CRTC raises streamers’ Canadian content levy to 15%
Canada's broadcast regulator, the CRTC, has mandated that large streaming services like Netflix and Apple must contribute 15% of their Canadian revenues to Canadian content production. This decision, part of the Online Streaming Act implementation, triples the initial 5% requirement set in 2024 and will also lower traditional broadcasters' contribution requirements to 25% from 30-45%. The CRTC expects total contributions to stabilize funding at over $2 billion for Canadian and Indigenous content and has also set rules for how these funds must be spent, including requirements for partnerships with Canadian broadcasters and independent producers.
Key Takeaways
- Large streamers, including Netflix and Apple, must contribute 15% of Canadian revenue to Canadian content production.
- The new rate triples the CRTC’s 2024 initial requirement of 5%, which is being challenged in court by Apple and Amazon.
- Traditional broadcasters will see contribution requirements cut to 25%, down from a current range of 30% to 45%.
- The CRTC expects total contributions to stabilize funding at more than $2 billion for Canadian and Indigenous content, including French-language content and news.
- Streamers with more than $100 million in Canadian revenues must direct 30% of spending to partnerships with Canadian broadcasters and independent producers.
Why It Matters
The immediate effect is a much larger mandated spend for major streaming platforms operating in Canada, with the CRTC explicitly tying the 15% revenue rule to Canadian content production. The broader ecosystem impact is twofold: traditional broadcasters get lower contribution requirements, while the new framework pushes streamers toward Canadian broadcasters, independent producers, and designated funds. The CRTC also said online streamers must make Canadian and Indigenous content easier to find. Watch how the largest services with more than $100 million in Canadian revenues implement the 30% partnership requirement and whether the court challenge changes the rollout.
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