The federal government says it remains open to negotiations with Meta to restore news content on Facebook and Instagram, nearly two years after the tech giant blocked Canadian news in response to new federal legislation.
A spokesperson for Culture Minister Marc Miller confirmed Wednesday that discussions with Meta are ongoing, despite the company’s continued removal of news from Facebook and Instagram in Canada.
In a statement, Miller’s spokeswoman Hermine Landry said the government has consistently been willing to engage with digital platforms since the development of the Online News Act, which requires large platforms to compensate news publishers for using their content.
“The door has always been open on our government’s side to discuss these issues,” Landry said, adding that regular conversations with platforms are not new.
The dispute has also drawn attention south of the border. In December, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer identified Canada’s Online News Act, along with the Online Streaming Act, as potential trade irritants ahead of the review of the Canada–U.S.–Mexico Agreement. Washington has argued that the measures negatively affect U.S.-based digital service providers.
Landry acknowledged U.S. opposition to the legislation but declined to comment on whether the issue is being discussed in trade negotiations.
Miller himself struck a cautious tone, telling reporters that the talks are still in early stages and that he is not personally involved at this point. “Our door, at least Canada’s door, has always been open,” he said, while reaffirming the government’s support for both pieces of legislation.
While Meta continues to block news, Canadian publishers have begun receiving compensation through a $100-million fund established by Google under a separate agreement tied to the Online News Act.
New Democratic Party MP Gord Johns urged the government to resolve the standoff with Meta, warning of serious consequences for local journalism. He pointed to data showing that Google and Meta dominate Canada’s digital advertising market, while small and community newspapers continue to shut down.
“We’re seeing an attack on media at a time when disinformation is rampant,” Johns said, calling reliable journalism essential to democracy.
The broader regulatory push has also met resistance from foreign streaming companies. Under the Online Streaming Act, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ordered major online streamers to contribute five per cent of their annual Canadian revenues to funds supporting domestic content, including local news.
Several companies are challenging that decision in Federal Court. In late 2024, the court temporarily paused the payments, estimated at more than $1.25 million per company each year. A separate legal challenge launched in December also targets a CRTC requirement for streamers to disclose financial information.
As negotiations with Meta continue quietly in the background, the government is balancing pressure from the media sector, legal challenges from global platforms, and growing scrutiny from the United States over the future of Canada’s digital regulation framework.
