TikTok has announced it will cease sponsorships of several Canadian arts institutions, including the Juno Awards and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), as it complies with a federal order from last year to shut down its Canadian operations over national security concerns.The federal government’s decision, originally announced in November 2024 by Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, stems from a national security review conducted under the Investment Canada Act.In a statement, Champagne said, “The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners.”The order mandated TikTok to wind up its Canadian business operations, including closing its offices, though it does not prevent Canadians from accessing the app or creating content..TikTok to ‘go dark’ on 170 million American users.Approximately 30% of Canada’s population, or about 14 million users, actively use the app, highlighting its influence and cultural significance.Steve de Eyre, TikTok Canada’s director of public policy and government affairs, expressed disappointment to the Canadian Press, saying that the company has no choice but to suspend its initiatives indefinitely.“Since opening offices in Toronto and Vancouver, TikTok has invested millions in programs and partnerships supporting local artists and creators over the past five years,” de Eyre said.The shutdown will have a significant impact on Canadian arts and education programs and will come with broader implications, as creators and organizations will now be looking to acquire funding from other sources.“It breaks my heart that we’re being forced to cancel (these programs),” de Eyre added, saying, due to the order being enforced, they cannot commit to renewing their partnerships..‘FUTURE LEADERS’: China lures young Canadians through TikTok.TikTok has been a partner of the Juno Awards since 2020, serving as the title sponsor of the Juno Fan Choice Award, and has supported TIFF since 2022, sponsoring its Short Cuts and Special Presentations programs.Additionally, TikTok has donated $500,000 to MusiCounts, a charity supporting high school music programs. The National Screen Institute’s TikTok Accelerator for Indigenous Creators — which has seen nearly 400 participants since 2021 — will also be affected by the withdrawal.The Canadian government had previously banned TikTok on government-issued devices in February 2023, citing an “unacceptable” level of risk to privacy and national security, as well as the platform’s ties to Chinese internet technology company, ByteDance.Internationally, India implemented a complete ban on the platform in 2020, citing national security concerns — a move that remains one of the most significant restrictions on TikTok’s global market share to date.
