If the imposition of a 5% royalty on large foreign online distribution platforms constitutes a “historic step forward”, the cinema sector has for its part been forgotten, deplores the Regroupement of independent cinema producers of Quebec (RPICQ) .
With this first step in implementing the Online Streaming Act, Ottawa plans to extract a total of $200 million from the major platforms. The sum will then be redistributed in particular to the Canada Media Fund and the Indigenous Screen Bureau, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced on Tuesday.
The RPICQ said it learned “with amazement” of the details concerning the CRTC’s decision. “All producers and creators of content affected by the presence of foreign platforms in Canada are therefore redistributed funding with the exception of the cinema sector,” raised the group in a press release released Friday.
He thus urges the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to “immediately review the distribution of funds to include film production.” “ [Nous] also ask the minister [du Patrimoine]Pascale St-Onge, to intervene to force the CRTC to remit a minimum of 20% of the sums collected as royalties to Telefilm Canada, which must devote them entirely to supporting the production of feature films,” he said. supported.
Contacted by The duty, M’s officeme St-Onge noted that the CRTC was “independent in the implementation of the Online Streaming Act” and that its process was “consultative, open and inclusive of all players in this ecosystem”. “They are best placed to use their expertise to assess the needs of all parts of the audiovisual sector. »
As for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the latter responded that its decision was based “on an extensive public record, which includes more than 360 detailed submissions and a three-week public hearing during which we heard more than 120 groups”.
“Funding will be dedicated to areas where the Canadian broadcasting system has immediate needs, such as local news on radio and television, French-language content, Indigenous content and content created by and for groups in quest for fairness, official language minority communities and Canadians of diverse origins,” he added.
Mostly favorable reactions
On Tuesday, different cultural groups welcomed the imposition of a 5% royalty on digital giants.
“This important measure should make it possible, among other things, to ensure better support for local artists and their talents and thus ensure the influence they deserve,” noted in a press release five groups representing broadcasting artisans, including the Union of artists and the Guild of Musicians of Quebec.
The news also raised certain criticisms, such as those from the president and CEO of Quebecor, Pierre Karl Péladeau. “While contributions from foreign online companies were initially intended to help support the Canadian broadcasting system, today’s decision by the CRTC missed a great opportunity to inject new money into our ecosystem,” he said. he writes on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
“When we know that Quebecor, alone, spent more than $415 million in 2023 on Canadian content, the new contributions estimated at $200 million for all foreign online companies are clearly derisory,” he argued.
With Boris Proulx