Canada: Closed consultation on CRTC regulatory policy for closed captioning provided by online streaming undertakings

On 19 August 2024, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) closes the public consultation on the proposed regulatory policy for closed captioning provided by online streaming undertakings. The policy implements the Online Streaming Act, formerly Bill C-11, and aims to ensure barrier-free access to programming for Canadians relying on closed captioning. The CRTC’s policy aims to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to accessing online content for persons who are Deaf or hard of hearing. The consultation aims to gather information on the availability and quality of closed captioning, reporting and compliance measures, complaint-handling processes, and how to increase the involvement of Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities in policy development.