OTTAWA, February 2, 2022 – The Canadian Media Producers Association today welcomed the federal government’s introduction of legislation to modernize the Broadcasting Act, following through on its pledge to introduce the bill in the first 100 days of its renewed mandate.

“The Online Streaming Act will reinforce Canadian cultural sovereignty, requiring that foreign tech giants play by the same rules as Canadian companies,” said the CMPA’s President and CEO, Reynolds Mastin. “The people who work in Canadian film and television production were extremely pleased that during the last federal election campaign, all major federal parties endorsed modernizing the Broadcasting Act to include streaming services. We encourage MPs to work collaboratively across party lines to pass this important legislation.”

The CMPA, which represents hundreds of independent production companies across Canada, will carry out a detailed analysis of the proposed legislation over the coming days and consult with members about how the bill’s objectives can best be practically achieved.

“The Online Streaming Act must ensure that Canada’s indie producers have a fair opportunity to negotiate with content buyers to own, control and monetize the intellectual property that they develop and produce. We look forward to working collaboratively with all parties on these details,” added Mastin.

-30-

ABOUT THE CMPA
The Canadian Media Producers Association is the national advocacy organization for independent producers, representing hundreds of companies engaged in the development, production, and distribution of English-language content made for television, cinema, and digital media channels. We work to promote the continued success of the Canadian production sector and to ensure a bright future for the diverse content made by our members for both domestic and international audiences. cmpa.ca

For more information:
Kyle O’Byrne
kyle.obyrne@cmpa.ca