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ARTICLE · 12 OCTOBER 2026

Fall Forecast: What To Watch In Canada’s Communications Sector

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
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Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP

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Canada's broadcasting, telecommunications, and satellite industries face significant regulatory changes this fall as Parliament advances key legislation. From the CRTC's implementation of the Online Streaming Act amid U.S. trade tensions to new lawful access requirements for service providers and the establishment of Canada's first space launch framework, these developments will reshape operational requirements across the communications sector.

CanadaMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
John Lenz
John Lenz
Céline Poitras
Céline Poitras
Sunny Handa
Sunny Handa
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With Parliament back in session, several legislative and regulatory initiatives with significant implications for Canada’s broadcasting, telecommunications and satellite industries are expected to advance. Below are key developments to watch this fall.

1. Broadcasting: The Future of the Online Streaming Act

Since the federal government adopted the Online Streaming Act in 2023, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has worked towards establishing a modernized broadcasting regulatory framework that would extend to newly regulated online undertakings (including streaming services and social media platforms). To date, the CRTC has imposed a host of new requirements on online undertakings, including obligations to register with the CRTC, to comply with certain conditions of service and to make financial contributions in support of Canada’s broadcasting policy objectives.

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