News organizations and journalists are essential to our democracy. They play a vital role in providing accurate, fact-based, non-partisan reporting on current events happening in our communities, across the country and around the world, allowing all of us to make informed decisions on important issues such as health, public safety and education.
Bill C-18, the Online News Act will require the largest digital platforms to bargain fairly with Canadian news businesses for the use of their news content on their services.
The Online News Act levels the playing field between news businesses and large digital platforms to create greater fairness to ensure sustainability of the news industry. Through a market-based approach, it encourages voluntary commercial agreements between platforms and news businesses with minimal government intervention, as well as crucial safeguards to preserve the independence of the press.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will be responsible for overseeing the Online News Act. It will oversee the bargaining, negotiation and external final-offer arbitration processes between platforms and news businesses. It will also create a code of conduct to support fairness and transparency in bargaining.
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