CRTC Chair Defends Online Streaming Act Implementation Pace

OTTAWA - The head of Canada's broadcast regulator defended the pace of efforts to implement new rules for online streaming services, acknowledging the desire for speed while emphasizing the complexity of overhauling long-standing frameworks amid conflicting stakeholder views.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission chairperson Vicky Eatrides told reporters in an interview that the agency aims to modernize the broadcasting system but must balance urgency with accuracy. "We would all like to go faster," she said. "It's balancing getting it done quickly and getting it done right. These are hugely complex issues."

The Online Streaming Act, passed by the Liberal government in 2023, mandates that streaming platforms contribute to Canadian content production, similar to traditional broadcasters. The CRTC was tasked with developing the regulations, initially targeting the final phase for late 2024. So far, the regulator has issued preliminary measures, including a redefined standard for Canadian content and an initial requirement for streamers to allocate five percent of their annual Canadian revenues to local production funds. However, broader consultations on...