A coalition of more than 50 screen-sector organizations has published an open letter calling on the federal government to maintain the CRTC\u2019s proposed 15% Canadian Programming Expenditure (CPE) requirement on foreign streamers.<\/p>\n
Among the letter\u2019s signatories are\u00a0representatives of the Canadian Media Producers Association, ACTRA, the Directors Guild of Canada, Hot Docs, Meridian Artists, Unifor, NABET Unifor 700M, Local 2020 Unifor, the Writers Guild of Canada, the Youth Media Alliance, Screen Nova Scotia, ScreenSask, the Black Screen Office, the Disability Screen Office, the Racial Equity Screen Office and the Racial Equity Media Collective.<\/p>\n
The letter is directed to Prime Minister Mark Carney and culture minister Marc Miller. It was drafted in response to the government\u2019s decision in June to send back<\/a> the CRTC\u2019s CPE ruling<\/a> and\u00a0commit\u00a0$600 million<\/a> annually to the audiovisual sector. The government also said it\u00a0plans to issue new policy directions to the CRTC, which had not been released at press time.<\/p>\n The letter also addresses the Attorney General of Canada\u2019s correspondence<\/a> with the Federal Court of Appeal that signalled Ottawa would eliminate streamer base contributions<\/a>. The 2024 base contributions ruling required streamers with annual Canadian revenues of $25 million or more to contribute 5% of their revenue throughout the domestic broadcasting system. The CRTC\u2019s CPE decision incorporated that initial 5% into the larger 15% requirement.<\/p>\n The\u00a0coalition said that, while the $600-million annual investment is welcome, government funding should not replace contribution obligations. To that point, they argued that government funding is subject to budget and political pressures, while a regulated contribution framework is not.<\/p>\n The signatories added that the 15% requirement for streamers \u201cremains an appropriate benchmark for the resulting regulatory framework and should not be diminished through the replacement of the base contribution mechanism.\u201d<\/p>\n Furthermore, the coalition called on the government to ensure that the new policy directions \u201cpreserve the principle that foreign streaming services must make meaningful, predictable and enforceable contributions to Canadian programming.\u201d<\/p>\n The letter also stated that required contributions are not a tax or levy, but \u201cinvestments in the acquisition and production of globally exploitable assets for foreign streaming services, showcasing Canadian stories and talent while strengthening the domestic production ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n If streamer contributions are not upheld, the coalition argued that it risks weakening Canada\u2019s position as a cultural exporter and diminishing the reach of Canadian stories.<\/p>\n In a statement to Playback Daily, Hermine Landry, press secretary to Minister Miller, said the government \u201cwill always ensure Canadians can continue to see themselves reflected on screen, hear Canadian voices, and celebrate what makes this country unique. As announced in June, we are developing a new policy direction and will have more to share in due course.\u201d<\/p>\n Other signatories include those from Media NB, On Screen Manitoba, the Alberta Media Production Industries Association, the Alliance des producteurs francophones du Canada, the Anchor Motion Picture Alliance, the Association des r\u00e9alisateurs et r\u00e9alisatrices du Qu\u00e9bec, the Association qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise de la production m\u00e9diatique, the Documentary Organization of Canada and the Quebec English Language Production Council.<\/p>\n The full letter can be read below:<\/p>\n Dear Prime Minister Carney and Minister Miller,<\/p>\n We are writing as a united group of Canadian screen sector organizations in response to the Department of Canadian Heritage announcement on June 3, 2026, regarding new policy directions to the CRTC and measures to support Canadian culture and recent correspondence between the Attorney General of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal signaling the government\u2019s intention to replace base contribution requirements with direct government investments.<\/p>\n While we recognize the government\u2019s stated commitment to Canadian storytelling, the June 3 announcement has introduced significant uncertainty into the production sector. The government\u2019s $600 million per year pledge, though appreciated and welcome, is not a substitute for durable, legally enforceable contribution obligations. Discretionary funding is subject to budget and external political pressures; a regulated contribution framework is not. Against that backdrop, the government\u2019s indication that online streamers will still be required to reinvest a portion of their revenues in Canadian and Indigenous content is welcome, but it underscores the need to maintain clear and meaningful contribution requirements.<\/p>\n The purpose of this letter is to urge the government to ensure that new policy directions preserve the principle that foreign streaming services must make meaningful, predictable and enforceable contributions to Canadian programming.<\/p>\n The fifteen per cent (15%) Canadian programming expenditure requirement established by the CRTC in its May 21, 2026 Phase 2 policy decision remains an appropriate benchmark for the resulting regulatory framework and should not be diminished through the replacement of the base contribution mechanism. Maintaining this threshold is fair and proportionate. Alongside sustained government funding, it is essential that a meaningful contribution requirement continue in order to support the long-term stability of the Canadian production sector \u2013 from coast to coast to coast.<\/p>\n A fifteen per cent contribution requirement ensures that foreign online streaming services are included within a modernized framework for the Canadian broadcasting system. The Commission\u2019s decision also provided new contribution requirements for large Canadian broadcasting groups. The respective contribution levels are representative of the distinct roles of Canadian broadcasters and foreign online streaming services within a single system and ensure that both will contribute in an appropriate manner to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming.<\/p>\n These contributions are not a tax or a levy. They are investments in the acquisition and production of globally exploitable assets for foreign streaming services, showcasing Canadian stories and talent while strengthening the domestic production ecosystem. Foreign streaming services are well positioned to monetize these assets and have every incentive to do so. In fact, this is the preferred distribution model for global streamers in other countries that have successfully introduced domestic programming contribution requirements.<\/p>\n If Canada does not require that a meaningful share of these contributions be directed to the production and promotion of original Canadian programming in both official languages, in culturally significant genres, we risk weakening Canada\u2019s position as a cultural exporter and diminishing both the domestic and global reach of Canadian stories. Instead of building and sharing our own stories with the world, we would be left watching from the sidelines as foreign content increasingly defines what Canadians see on their screens. At a time when Canada is reaffirming its economic and cultural sovereignty, ensuring that those who benefit from the Canadian market also contribute to Canadian storytelling is not only reasonable but necessary.<\/p>\n Canada\u2019s screen sector is aligned in its view that a predictable, balanced regulatory framework is vital to supporting hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs, attracting private investment, and sustaining industries that generate billions of dollars in economic activity across every region of Canada.<\/p>\n Like you, the undersigned wish to ensure that new public investments and industry contributions are aligned to maximize benefits for Canadian creators and performers, audiences, and the broader economy. Doing so will provide the certainty needed to continue building a vibrant Canadian screen sector for generations to come.<\/p>\n Sincerely, the undersigned.<\/p>\n