TORONTO, ON (May 31, 2022) — Eleanor Noble, ACTRA National President, appeared yesterday before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to sound the alarm about declining production of Canadian content and a proposal in Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, that could significantly reduce the requirement for foreign online undertakings to use Canadian creative and other resources.
“ACTRA performers have been closely following the progress of Bill C-11 and, like other industry stakeholders, we want to ensure a strong and vibrant audiovisual industry for Canadian content for years to come,” said ACTRA National President Eleanor Noble. “While we were pleased to see the proposed legislation will require online undertakings, including foreign services, to contribute to the production and discoverability of original Canadian programs, we are concerned some of the Bill’s amendments could have a detrimental impact on our industry, our jobs, and our culture.”
The purpose of the Online Streaming Act is to equalize obligations between foreign and domestic broadcasting undertakings and to ensure Canadians have access to Canadian programming. There is no rationale for establishing a lesser commitment for foreign online undertakings operating in Canada. In its current form, the Bill would significantly reduce the requirement for foreign services to use Canadian creative talent and would devastate the screen-based media production industry – a sector that contributes more than $11 billion to our country’s GDP and generates over 216,000 jobs for hard-working Canadians.
“If we don’t amend the proposed legislation to create an environment in which Canadian stories, storytellers and creators can continue to thrive, our culture and identity may be lost,” said Noble.
ACTRA’s ‘Take Action’ campaign includes a national lobbying effort to contact Canadian Heritage Committee Members urging them to support Canadian stories and creators. To read ACTRA’s written submission to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, which outlines specific proposed amendments to Bill C-11, please click here.
About ACTRA:
ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is the national union of professional performers working in English-language recorded media in Canada. ACTRA represents the interests of over 27,000 members across the country – the foundation of Canada’s highly acclaimed professional performing community.
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Media Contact:
Carol Taverner, Public Relations Officer, ACTRA National, tel: 416-644-1519, email: ctaverner@actra.ca