Just over a year ago, the Senate passed Bill C-11, which granted the CRTC the right to regulate user content and promote “officially Canadian” content.
Known as the Online Streaming Act, Bill C-11 saw over 100,000 Canadians oppose the amendment that would update the country’s Broadcasting Act.
But yesterday, the CRTC announced it has now delayed the implementation of the upcoming changes until late 2025, meaning it will take place after the next federal election (slated for October 2025).
“Government claimed that Bill C-11 would take months at the CRTC to take effect,” said University of Ottawa Law Professor Michael Geist, adding “@s_guilbeault [Minister Steve Guilbeault] said 9 months for predecessor Bill C-10″. He added, “as many of us warned, it turns out it is going to take years.”
According to FRPC Canada, two proceedings were dropped and five were added.
Bill C-11 forced online streaming services operating in Canada with annual revenues exceeding $10 million to register with the commission by November 28, 2023. These services must also provide details about their content and subscriber numbers and are mandated to offer content not restricted to specific mobile or internet services.
The CRTC was previously accused by Digital First, an organization representing content creators, as being a government puppet in its handling of the new online streaming law.
Canada’s online streaming changes also caught the crosshairs of X owner Elon Musk, who said last year, “Trudeau is trying to crush free speech in Canada. Shameful.”
