Heated Rivalry creators defend Online Streaming Act in Ottawa

By Canadian Press on January 29, 2026.

OTTAWA — The people behind the hit Canadian TV show “Heated Rivalry” defended the Online Streaming Act — which the U.S. has identified as a trade irritant — at a Canadian media production industry conference in Ottawa on Thursday.

“People have got to negotiate the way they’ve got to negotiate, but I think it would be really, really bad … if we lost it,” said show creator Jacob Tierney.

“Heated Rivalry” has become a global phenomenon. The show was developed for Bell Media’s Crave streaming platform before being picked up by HBO Max. Its lead actors have appeared on stage at the Golden Globes, on U.S. late night talk shows and on the runway at Milan Fashion Week.

It all brought an unusual dose of star power to this week’s Prime Time media production conference in Ottawa.

Tierney said requiring large foreign platforms to make a five per cent contribution toward Canadian content is not a “huge cost of entry.” Large foreign streamers are currently challenging that contribution requirement in court.

“I don’t think we’re asking for anything unreasonable here,” he said.

Brendan Brady, another creative behind “Heated Rivalry,” said he has told streamers they have an opportunity.

“We want more competition in this country. You’re coming into our system,” Brady said. “Enjoy what you can do because what’s going to happen is you’re going to have a global platform to create more Heated Rivalries and that’s a really cool thing. So stop acting like it’s going to be a negative.”

The annual industry conference is taking place as global streamers challenge Canadian content contribution and disclosure rules implemented by the CRTC through the Online Streaming Act.

The legislation updated broadcasting laws to capture online platforms like Netflix.

In December, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer pointed to concerns about the legislation ahead of the review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal. Greer cited the impact of the act on U.S. digital service providers.

The conference also heard Thursday from Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon, who told the audience he had spoken with creators about the Online Streaming Act.

“We hear you, just off the top,” he said.

The CRTC has ordered large foreign streaming companies to pay five per cent of their annual Canadian revenues to funds devoted to producing Canadian content, including local TV news.

Some streamers are fighting the order in Federal Court, which in late 2024 put a pause on the payments, estimated to be at least $1.25 million per year per company.

In December, a group of large foreign streaming companies also launched a separate challenge of a CRTC decision made under the legislation that would require them to disclose financial information.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2026.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press