OTTAWA — The Liberal government plans to “eliminate” the financial contribution requirement for streamers set by the CRTC. It says in a court document it plans to replace that requirement with government funding. In early June, the government said it would issue a new policy directive to the CRTC after the broadcast regulator increased contributions for large streaming services from five per cent to fifteen per cent. The government also said at the time it would instead provide the industry with $600 million in annual funding. The court document, submitted by the attorney general’s office on July 17, said the government would publish the new policy directive to the CRTC in the coming weeks. While Ottawa changed course on the streaming rules after the U.S. identified the enabling legislation as a trade irritant, the United States Trade Representative said recently Canada wouldn’t “really get credit” for the move. Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press
