Canadian Government Provides Relief to Broadcasting Sector

Following discussions with the Government of Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is waiving the next payment of license fees.

The CRTC will not issue letters requesting payment for Part I license fees by broadcasters for the 2020–21 fiscal year. Waiving these regulatory charges for broadcasters provides immediate financial relief for the broadcasting industry, freeing up more than $30 million in cash.

Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, said: “Canadian broadcasters are working hard to fulfill the mission of sharing credible and verified information with Canadians. This task is even more difficult since they also face significant drops in advertising revenue. The decision to waive the regulatory charges is one we could make quickly and we are working on more measures to support the industry. We will continue to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 on all sectors, ensuring we remain well-positioned to respond to this rapidly changing environment.”