Big streamers’ challenge of CRTC financial disclosure rules won’t go ahead

By Canadian Press on March 31, 2026.

OTTAWA — The Federal Court of Appeal won’t hear a court case filed by large foreign streaming companies fighting a CRTC requirement to disclose financial information.

The court has dismissed a motion for leave to appeal by the Motion Picture Association—Canada targeting a portion of the federal broadcast regulator’s recent decision on Canadian content rules.

The court says it was convinced by the federal government’s argument that the appeal was premature.

The attorney general had argued the CRTC had only issued a statement on a general approach, not a final decision, and that no information has yet been designated as confidential.

The CRTC’s new disclosure requirements would see the CRTC publish information about each large streamer’s broadcasting revenues and their spending on Canadian content.

The court also dismissed as premature a separate court challenge by the Canadian Media Producers Association targeting a portion of the decision that sets new copyright ownership criteria.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2026.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press