If Carney government bureaucrats wanted to increase costs for consumers, drive businesses out of Canada, and anger the Trump administration all in one policy move, that’s exactly what they did on Thursday by making changes to the regulatory framework for the Online Streaming Act.

The Online Streaming Act was passed by the Trudeau government in 2023. One of its most controversial provisions was to require online streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime to hand over 5% of their Canadian revenue to the federal government, to be doled out to so-called “local media funds,” supposedly to support Canadian content and culture.

JAY GOLDBERG: Tripling the streaming tax is a huge mistake Back to video

At the time, everyone recognized this for what it was: a streaming tax. By essentially adding a new tax on online streaming giants, the federal government all but guaranteed streaming costs for Canadians would go up, as businesses don’t simply take new taxes or fees from the government lying down.

Hurting Canadian market

It also served to make the Canadian market less attractive:........

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