International Insider: Canada’s Streaming Stress; Love For Lucy Davis; Marc Turtletaub Interview
Canada’s screen industry is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government not to weaken rules requiring foreign streaming services to support domestic production. The dispute matters because it could shape how much control Canada retains over telling its own stories as Netflix, Prime Video and other global platforms expand their influence.
The 2023 Online Streaming Act required foreign streamers to contribute 5% of Canadian revenues to original production, while the regulator proposed raising this to 15% in May. Fifty industry bodies, unions and festivals have now called for predictable, enforceable contributions, rejecting an alternative annual investment of C$600m ($430m); separately, actor Lucy Davis received widespread support after disclosing an incurable cancer diagnosis.
- Canadian screen groups oppose weakening streamer contribution rules
- Proposed obligations rose from 5% to 15%
- Lucy Davis disclosed an incurable cancer diagnosis
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters argue that firm, enforceable contribution rules are necessary to preserve a viable Canadian screen industry as global streaming platforms increasingly determine what is commissioned and promoted. They contend that revenue-based obligations create predictable funding for Canadian writers, performers, producers and culturally specific stories, while protecting national creative sovereignty rather than leaving it to voluntary corporate choices. A higher rate, they say, better reflects the platforms’ growing share of the Canadian market and provides certainty for long-term investment.
The case against
Critics argue that imposing higher mandatory levies on foreign streaming services could discourage investment, reduce competition or ultimately raise costs for Canadian subscribers. They may favour a negotiated annual investment commitment such as C$600m because it could secure substantial spending while allowing platforms flexibility to respond to audience demand and finance productions efficiently. This view stresses a regulatory approach that supports Canadian content without making the market less attractive to international services or constraining consumer choice.