Canadian Heritage has released its final policy direction for the federal Liberals’ controversial Online Streaming Act, which aims to modernize the country’s broadcasting laws.
The final direction for the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to implement the legislation was issued today.
This marks the end of the government’s direct role with the law formerly known as Bill C-11, the Liberal government’s second attempt to bring major online streaming services into Canada’s broadcasting system alongside traditional media such as TV and radio.
The final policy direction explicitly instructs the CRTC to not impose regulations on social-media content creators or podcasters.
The law will require online broadcasters to contribute to the creation, production and distribution of Canadian content.
It also seeks to support Indigenous content and original French-language programming.
Last month, the CRTC announced online streaming and podcasting services operating in Canada with $10 million or more in annual revenue in this country would have to register with the CRTC before Nov. 28.
That registration would have required podcasters to provide the legal name of the company, its address, its telephone number and email and the types of services it offered. The CRTC initially called the registration a “very light” burden.
