By Canadian Press

Feds signal room for tweaking online streaming bill in committee

Mar 29, 2022 | 2:05 PM

OTTAWA — The federal government says it is open to MPs tweaking a bill that would subject streaming companies, such as Netflix, to the same rules as traditional Canadian broadcasters.

Chris Bittle, parliamentary secretary to the heritage minister, says in the House of Commons there is room for MPs to amend the bill after it goes to committee for scrutiny.

During debate in the Commons, Tory MP Rachael Thomas, who sits on the heritage committee, raised concerns the proposed law would lead to regulation of people who post videos on platforms such as YouTube. 

The Online Streaming Act would require web firms to offer a set amount of Canadian content and invest heavily in Canada’s cultural industries, including film, television and music.

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has said the bill would not affect people posting videos on online platforms, only commercial content. 

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Bill C-11, as it is known in Parliament, updates the 1991 Broadcasting Act which predates the internet revolution that changed the way people watch film and video and listen to music.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2022.

The Canadian Press