OTTAWA, FEBRUARY 3, 2023 — Yesterday Bill C-11 passed third reading in the Senate. We have long called for the government to modernize Canada’s outdated broadcasting legislation, and this takes us one step closer to that goal.

However, we are very concerned that a provision, which remains in the Bill, creates a two-tier system that will hold foreign streamers to a lower standard than Canadian companies.

This will result in foreign streamers using fewer Canadian creators in the production of Canadian programming, which undermines Minister Rodriguez’s stated mission to level the playing field.

This flaw must be addressed in the pending policy direction to the CRTC, or damage to Canada’s cultural industry may be permanent and irreversible.

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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. cmpa.ca

For more information:

Gamiela Fereg
Senior Manager, Media Relations & Communications, CMPA
gamiela.fereg@cmpa.ca