Government of Canada announces immediate support to strengthen Canadian culture and ensure Canadian content remains affordable Français
Federal investments of $600 million will provide stability and immediate support to Canada's audio and audiovisual sectors and keep Canadian culture accessible and affordable for all
GATINEAU, QC, June 3, 2026 /CNW/ - Canada is a country of storytellers. Canadian stories bring us together. They reflect who we are as a country, and support good jobs for artists, creators, producers and workers across the cultural sector.
Canada's new government is committed to supporting Canadian culture and making life more affordable for Canadians. That is why, today, the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, announced federal investments of $600 million to provide stability and immediate support to Canada's audio and audiovisual sectors and to keep our culture accessible and affordable for all Canadians.
The minister is also directing the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commissions (CRTC) to review its recent decision to regulate online streamers and Canadian broadcasters.
In 2023, the Parliament of Canada passed the Online Streaming Act to update Canada's broadcasting system for the digital age. On May 21, 2026, the CRTC, which is responsible for implementing the Act, announced new requirements for large foreign streaming services and Canadian broadcasters to spend a portion of their Canadian revenues on the acquisition or production of Canadian programming.
The CRTC's new requirements would impose new costs on the companies providing these services, which could ultimately fall on Canadian consumers through higher prices. At a time when Canadians face cost-of-living pressure, now is not the time to make culture and entertainment more expensive.
To that end, the government will develop new policy directions to adjust the implementation of the Online Streaming Act. The new policy directions will be guided by clear objectives:
- Keeping streaming and broadcasting services affordable for Canadians;
- Protecting choice for consumers by protecting a healthy and diverse audio and audiovisual sector;
- Ensuring flexibility for both online streamers and Canadian broadcasters;
- Leveraging new government investments to maintain strong support for Canadian stories, local news, French-language content, Indigenous storytelling, content created by and for equity-deserving groups and official language minority communities, and services of exceptional importance, including CPAC, APTN, and TV5/Unis.
The additional federal investments will ensure Canadian creators, producers and broadcasters receive the financial support they would otherwise have had as a result of the CRTC decisions. Additional details on these investments will be announced after consultation with the sector. They will ensure strong support for French-language productions. Once the new CRTC rules are finalized, the level of government investment will be adjusted as appropriate.
Canada's stories and collective memories reflect who we are as a country and remind us that we are part of something bigger--a creative, diverse and ambitious country. The measures announced today will allow for the time and stability needed to get the framework right; one that continues to defend Canadian culture, while ensuring Canadians do not pay more to enjoy their culture at a time when affordability remains the government's top priority.
Quotes
"Canadians should be able to see themselves in the films and series they watch and hear their lives reflected in the artists they listen to. That's why we are investing to support the audiovisual and audio sectors now, while bringing necessary stability as we develop new directions that will ensure Canadian content remains affordable and that our stories continue to shape our identity and how the world sees us."
-- The Honourable. Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Quick Facts
The Online Streaming Act, the first major reform of the Broadcasting Act since 1991, received Royal Assent on April 27, 2023. It was and remains an important and necessary step in ensuring Canadian culture continues to thrive in the digital age. On November 9, 2023, the Government of Canada issued policy directions to communicate its broad vision for a framework that strikes the right balance for Canadians.
The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial administrative tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. It holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record. The CRTC is responsible for implementing the Online Streaming Act.
The Spring Economic Update 2026 announced the government's intention to seek the views of Canadians and stakeholders on extending the Canadian Journalism Labour Tax Credit to audio and audiovisual news production. Further details on the consultation process will be released on the Department of Finance Canada website.
Associated Links
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Hermine Landry, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, [email protected]
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