Feds Allocating $19M per Year to Creative Export Strategy Through to 2030-31
The federal government announced an additional $19 million CAD (about $14 million USD) per year for the Creative Export Strategy, extending the program through the 2030‑31 fiscal year. The initiative, originally launched in 2018 with $125 million CAD (~$92 million USD) and renewed in 2023 with $57 million CAD (~$42 million USD), aims to help Canadian creative firms compete internationally. Funding is split between a $7 million CAD Export‑Ready stream and a $4 million CAD Export Development stream, supporting trade missions, market intelligence and export‑related services. The update also flagged a consultation on expanding the journalism labour tax credit and a forthcoming Telecommunications Competition Roadmap.
Feds Include Telecommunications Competition Roadmap in Economic Update
The Canadian federal government unveiled a Telecommunications Competition Roadmap in its spring economic update, pledging a national strategy to lower internet and mobile prices. The plan builds on recent CRTC actions, including mandatory wholesale fibre‑to‑the‑home access and the elimination of...
Stingray Launches Just For Laughs Radio Channel on TuneIn Streaming Platform
Stingray Group has launched a dedicated Just For Laughs Radio channel on TuneIn, expanding its portfolio beyond music into comedy. The partnership brings curated stand‑up clips, podcasts, and festival highlights to TuneIn’s global audience. By leveraging the comedy festival’s brand, Stingray aims...
Canadian Media and Advertising Sector Contributed $22.6B to GDP in 2024: Report
The Canadian media and advertising sector generated roughly $16.5 billion USD in GDP in 2024, supporting 193,120 jobs. However, digital ad revenue is plummeting as 94% of spend now goes to foreign platforms, siphoning an estimated $8.2 billion USD from the domestic...
Feds Will Consult on Extending Journalism Labour Tax Credit to Broadcast News
The Canadian federal government announced a public consultation on expanding the Journalism Labour Tax Credit to include broadcast news outlets. The credit, currently limited to print and digital newsrooms, offers a 30% refundable credit on eligible labour costs up to...
Telecom and TV Consumer Complaints Increase 61 per Cent: CCTS
The Canadian Competition Bureau’s Consumer Telecommunications and TV Services (CCTS) panel reported a 61% surge in consumer complaints about telecom and television providers compared with the same period last year. The spike was most pronounced in the second quarter, with...
CBC, BBC Northern Ireland Greenlight New Romantic Comedy Series ‘Committed’
CBC and BBC Northern Ireland have greenlit "Committed," a 10‑episode half‑hour romantic comedy co‑produced by Cameron Pictures and Fabel Productions. The series stars Dustin Milligan and Diona Doherty and follows a newly divorced Canadian accountant who travels to a rural...
CRTC Says Rogers Does Not Need to Continue Putting Money Into Shaw Rocket Fund
The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled that Rogers Communications is not required to continue its financial contributions to the Shaw Rocket Fund beyond August 2025, rejecting the fund’s request for an extension. The regulator determined that Rogers’ 2021 commitment...
Following 100% MLSE Ownership, Rogers Expects Value of Sports and Media to Be over $25B
Rogers Communications completed the acquisition of the remaining shares of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, achieving 100% ownership of the franchise that runs Toronto’s major sports teams and venues. The telecom giant says the combined value of its sports and...
APTN Serving up Second Season of ‘One Dish One Spoon’ Starting May 4
APTN announced the second season of its culinary series "One Dish One Spoon," premiering on May 4. The show spotlights Indigenous food traditions by pairing chefs from First Nations communities with regional recipes. The new season expands to ten episodes,...
Bell Partners with Celestica on Sovereign AI Infrastructure
Bell Canada and electronics manufacturer Celestica announced a partnership to build a sovereign AI infrastructure stack. The collaboration merges Bell’s AI Fabric cloud services with Celestica’s end‑to‑end hardware supply chain, covering switching, storage, rack integration, thermal management and power. The...
TV5 Gets Wholesale Rate Bump Due to Dire Financial Condition
Canadian broadcaster TV5 secured a 12% increase in its wholesale carriage fees after the CRTC approved a rate bump to address its deteriorating financial health. The uplift is projected to generate roughly CAD 5 million (about US $3.7 million) in additional annual revenue,...
Rogers Launches New 5G+ Ultimate Plan Offering Priority Network Access
Rogers introduced a new 5G+ Ultimate mobile plan that bundles unlimited high‑speed data, up to 2 Gbps speeds, and priority network access with a five‑year price guarantee. The plan costs $95 CAD (≈$69 USD) per month, or $80 CAD (≈$58 USD) when paired with Rogers...
Culture Minister Announces Advisory Panel on Support for Canada’s Audiovisual Sector
Canada’s culture minister, Steven Guilbeault, announced the formation of a new advisory panel to strengthen the country’s audiovisual sector. The panel will bring together producers, broadcasters, streaming platforms and other stakeholders to review existing funding mechanisms and talent development programs....
Bell Introduces New Brand Identity Bell GPCanada as Official Promoter of Montreal Grand Prix
Bell has rebranded its motorsport promotion unit as Bell GPCanada, taking on the role of official promoter for the Montreal Grand Prix. The new identity includes a refreshed logo, digital assets and a multi‑year agreement with race organizers. Bell will...
Telefilm Unveils Framework for Strategic Review of Funding Programs
Telefilm Canada released its Strategic Orientation Framework, a roadmap guiding the review of all funding programs under its 2024‑2027 plan. The review, slated to run through 2028, will introduce clear, measurable performance indicators and publish results regularly. By focusing on...
Torres Media to Acquire Evanov’s CHSV-FM Hudson/Saint-Lazare
Torres Media announced plans to acquire CHSV-FM (Lite 106.7) in Hudson/Saint‑Lazare, pending CRTC approval. The station, launched by Evanov Radio Group in 2015 with a soft adult contemporary format, will become Torres Media’s sixth radio property and its second in...
NFB to Launch YouTube-Based Documentary Initiative ‘On Filme’ in May
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is debuting a YouTube‑focused documentary series called “On Filme” on May 7. The pilot features three Quebec digital creators—Mounir Kaddouri, Anne‑Lovely Etienne and Simon Coutu—each delivering four pieces ranging from short summary films to video podcasts. The works...
Corus’s W Network Partners with Pandora
Corus Entertainment announced that W Network will partner with luxury jewellery brand Pandora for a year‑long, multi‑platform campaign integrated into five Hallmark Channel seasonal movie events. The collaboration will feature Pandora branding across Spring Into Love, Moms in May, Summer...
Telus Says PureFibre 5 Gbps Internet Coming to Calgary-Bonavista
Telus announced that its PureFibre service will soon deliver up to 5 Gbps speeds to the Bonavista neighbourhood of Calgary. The rollout, slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2024, will initially serve both residential and small‑business customers. Pricing is...
ISED Inquired About ‘Opt-Out Mechanism’ for AI-Generated News Summaries on Tech Platforms
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has asked what a fair opt‑out mechanism would look like for AI‑generated news summaries on platforms such as Google’s AI Overviews. News publishers argue these summaries siphon traffic, with up to 60%...
Film and TV Production Sector Contributed Nearly $12B to Canada’s GDP in 2024-25 Fiscal Year: CMPA
The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) reports that the film and TV production sector generated nearly C$12 billion (about US$9 billion) in the 2024‑25 fiscal year, roughly 0.6% of Canada’s GDP. Production activity rose year‑over‑year, spurred by expanded federal and provincial tax‑credit...
Senate Committee Recommends Harsher Penalties for Copper Theft
The Senate transport and communications committee is urging the federal government to amend the Criminal Code with harsher penalties for copper theft, aligning with telecom industry demands. The committee’s report, Stolen Signal, also calls for a national metal‑theft task force...
APTN Expands Indigenous-Language Content with New Shows This Spring
APTN’s spring slate adds a wave of Indigenous‑language series, including Cree‑language comedy Rabbit Soup, Dakota‑language cooking show Grandma Sherry’s Kitchen, and Innu‑language documentary Guerriers de demain. The network also launches the English‑language reality dating show Rezervations for Two and expands...
CBC Unveils Spring/Summer 2026 Podcast Slate
CBC announced its spring/summer 2026 podcast slate, adding a mix of investigative series, light‑hearted debate and personal storytelling. Highlights include "The Big Five" with Donovan Woods and Tom Power, the AI‑focused Uncover season "The Expert Witness," and Understood’s "Artificial Intimacy"...
Blue Ant Media’s Q2 Revenue Jumps 82 per Cent Following Acquisitions
Blue Ant Media reported an 82% year‑over‑year jump in second‑quarter revenue, driven primarily by recent acquisitions of two digital‑media firms. The deals added roughly $15 million in quarterly revenue, pushing total Q2 earnings to about $45 million. The company also expanded its...
“Tiny Bit of Oxygen”: CRTC Gives CPAC Rate Bump, Reversing Course on Deferral
The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) reversed its earlier deferral and approved a three‑cent per‑subscriber rate increase for the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC). Effective September 1, broadcasters will pay 16 cents per month, adding roughly CAD 2.8 million (≈ US 2 million) to CPAC’s budget...
SiriusXM Canada Launches Search for Next Breakthrough Francophone Artist
SiriusXM Canada announced a nationwide talent search aimed at uncovering the next breakthrough francophone artist. The competition, open to musicians across Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario, offers a CAD 10,000 prize, national airplay on the satellite service’s French‑language channels, and a...
Crave Comedy ‘Sisters’ Returning for Second Season on April 22
Crave announced that the six‑episode second season of its original dark comedy *Sisters* will drop on April 22. The Irish‑Canadian co‑production, created by stars Sarah Goldberg and Susan Stanley, continues the story of the estranged sisters navigating fertility news, a wedding,...
Super Channel Greenlights New Docuseries Offering Rare Inside Look at RCMP Investigations
Super Channel and Winnipeg‑based Farpoint Films have green‑lit *RCMP Files*, a 20‑episode documentary series that follows Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigators through historic Canadian cases. The series, produced in Winnipeg, will feature interviews with current Commissioner Mike Duheme and former...
Videotron Launches 2 Gbps Internet in Select Areas of Quebec
Videotron has rolled out its new 2 GIGA home internet service, delivering up to 2 Gbps download and 200 Mbps upload speeds, in select neighborhoods of Montreal, Laval and Quebec City. The tier doubles the download speed and quadruples the upload speed of...
Bell Media Acquires Canadian Rights to ‘Saturday Night Live’
Bell Media, a BCE subsidiary, has secured the exclusive Canadian rights to air NBC's flagship comedy program Saturday Night Live. The show will be broadcast on Bell's CTV network and streamed on its Crave platform, bringing the live weekly sketch...
CRTC Mandates Notifications for Contract Expiry, End of Promos, International Roaming Fees
The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has issued new rules requiring all telecom carriers to send clear, timely notifications to customers when contracts are about to expire, promotional rates are ending, and international roaming fees will apply. The mandate...
Rogers Signs New Long-Term Agreement as Exclusive Telecom Partner of Toronto Pearson Airport
Rogers has secured a new multi‑year contract to remain the exclusive telecommunications partner at Toronto Pearson Airport, Canada’s busiest hub. The agreement, extending the relationship first forged in 2019, will introduce phased technology upgrades beginning later this year, including business...
Cogeco Has Launched Oxio Equivalent in the United States
Cogeco, the Canadian telecom operator, has rolled out a U.S. version of its low‑cost Oxio brand, offering broadband, TV and phone services under the Oxio US banner. The service launches at $39.99 per month with speeds up to 300 Mbps and...
CRTC Launches Fourth Call for Broadband Fund Money
Canada’s telecom regulator, the CRTC, has opened its fourth round of funding under the Broadband Fund, targeting fixed broadband and satellite projects that meet the universal service benchmark of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload. Applicants must demonstrate new builds or...
SOCAN Royalty Revenue Hit Record $587M in 2025
SOCAN, Canada’s performance‑rights organization, announced a record royalty haul of $587 million CAD (about $434 million USD) for 2025. The surge reflects a 12% year‑over‑year increase, largely fueled by streaming platforms and expanded licensing agreements. Average payouts to Canadian songwriters rose 8%...
Colette Watson to Retire as President of Rogers Sports & Media
Colette Watson, a veteran of more than 35 years at Rogers, will retire as president of Rogers Sports & Media in mid‑May, remaining in an advisory role through the fall. She has led the division since 2022, overseeing flagship deals...
Stingray, Anuvu Partner to Bring Audio and Video Content to Cruise Passengers
Stingray announced a partnership with maritime connectivity specialist Anuvu to distribute its curated audio and video channels across the global cruise market. Anuvu’s MTN‑TV platform, which serves more than 300 ships and commands over 80% of the cruise entertainment market,...
Rob Halpin Named ACTRA Toronto Executive Director
Rob Halpin has been appointed executive director of ACTRA Toronto, effective April 20, succeeding Alistair Hepburn. Halpin arrives from the Ontario Federation of Labour, where he spent over a decade in senior roles including general secretary. He also lectures on public...
Feds Announce over $86M in UBF Money to Expand High-Speed Internet Access in Nunavut
The Canadian government is allocating over $86 million CAD (≈ $63 million USD) from its $3.225 billion CAD Universal Broadband Fund (≈ $2.35 billion USD) to Northwestel’s project that will deliver unlimited high‑speed internet to 11,650 households across all 25 Nunavut communities. The rollout, slated for...
Bell Media, Ottawa Senators Extend Regional Broadcast Rights Agreement
Bell Media and the Ottawa Senators have signed a long‑term extension that keeps TSN and its French counterpart RDS as the regional television broadcasters for Senators games. TSN Radio 1200 also remains the exclusive English‑language radio partner, delivering live play‑by‑play...
Appeal Court Finds CMPA Copyright Complaint Premature
The Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the Canadian Media Producers Association’s (CMPA) application to challenge the CRTC’s 20 percent copyright‑control threshold under the Online Streaming Act is premature. The court held that the CRTC’s definition has not yet been finalized,...
Cogeco, Eastlink Say They Will Not Stop Decommissioning Despite CRTC Request
Canadian regulator CRTC asked cable operators Cogeco and Eastlink to keep legacy copper infrastructure accessible to wholesale ISPs TekSavvy and Fibernetics. Both incumbents replied they will proceed with scheduled decommissioning, citing economic infeasibility and lack of binding authority from CRTC...
ISED Extends Telesat’s Use of Ku-Band for Broadcasting Services
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) has approved an extension of Telesat’s use of the extended Ku (xKu) band for direct‑to‑home (DTH) broadcasting until November 2039. The decision keeps Shaw Direct’s service, operated by Rogers, on air for another decade, reversing...
Sony Wants CRTC to Remove Online Undertaking Designations for Seven FAST Channels
Sony has formally petitioned the Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to strip the online undertaking designations applied to seven of its free‑ad‑supported streaming TV (FAST) channels. The designations, introduced to ensure Canadian content and advertising standards, currently impose additional...
New Preschool Series ‘How We Do It’ Coming to AMI-Tv, Citytv Saskatchewan This Summer
The new preschool series “How We Do It” will launch this summer on AMI‑tv and Citytv Saskatchewan, expanding Canada’s early‑learning television slate. Produced by a Toronto‑based studio, the 13‑episode show blends storytelling with hands‑on STEM activities designed for children ages...
Appeal Court Says CanCon Financial Disclosure Complaints Premature
An appeal court ruled that recent complaints alleging premature financial disclosures under Canada’s Canadian content (CanCon) regulations are untimely. The court held that the complaints should await the completion of the CRTC’s pending rule‑making process before any enforcement action. As...
Toronto Prodco Cut & Paste Pictures Launches with Several Projects in Development
Cut & Paste Pictures, a new Toronto‑based production company, announced its launch backed by veteran producers and a CAD 5 million (~US$3.6 million) seed round. The firm unveiled three projects in early development—a sci‑fi thriller, a period drama and a documentary series—aimed at...
CRTC Approves Two Independent Production Funds
The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has approved two new independent production funds, together allocating roughly CAD 20 million (about US 15 million) to support Canadian creators. The funds are earmarked for independent film, television and digital series projects that meet Canadian content...