TORONTO, ON (June 23, 2021) – ACTRA performers are calling on Canada’s Senate to adopt legislation to amend Canada’s Broadcasting Act now that Bill C-10 has been passed in the House of Commons.

“The Senate needs to expedite its consideration of Bill C-10 and pass this legislation as soon as possible,” said ACTRA National President Eleanor Noble. “The House of Commons’ vote to modernize Canada’s Broadcasting Act through the amendments outlined in Bill C-10 is a very positive first step. This is an historic opportunity to update and strengthen our ability to tell rich and diverse Canadian stories and establish new legal and policy tools for the 21st century.”

Web giants, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, have become major broadcasters in Canada that benefit from our broadcasting system. Unlike traditional Canadian broadcasters, foreign web giants currently have no obligation to contribute financially to the Canada Media Fund or to create Canadian content using our world-class Canadian talent. The amendments proposed to the Broadcasting Act included in Bill C-10 would re-establish balance in the system and bring much-needed investments into the creation and production of original Canadian programming.

“The changes made today will impact Canadian stories and storytellers for decades to come,” added Noble. “Our Canadian screen industry is a key driver of Canada’s creative economy, generating more than $9.3 billion in production activity and almost 250,000 jobs (Profile 2020). Without this necessary legislation, we will be leaving the fate of Canada’s cultural ecosystem to foreign web giants to decide.”

ACTRA is encouraging Senators to act quickly to modernize Canada’s Broadcasting Act – an Act that has been untouched since 1991 before the Internet became a part of our everyday lives.

About ACTRA:
ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is the national union of professional performers working in English-language recorded media in Canada. ACTRA represents the interests of over 27,000 members across the country – the foundation of Canada’s highly acclaimed professional performing community.

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Media Contact:
Jennifer McGibbon, Public Relations Officer, ACTRA National, tel: 416-992-2723, E-mail: jmcgibbon@actra.ca