On May 8, 2023, the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) unveiled its three-phased
regulatory plan (the "Regulatory Plan")
to consult with the public to implement the recently passed
Online Streaming Act (the
"Act") and modernize the Canadian
broadcasting system. The Regulatory Plan, introduced by CRTC's
CEO and Chair Vicky Eatrides, contemplates the CRTC launching
public consultations in three separate phases, with phase one
commencing in the very near future.
CRTC to Implement the Act
The Act, formerly known as Bill C-11, was passed by the Canadian
Senate and received Royal Assent, officially becoming law in Canada
on April 27, 2023. It is designed to modernize and amend the
Broadcasting Act by bringing online streaming services, such as
Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Spotify, under domestic
broadcasting regulation administered by the CRTC, registering them,
and requiring them to, among other things, make expenditures
