expectations aimed at improving the discoverability of Canadian and Indigenous content on streaming services.
During its public consultation process the CRTC received in excess of 600 submissions and conducted two public hearings. Nearly 150 different organizations and groups participated in the consultations, including creators, traditional and online broadcasters, production groups, public interest organizations, Indigenous peoples, and official language minority communities.
"Today’s decisions are about building a stronger broadcasting system," said Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the CRTC.
The new regulations implement the Online Streaming Act by bringing global streaming platforms under domestic broadcasting rules and adjusting contribution percentages across the sector. The changes redefine contribution expectations while setting out that smaller broadcasters under the $25 million revenue threshold remain exempt.
The CRTC's published measures include both new spending requirements and discoverability expectations, reflecting the regulator's stated goal of reinforcing support for Canadian and Indigenous content within the country's broadcasting framework.
Context and scope: The rule changes apply to broadcasters with annual Canadian broadcasting revenues above $25 million. Online broadcasters are set at 15% of domestic annual revenues; traditional broadcasters are set at 25%.