Canada: Opened consultation on Bargaining and Complaint of Unfair Treatment Processes in Online News Act

On 13 March 2024, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) opened a consultation on the framework under the Online News Act. The deadline for comments is 12 April 2024. The consultation seeks comments on the Act's application, specifically on the bargaining process, including aspects such as negotiation, mediation, and final offer arbitration. Additionally, CRTC is inviting feedback on complaints related to discrimination, undue preference, and disadvantage in the dissemination of news content. The Act, which came into force on 19 December 2023, requires large online platforms to negotiate fair commercial deals with eligible news businesses in Canada. If no agreement is reached during a 90-day bargaining period and a 120-day mediation period, a final arbitration period of 45 days would follow.