OTTAWA – Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller insists the federal government will force streaming giants to pay their fair share to contribute to Canadian content, though he wouldn’t answer when pressed on when that will happen.
The federal government’s latest budget, tabled in the House of Commons last week, earmarks money to amplify Canadian “cultural sovereignty,” including $600 million to support domestic news and cultural content.
Miller, in an interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Monday, said the funds are being “deployed on a relatively emergency basis,” to ensure support for the industry.
A background document for the announcement stipulates the funds will help sustain Canadian content creation and mitigate the impact of declining private-sector contributions from cable and satellite companies, as well as expected contributions from international streaming platforms.In June, meanwhile, the federal government directed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commissions (CRTC) to review its recent decision to triple the amount it charges digital streaming companies to contribute to Canadian content.
Digital streaming giants — including American companies such as Netflix and Disney — were previously required to contribute five per cent of their Canadian revenues to domestic content.
In late May, the CRTC announced its decision to triple the amount from five to 15 per cent.
The federal government has yet to collect any of those funds, however, with a number of streaming companies fighting the decision in court.
Speaking to Kapelos, Miller insisted the $600-million injection into Canadian content is not bowing down to outside pressure, in particular from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which has frequently cited the Online Streaming Act as a trade irritant.
