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\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tThe mandate is a direct response to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)\u2019s recent announcement of plans to\u00a0triple\u00a0the base contribution rate that foreign streaming companies and Canadian broadcasters with a yearly revenue of over $25 million pay to Canadian Content, potentially raising it to 15%, up from the\u00a0original 5%. The legislation has become a target of\u00a0many U.S. politicians\u00a0during negotiations of the\u00a0CUSMA trade agreement<\/a>\u00a0between the two countries.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cCanadians 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\u2019s 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,\u201d says Marc Miller, Canada\u2019s Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.<\/p>\n \n\tThe base contributions would contribute $200 million in increased funding and benefit organizations like nonprofit music funders FACTOR and Musicaction, Canadian Starmaker Fund and Fonds RadioStar, Community Radio Fund of Canada, Indigenous Music Office and more. A spokesperson from the Minister\u2019s office confirms to\u00a0Billboard Canada\u00a0that the $200 million in funding will now be contributed by the government.<\/p>\n \n\tAn additional $220 million will go to Services of Exceptional Importance like the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), The Weather Network and CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel). Another $180 million in additional investment will be determined after consultations with stakeholders in the industry.<\/p>\n \n\tThe so-called \u201cstreaming tax\u201d was originally mandated by the CRTC in its implementation of the Online Streaming Act, which was\u00a0passed in 2023, the first major update to broadcast regulations and Canadian Content in many decades. The implementation would require streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music to financially contribute to fostering Canadian and Indigenous content in the country.<\/p>\n \n\tThese companies have\u00a0pushed back\u00a0against the original contribution rate during a series of\u00a0court hearings\u00a0that were held in Gatineau throughout 2025, where more than 150 Canadian companies and groups spoke on the topic of the Online Streaming Act, including ADISQ, FACTOR and Music Canada. The federal investment will account for much of the funding that would have come from the contributions.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cCanadian music is more than entertainment, it is\u00a0one of the ways we tell our stories, reflect our communities and express who we are as a country,\u201d says Meg Symsyk, president & CEO of FACTOR. \u201cAt a time when global platforms are consolidating and have unprecedented influence over what audiences discover and consume, it is more important than ever that Canada continues to invest intentionally in its own creators and creative businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThis announcement recognizes that a strong cultural sector does not happen by accident,\u201d she continues. \u201cIt requires ongoing investment, partnership and a commitment to ensuring Canadian voices can be heard and discovered at home and around the world. Canadian songwriters, musicians and music companies have repeatedly demonstrated that they can compete on the world stage when they have access to the right tools and opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tMusic Canada, which advocates for all three major record labels in Canada, also welcomes the news. The organization had previously\u00a0filed to intervene\u00a0in the legal challenge over the CRTC\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe champion policies that help Canadian artists succeed at home, reach global audiences, and compete in today\u2019s music streaming marketplace,\u201d says Patrick Rogers, CEO of Music Canada. \u201cToday\u2019s announcement by Minister Miller does that by demonstrating the government\u2019s strong commitment to supporting the cultural sector, while keeping the streaming services Canadians love affordable and recognizing that the tools used to regulate the traditional domestic broadcasting sector won\u2019t work for the entirely different model of streaming.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tMiller has also directed the CRTC to review its recent requirements on Canadian broadcasters and online streamers. The government says it is looking to adjust the Online Streaming Act with new policies that strive for accessibility, affordability and flexibility for streamers, all while pushing diverse local content to the forefront.<\/p>\n \n\tThe government also plans to invest in Indigenous storytelling, which reflects a\u00a02025 national report\u00a0by the Indigenous Music Office (IMO) that outlined the importance of promoting Indigenous Music in Canada during this pivotal moment. It is also looking to ensure strong support for French-language programs, which recalls Quebec\u2019s Bill 109, passed in Dec. 2025, to improve the discoverability of French-language content by imposing content quotas on major streaming platforms. Similar to the Online Streaming Act, Bill 109 received\u00a0major pushback\u00a0from the Digital Media Association (DIMA), which represents major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe are encouraged by the government\u2019s clear recognition that championing Canadian culture must go hand-in-hand with protecting affordability, innovation, and consumer choice. By directing the CRTC to review its framework and stepping up with federal investments for the cultural sector, the government has shown a commendable willingness to listen to the concerns of the digital industry, creators, and everyday consumers,\u201d DIMA says in a statement.<\/p>\n \n\tConversely, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) sees the removal of mandatory contributions towards CanCon as detrimental to the growth and visibility of Canadian Content. In a release today, the union says the new $600 million federal contribution \u201clets billionaire streamers off the hook\u201d and \u201chands a $600 million bill to Canadian taxpayers.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe endured years of debate to finally get an Online Streaming Act that would require billionaire-owned streamers to pay the bare minimum into Canadian culture. We thought we were finally there,\u201d says ACTRA national president Eleanor Noble. \u201cRather than requiring wealthy media companies to modestly invest in Canada\u2019s cultural ecosystem, Ottawa has chosen to transfer that responsibility to Canadian taxpayers under the guise of \u2018consumer protection\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThe spokesperson from the Minister\u2019s office says that while audio services will no longer have to pay into funds, the government will continue to work with them on non-monetary actions to promote and foster Canadian Content, including measures for\u00a0discoverability, an\u00a0updated MAPL definition of CanCon<\/a>\u00a0and more.<\/p>\n \n\tThis story was originally published by Billboard Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Golnar](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/P11GWFW.jpg\")
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