Heritage Minister Opens Door to $6 Billion Media Tax Credit for Big Telecom

Heritage Minister Marc Miller is floating a major expansion of federal media subsidies that could hand up to $6 billion in tax credits to some of Canada’s largest broadcasters.

The plan would extend the existing Journalism Labour Tax Credit to include broadcast giants like Bell Media, Rogers, and Corus. Right now, the credit is limited to print and digital newsrooms, letting them claim a refundable credit of up to 35% on eligible salaries. Under Miller’s proposal, those same benefits would apply to the news divisions of major TV and radio companies.

The idea surfaced following an April 28 economic update that opened the door to consultations. The $6 billion figure is an upper limit, and analysts say the real cost could come in lower depending on how the final rules are written.

Miller addressed the proposal directly in Parliament, in a video that has been circulating widely. “Thank you for the question, uh Mr. Champoux. For me, it’s not a question of if, but rather of how. I’m sure you know. That tax credit. Requires the department of finance to implement it. And and, and were, and it could be equivalent to some six billion dollars. So it’s not a small amount,” he said, speaking through a translator.

University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist questioned why these companies need more government money at all, pointing out that many of them are already collecting significant payments from Google under the Online News Act.

The broadcasters themselves argue their news divisions lose money even when the parent company is doing well. The optics are hard for the public to swallow when Rogers just reported a 10% revenue jump to $4.9 billion in the first quarter of 2026. But critics find it hard to square that kind of financial performance with calls for taxpayer-funded relief.

The government hasn’t committed to a timeline, saying only that the method of implementation is still being worked out.