Federal officials are holding preliminary discussions with Meta Platforms about the possible return of news content to Facebook and Instagram, as Canada’s Online News Act becomes part of broader trade negotiations with the United States.Meta blocked news content on its platforms in Canada in 2023 in response to the Online News Act, which requires large digital platforms to compensate Canadian news organizations for carrying their content. The legislation became law the same year.The act has drawn criticism from the United States, including from the Trump administration, which has described it — along with Canada’s Online Streaming Act — as a trade irritant affecting American technology companies..Alisson Lévesque, a spokeswoman for Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller, confirmed that early-stage talks are underway between Meta and the Department of Canadian Heritage, as reported by The Logic.“We want news back. How do we go there is a question mark and that’s why we are having conversations,” Lévesque said. “We are looking at how to get there.”Meta has maintained that it will not pay for news content posted on its platforms. To restore news without triggering payment obligations, the company would need to be exempted from the Online News Act..Rachel Curran, Meta Canada’s head of public policy, told the House of Commons heritage committee in October that the company would like to bring news back to Facebook. She said Meta hopes the federal government will reconsider the legislation, which the company argues misrepresents the value exchange between publishers and digital platforms.Google, by contrast, agreed to contribute $100 million annually to Canadian news organizations under the act. Nearly two-thirds of that funding is directed to print media, including local newspapers serving francophone and Indigenous communities. The CBC’s share is capped at $7 million, with other broadcasters limited to $30 million.Curran told the committee that publishers benefit from increased distribution and monetization through clicks generated on Meta’s platforms, arguing that Meta’s role differs from Google’s. She added that the company remains hopeful news can return..In an interview with The Logic this week, Miller said the federal government is prepared to be “flexible” on both the Online News Act and the Online Streaming Act in the context of trade talks, while maintaining that Canada will not allow the United States to dictate outcomes.Last year, Ottawa withdrew a proposed digital services tax following pressure from Washington.“The United States Government has made its views known regarding the Online News Act and Online Streaming Act,” Lévesque said in a statement, adding that the government would refrain from commenting further to protect the integrity of ongoing negotiations led by Canada–U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc..Concerns extend beyond news media. In December, representatives from Canada’s broadcasting and cultural sectors warned that television and radio stations could face closures if the Online Streaming Act is weakened or abandoned. The act requires foreign streaming services, such as Netflix, to contribute financially to Canadian film, television and music production.Kevin Desjardins, president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, said last month that shelving the act under U.S. pressure would be a “crushing blow” to Canada’s cultural sector.In January, 27 bipartisan members of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee wrote to LeBlanc and Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, urging Ottawa to rescind the Online Streaming Act.
