Ottawa freezes advertising on Facebook, Instagram over Bill C-18 standoff

The federal government is suspending all advertising on Meta platforms – including Facebook and Instagram – over the company’s plans to block Canadian news on its platforms in response to Ottawa’s Online News Act.

Also today, Quebec said it was ceasing advertising with Meta for the same reason.

Federal Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez announced the decision Wednesday at a news conference in Ottawa with NDP heritage critic Peter Julian and Bloc Québécois heritage critic Martin Champoux.

Parliament approved the act, known as Bill C-18, last month and the measures are scheduled to take effect within six months after the drafting of regulatory details. The legislation outlines a framework in which large platforms – specifically Google and Facebook – will be required to reach compensation agreements with publishers for the use of news on their sites.

Both companies have said the bill as approved is unworkable. Google announced on June 29 that it intends to block Canadian news on its platform, but is continuing to participate in the regulatory process.

Deputy Ottawa bureau chief Bill Curry reports here.