Canada is a country of storytellers. Canadian stories bring us together. They reflect who we are as a country, and support good jobs for artists, creators, producers and workers across the cultural sector.
Canada's new government is committed to supporting Canadian culture and making life more affordable for Canadians. That is why, today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, announced federal investments of $600 million to provide stability and immediate support to Canada's audio and audiovisual sectors and to keep our culture accessible and affordable for all Canadians.
The minister is also directing the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commissions (CRTC) to review its recent decision to regulate online streamers and Canadian broadcasters.
In 2023, the Parliament of Canada passed the Online Streaming Act to update Canada's broadcasting system for the digital age. On May 21, 2026, the CRTC, which is responsible for implementing the Act, announced new requirements for large foreign streaming services and Canadian broadcasters to spend a portion of their Canadian revenues on the acquisition or production of Canadian programming.
The CRTC's new requirements would impose new costs on the companies providing these services, which could ultimately fall on Canadian consumers through higher prices. At a time when Canadians face cost-of-living pressure, now is not the time to make culture and entertainment more expensive.
To that end, the government will develop new policy directions to adjust the implementation of the Online Streaming Act. The new policy directions will be guided by clear objectives:
- Keeping streaming and broadcasting services affordable for Canadians;
- Protecting choice for consumers by protecting a healthy and diverse audio and audiovisual sector;
- Ensuring flexibility for both online streamers and Canadian broadcasters;
- Leveraging new government investments to maintain strong support for Canadian stories, local news, French-language content, Indigenous storytelling, content created by and for equity-deserving groups and official language minority communities, and services of exceptional importance, including CPAC, APTN, and TV5/Unis.
The additional federal investments will ensure Canadian creators, producers and broadcasters receive the financial support they would otherwise have had as a result of the CRTC decisions. Additional details on these investments will be announced after consultation with the sector. They will ensure strong support for French-language productions. Once the new CRTC rules are finalized, the level of government investment will be adjusted as appropriate.
Canada's stories and collective memories reflect who we are as a country and remind us that we are part of something bigger-a creative, diverse and ambitious country. The measures announced today will allow for the time and stability needed to get the framework right; one that continues to defend Canadian culture, while ensuring Canadians do not pay more to enjoy their culture at a time when affordability remains the government's top priority.
