Washington, D.C. – TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of tech CEOs and senior executives, today released the following statement from President and CEO Linda Moore on the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) decision to implement a discriminatory fee structure on U.S. video streaming companies operating in Canada:
“U.S. streaming services make significant investments in Canadian content, distribute that content to audiences around the world, and offer Canadians access to a wide range of entertainment options. The CRTC’s decision ignores the value that U.S. streaming services provide in Canada. It is an unworkable and unfair regime that discriminates against U.S. companies for the benefit of favored domestic companies and violates the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). As our two nations continue their review of the USMCA, we urge Canada to reconsider the approach it has taken with the Online Streaming Act regime and we urge the United States to ensure a level playing field for digital trade between our two countries — one that allows American companies a fair chance to compete and preserves Canadians’ access to the popular streaming services and content that they have come to enjoy.”