Joanne Levy to the Yorkton Film Festival

Press Release

From: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Joanne Levy, Commissioner, Manitoba and Saskatchewan
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

Check against delivery

Thank you for the invitation to speak today and for that warm welcome. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered today on Treaty 4 Territory, the ancestral lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Lakota, Nakota and the Metis Nation. I thank them and pay respect to their Elders.

It’s wonderful to be back in Yorkton once again. For those of you who I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, I am Joanne Levy, the Commissioner for Manitoba and Saskatchewan at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or the CRTC.

Every year, this festival gives us a chance to come together as a community and celebrate what makes our region so unique. As you know well, in the Prairies we have our own stories to tell – our own distinct, creative traditions. And for almost 80 years now, the Yorkton Film Festival has celebrated who we are and our special place in Canada.

So, I want to thank the organizers for giving us this opportunity, and for inviting me to say a few words.

Because it’s an important moment in time for broadcasting, both here in the Prairies and across the country. With the growth of streaming services, the broadcasting system has been changing rapidly in recent years.

And since the Online Streaming Act was passed, the CRTC has been working quickly to modernize our broadcasting regulatory frameworks. This includes determining how online broadcasters should contribute equitably to our system, as well as how the system can best support Canadian and Indigenous content. The goal is to ensure our creators are able to continue to tell our stories through the next era of Canadian broadcasting.

Today, I want to dig into some of the key steps we have taken recently. These include the updates we made to the Canadian content points system, the recalibration of funding support for the creation of Canadian and Indigenous content, and the framework we have put in place to ensure that content is easier to find, watch, and enjoy.

Canadian content decision

The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal. This means that all our decisions are based on the public record that we create through consultations, public hearings, and outreach. No matter what issue we are considering, everyone has the opportunity to have their say and inform our decisions.

And we have built a robust public record in our recent broadcasting proceedings.

Based on this record, we are modernizing our regulatory framework so that we have a sustainable broadcasting system. One with clear and predictable rules. And one that continues to produce high-quality Canadian content, where Canadians remain at the heart of their own stories.

I brought a few slides with me today, because I want to spell out some of the changes we have made. They are significant in some cases, and producers should get familiar with them.

To start, Canadian content certification will continue to be a points-based system that recognizes the use of Canadian talent. We are keeping the points system because it has been successful in the past, and it helps us ensure that key creative roles continue to be filled by Canadians. It also promotes production and post-production spending remaining in Canada.

We also wanted to make sure that the new rules reflected modern production realities. So the updated definition recognizes a broader range of creative roles, including those that have evolved in recent years. We have also introduced bonus points for certain types of content. Though not mandatory, programs that are based on Canadian books, or include Canadian or Indigenous characters, synopses and settings, may be eligible for bonus points that can help a production attain certification.

And while we recognize artificial intelligence can be a tool, the updated definition also clarifies that key creative positions should be held by bona fide Canadians, and not AI.

And finally, in our new online streaming world, we wanted to promote collaboration and partnerships between online broadcasters and Canadian companies, producers, and creators. Because we want to be sure that, regardless of who a producer or creator is working with, they have the ability to maintain creative control and ownership of their productions.

The new points system, as you can see, is considerably updated from the old one.

Canadian content certification will be an important element for producers to think about when they are developing a project. We want Canadian creators to continue to tell Canadian stories, and be able to reap the benefits when those productions become hits.

The points system on the screen now is for live action productions. There is another for animated productions, and important considerations in the decision for each. So please take some time to get acquainted with the new points system, if you have not already done so.

Supporting the creation and discoverability of content

That decision was not the culmination of our efforts – far from it. It is one step in the modernization of our broadcasting framework. Our decisions build off one another. And we know there is still more to be done.

In fact, earlier this week we issued two key decisions. They set out new rules on how traditional and online broadcasters contribute to the creation of Canadian and Indigenous content. The new rules recalibrate how Canadian and Indigenous programming is supported. Broadcasters that are part of a broadcasting ownership group with annual Canadian broadcasting revenues above $25 million will contribute to the system in an equitable way that reflects their size and business models.

Canadian broadcasters and their affiliated online streaming services will have to contribute 25% – which in many cases represents some relief from their current obligations. Unaffiliated online broadcasters will now have to contribute 15% to support Canadian and Indigenous content, including French-language content. This percentage includes the base contribution amount we required in 2024.

Large broadcasters, those that are part of broadcasting ownership group with more than $100 million in Canadian revenue, must direct at least 30% of their spending toward enhanced partnerships. These are partnerships where Canadian independent producers or broadcasters must hold the majority of the copyright in the program. This aspect of the decision builds on the earlier Canadian content decision I mentioned, and ensures that Canadian producers will continue to have a meaningful role in the content they create.

All told, we expect these requirements to provide sustainable funding of more than $2 billion per year in support for Canadian programming. This is, of course, a floor – not a ceiling. We expect that many players will continue to spend more than the minimum required.

These decisions also put in place a discoverability framework to support the availability and visibility of Canadian and Indigenous content and services. The framework has clear principles and goals, and is designed to make it easier for people to find this content on the platforms they use. The CRTC will review this framework periodically to ensure it remains relevant and effective.

With these decisions, we have completed most of the foundational work needed to implement the modernized Act for audiovisual productions. But that doesn’t mean that our work is done. We will be issuing further decisions in the coming months to continue to modernize our regulatory framework.

Conclusion

And that, perhaps, is a good place for me to wrap up today. Because above all, whether we are talking about Canadian content certification or funding mechanisms, the CRTC is focused on a goal we all share: ensuring high-quality Canadian content gets made, succeeds, and is available to audiences at home and around the globe.

As we continue our work and publish more decisions, I encourage you to stay engaged and reach out with any questions you may have. The CRTC has specialists that are more than willing to discuss your questions, concerns, and clarify any rules and what they mean for your company, your productions, or your work.

Because we are all in this together. And together we can meet the moment and ensure Canadian content and creators continue to be supported today – and for generations to come.

Thank you.

Contacts

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