The nation’s largest private sector union is calling on the CRTC to step up and protect local news, warning that the country’s media landscape is in crisis and urgently needs stronger regulations for foreign streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+.
On the final day of hearings on Tuesday related to the future of Canadian content, Unifor told the CRTC that weak regulation of foreign streamers has helped erode local news coverage and Canadian content overall. The union represents 10,000 media workers and says nearly 500 of its broadcast TV members—mostly those supporting local news—lost their jobs over the past two and a half years. In 2024, Unifor said 376 jobs were cut.
The union blames past decisions to exempt streamers from regulation in 1999 and again in 2009, saying that leniency allowed international media giants to reshape the industry without contributing to it.
“If the cause of the decline in local news is a failure to regulate, then the solution cannot possibly be to deregulate the industry further,” Unifor stated. “Now is the time to stand up for Canadian content, protect our sovereignty, and make the tough decisions to save our media industry.”
Unifor wants the CRTC to impose minimum spending requirements on foreign broadcasters—suggesting 30% of their Canadian revenue should go toward content production. It also says only productions with Canadian producers and creative leads should count as Canadian content, and the intellectual property should stay in Canadian hands.
The union warned against vague or watered-down definitions of what counts as Canadian, calling for “meaningful regulation followed by meaningful support.”
Unifor also emphasized the need for strong funding rules that would require broadcasters receiving public money to maintain local newsrooms, air original news daily—including weekends—and ensure editorial decisions are made in local markets.
While companies like Bell and Rogers continue to scale back local coverage, Unifor says it’s time to rethink the economics of journalism in Canada. “These companies are not too big to support. The current financial model for creating local news is broken,” they said.
The message to the CRTC was blunt, leveraging the federal Liberal Party’s election slogan urging Canadian pride: “Elbows up. Don’t give concessions to foreign streamers just to appease them. It won’t work out for us in the end.”
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
You must be kidding me…. 🤬
What a bunch of dogwater.
If Canadian content came even close to what we got internationally, we'd probably watch it. It doesn't, and that's why nobody does. Simple as that.
As per usual, if foreign streaming companies have to pay more, so will we. It's never a free ride. Time to switch to Plex, I guess.
Yeah, no one watched trailer park boys, schitts creek, Kim’s convenience, corner gas…
"ITV Studios Global Entertainment in Europe also supplied funds for Schitt's Creek."
"The funding for "Trailer Park Boys" came from a combination of sources, including government tax credits, private investments, and licensing agreements with various networks."
"The original "Corner Gas" series was funded by a combination of public and private sources…"
'The Corner Gas movie was funded through a mix of public and private funding, with government grants, tax credits, and equity investments playing a significant role."
If an idea has merit, it can get production funding from a variety of sources.
There's already a HUGE amount of tax dollars put into "Canadian" media production, via multiple government funded organizations.
Judging by your screen name you have a vested interest in getting more taxpayers money poured into media production.
But if you think of things OBJECTIVELY, without partisan bias or prejudice, if none of those productions were made the world would carry on.
Yes, those shows were entertaining and made moderate revenue, but the bottom line is — Canada would easily survive without them.
MANY Canadians are struggling financially — the last thing they need is more taxes.
Much media is just opium for the masses.
if a production can't stand on its own value it shouldn't be produced.
Wow, that was all well said – kudos.
Hey genius, the world would carry on is ALL forms of media ceased to exist.
This isn’t about survival, it’s about cultural and national identity. Identities don’t exist if they aren’t seen.
Nobody here is advocating for more taxes.
A production has no value UNLESS it is produced.
Hey genius! What does “bailout” mean with reference to financial difficulties?
Since ewe 🐑 are dense apparently, let me get the crayons out — it doesn’t mean jumping out of airplanes DUH!!!
Where do ewe think the money comes from for bailouts, a money tree? 🤣
National & cultural identity?
Suuuuuuurrre…
What’s a Canadian?
What’s a women?
Go ahead define them in detail — crickets, crickets, crickets…
Here’s Canada’s national identity characteristics from my POV –
Taxes, taxes, taxes, highest debt per capita of any G7 nation, people from multiple countries come to make money and send it ‘back home’, then retire ‘back home’. Overloaded, under funded healthcare systems, hospitals and social services.
40 million citizens supported by only 16 million taxpayers.
Yes, ‘bailout’ means 💰💰💰 Duh!!
The big 3 media monopolies are $300 Billion in debt, the total debt of all government levels in Canada is $1.4 TRILLION.
There’s Canada’s “national identity” Broke! 🤣
Then leave
Wow what a deeply intellectual response 🤣amazing coming from such a mental toddler, a few hours of thought there … 😂/sarc
‘the world would carry on is [sic] ALL forms of media ceased to exist”
So you ADMIT it’s not essential… So why are you crying so hard because no one wants to fund non-essentials?
People are too busy trying to pay rent, mortgages, food bills and taxes, etc. in Canada.
We need more housing, lower taxes and less government in Canada.
Putting tax dollars into even MORE entertainment in a world with a LITERAL Tsunami of entertainment choices should not be an idealogical priority for Canada, there are MUCH more urgent issues here.
Cultural identity?
Go visit Brampton, then tell me what 'Cultural Identity' does Canada have? 😁
What else is "Canadian"?
Maple syrup? Maine makes that too.
Back bacon? Great Britain & Ireland make that too.
Maple trees? Which are native to numerous countries. They are most abundant in Asia, with over two-thirds of the 150 maple species originating there.
Beavers? 'Specifically, the North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is native to Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. The Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) is native to Europe and Asia. Additionally, beavers have been introduced to South America (Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia) and Finland, with subsequent spread to parts of northwestern Russia.'
Québécoise? The language of the 'welfare' province that hates Canada? And that no one in France understands?
Hmmmm…
This isn’t about MORE entertainment. This isn’t an either or debate. There is no Canadian tsunami of entertainment choices. No one said entertainment was an urgent issue. There ALWAYS has been more urgent issues. If you can’t have an honest conversation, don’t converse.
It’s a 100% honest debate on MY part, it’s ewe who won’t admit that more or even ANY so-called ‘Canadian’ content is necessary.
Canada and the world would survive quite nicely without ANY Canadian content.
It’s a luxury item, that Canadian taxpayers can’t afford the fund.
The fact that there’s no Canadian tsunami of entertainment choices, shows that the laws of supply and demand work, duh!
It directly affects your career which is the only reason you’re advocating for more 💰
Be honest – admit that!
I repeat, ALL entertainment is unnecessary, including your comments. You keep undermining yourself.
"A production has no value UNLESS it is produced."
annnnnd fire is hot and water is wet, thank you Captain Obvious…🤣
Fact: Some productions cost MORE than their end value, you mentioned four 'popular' shows but gave no indication of ROi or profitability.
I can guarantee ANY housing newly built in Canada will sell at a profit (except for so-called 'social' housing' aka welfare housing).
Canada should be producing housing and energy products where there is a guaranteed ROI (Return On Investment), not gambling on yet more entertainment 'opium' for the masses.
"Federal government’s latest media bailout another bad idea" Fraser Institute Nov 24 article by Matthew Lau explains why it's a bad idea …
Not sure if links are allowed here, so a separate comment will show the link so this comment doesn't get censored.
"Federal government’s latest media bailout another bad idea" Fraser Institute Nov 24 article by Matthew Lau explains why it's a bad idea …
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/federal-governments-latest-media-bailout-another-bad-idea
Again, this is about culture, not profit. That said, you know full well every example was profitable. Quit playing dumb.
Do you really need CBC to tell you about your culture? I mean how did Canadians know who they were before its existence.
It’s not a matter of being ‘profitable’ it’s a matter of Return on Investment for Canadian TAXPAYERS, how much money did the average taxpayer get back from their tax money grom those “profits”?
Absolutely ZERO duh!
Profit, what a vague word, vague, like your point.
Getting 1¢ more than money spent is a “profit” duh! So who got the ‘profit’? it sure wasn’t the taxpayers’ that funded it… So NO there’s no reason why taxpayers should fund any of these productions, as they get none of the ‘profits’, just the expenses.
Apparently ewe’re the ‘dumb’ one…
If Canadians should be taxed on digital services shouldn't Canadians be getting a percentage of it back? Should media fornthe average household not be a taxable write-off?, just saying that when you're paying more taxes for services you're investing in those services but the government doesn't see that they will keep every dime you pour into it and then they will take that extra money they have made off thebalready suffering low to middle class canadian and send that money as "FOREIGN AID" to wash and launder back into their own pockets while Canadians continue to suffer
If you think taxes are meant to have ROI then you don’t know how taxes work. Taxes are income meant for spending, not an investment fund meant to grow.
If ‘culture’ doesn’t grow organically and naturally — it’s NOT ‘culture’.
If it requires money to develop, it’s manufactured ‘product’…
I remind you that art is meant to REFLECT culture? You believe in tin foil media is propoganda rants and at the same time come here and rant about how culture doesn’t spread through media. Which is it? Is culture influenced by media or not? Because if it is then logically culture can grow through media.
I switched to plex a long time ago I'm boasting a 266tb server for my whole family to enjoy at home or abroad, I don't believe in paying for 20 minutes commercials just to watch a 10 minute sitcom
There are 'IP streaming boxes' that with a ~$20 per month fee paid to certain local computer repair places, it's 'activated'.
The box which includes a full remote control with dedicated and programmsble buttons gets ~9,000 channels absolutely LOADED with ANY content, including current movies, series, sports channels galore, Netflix, Prime, Apple+, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
ALL Canadian channels (Example: every CTV, CBC, etc. feeds/channels across Canada)
Streamed from a server farms from another country.
Talk about a literal Tsunami of content. 🌊
The box is small, portable and available from online Chinese marketplaces for ~ $50US or locally for more money.
Plug it into the Internet anywhere.
With that, a person could be anywhere in the world and watch the content, including any 🇨🇦 Canadian channels, provided there's moderately fast internet access.
It's technically 'illegal' of course, and I'm NOT advocating anyone use it, since that may be illegal in Canada.
This comment is purely for educational purposes…
My point is — it's increasingly difficult, if not mission impossible for the government here to control or limit the media content people have access to.
But our Federal government absolutely love control and will keep trying by spending our tax money futility.
They will fail, unless they become like China or Russia or ban use of VPNs and limit Internet access.
The free market always wins, eventually.
Also Roku TVs or 'sticks' provide huge amounts of content too.
̶B̶a̶i̶l̶ ̶O̶u̶t̶ ̶B̶e̶l̶l̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶R̶o̶g̶e̶r̶s̶’̶ ̶N̶e̶w̶s̶r̶o̶o̶m̶s̶
More like bail out innocent Canadians victims who have been abused by "local news" for far too long.
You forgot your tinfoil in your bleach again
A comment like this can only come from a mind that has been binge-viewing CBC.
Local news isnt limited to CBC, seek help.
In larger cities maybe but not in many rural communities of this great country hence why folks have been flocking to the net – seek geographical help.
If rural communities don’t have local news then this isn’t an issue for them is it? Common sense kid
Have you ever stepped out of the city you live in and seen rural Canada?
What's a matter with you – many of the rural communities have a small CBC affiliate with local news and network programming.
C'mon dude, load up before you go to a fight.
🚩LOCAL news is available from online websites for every town throughout Canada.
Creating video content of the same stories is EXTREMELY time consuming and MUCH more expensive compared to creating a web page from a news story 'feed' which could be made even more efficiently by AI generation.
Plus it's a LOT quicker and MUCH less costly to update than talking heads in a video news story.
I skip many news stories if they're video, I can skim a text story quickly and save a lot of time.
CTV is an example of "if all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail" as the majority of their online news is video which I don't watch.
Video editing & production is unnecessary if the population can read.
Video news causes audiences to become lazy, it does the visualization for them, unlike reading text.
Marshall McLuhan explained that with his hot media versus cold media concept.
"The medium is the message" — Marshall McLuhan
One of the reasons newer generations are somewhat illiterate and have short attention spans is because they watch waaay too much video instead of reading.
It's a lazy way of absorbing information, and an EXCELLENT way of brainwashing and influencing people.
TV is hypnotism, turn off the TV and stare at it for 1 hour with little movement or thought, can't do it can you?
Put shiny, colored lights and sound on it and people will do exactly that.
It's pure hypnosis — which makes them extremely susceptible to post- hypnotic suggestion, such as with advertising.
'You'll love our new… (fill in the blank)" is an example of a post-hypnotic suggestion, and TV ads and shows are filled with those types of manipulation, as well as product placements galore.
Example: Rayban paid millions to Men In Black producers to have their sunglasses used apparently.
TV turns people into hypnotized very gullible 🐑 and 🧟♀️🧟🧟♂️.
Exactly what advertisers and government want.
Most people think TV is created for their entertainment.
In reality, it's mostly just a 'container' or shill for advertising and sales & marketing companies.
My entire long career was in media, both transportation and production, and later in life teaching people like you how to produce the propaganda.
The media industry is perceived as fun & allegedly 'glamorous' (viewing from the outside) to work in.
However, it pays little, is typically highly competitive, is stressful due to deadlines and long hours and it's future is dim, due to the advent of Ai.
Trades or nursing are harder, much less 'fun' and require physical work, aren't perceived as 'glamorous' or cool.
But have much more opportunity, much, MUCH better pay and a much longer 'shelf life'.
Ai isn't going to be replacing Registered Nurses electricians, plumbers and other trades people anytime soon.
That's what Canada should be promoting and spending taxpayers' money on instead. 🚩
Kid? 🤣
Oh no, you may lose some work without taxpayers bailout money — cry harder 💦
Learn a trade if you want to make REAL money.
My comment was referring to your conspiracies, not a défense of anyone. Get help.
Ad Hominem is all ewe 🐑 have? No substance whatsoever… Ewe reapnwhat ewe sow.
Get stuffed snowflake ❄️
Snowflake, a word used by snowflakes
🤣 That’s all ewe 🐑 can come up with? Hah hah ha hah 😂
Conspiracies?? Huh? What was a conspiracy — facts???
Watta 🤡
McFilmMakers do people still use film? 🤔
Don’t confuse film with filmmaking.
Filmmaking – Making things by using film, can ewe read? 😂
As a Tax payer I say NO!
Maybe cutting the CEO and EVP salaries to 0 for the next few yrs can help fix their issues!
i'm sick and tired of bailing out huge companies for their mistakes .. and yet the top CEO's & EVPs get huge bonuses!!
So reward the big corp for malicious irresponsibility? Screw that. They dug their put, they can pull out or make it their grave.
Government funded 'news' media is government funded partisan propaganda.
Look at CBC left side bias for example, subtle use of 'loaded words', image selection and phrase & word selection often slants or skews the stories left.
Much legacy Canadian so-called
"mainstream" media is just left biased political shilling.
It's unfair and unethical for over half of Canada who support Conservative views to be taxed yet MORE, to pay for Liberal propaganda mills.
I worked in the media industry for decades, any 'Canadian' media worth producing will find funding independently.
The concept of 'Canadian' content being forced onto 'Canadians' by government regulation hints at fascism.
Fascism 101 = control the media and you control the people, which is why Adolph gave families free radios in Germany.
That's an exaggeration for Canada, but anyone getting money is potentially going to be biased towards the group that gives them the money, they aren't going to bite the hand that feeds them.
Canadians are already taxed to the maximum, there's 4 hands in every taxpayer's pocket. Federal, Provincial Regional & Municipal, enough!!!
HEAR, HEAR https://media1.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTg5OGZmOWM5OXNjdnM1MzBwamdzenJycW53bXVpMWN0NnZiN3JuZ3NuODg0ODhwcCZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/l41YdHuqqelb9NJe0/giphy-downsized-small.mp4
Funny, CBC was funded by conservative governments. Odd that you think of it as leftist propaganda in those times. Sounds more like you’ve got your tinfoil hat on backwards.
Both Allsides and MediaBiasFactCheck rank CBC as center LEFT
DUH!!!!
Of course the Conservatives continued funding CBC think of all the votes…
Apparently you don’t know how politics works…
And apparently you don’t know how human nature works
Is that your suckiatric assessment Doctor Sigmund Fraud? 🤣🤣🤣
With your degree in Suckiatree from the Internet School of Nonsense Opinions? 😂
CBC assessment From MediaBiasFactCheck
“These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes.”
SLIGHT.
Yawwwwwn 🥱 such an intellectual reply /sarc
Triggered ❄️
🤣
Don’t be triggered
Tin foil hat?? Learned some new words did ewe 🐑?
3,400 comments?? 🤣
No life?
You clearly have no concept of time
Like i said — nothing but Ad Hominem from a mental midget ❄️
See how easy it is to create those 😁
Right, this is Exactly what Canadian Tax payers want.
Any governing party in power supporting this is looking to get a huge back lash from there supporters if they think this is a good idea.