The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) is increasingly concerned that the federal government’s plan to replace the CRTC’s contribution framework for online streaming services risks abandoning a longstanding principle of Canadian broadcasting policy: that those who benefit from Canadian audiences should contribute fairly to Canadian storytelling. While DOC welcomes the government’s commitment to continued investment in Canada’s audiovisual sector, public funding should complement—not replace—that longstanding principle of shared responsibility.

Public investment has long been an essential pillar of Canada’s screen industry, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty. But Canada’s cultural policy has never relied on public funding alone. Its success has been built on a balanced framework that combines public investment with meaningful contributions from those who benefit from Canada’s broadcasting system.

That expectation applies to Canadian broadcasters, which are required to reinvest in Canadian programming. The CRTC’s contribution framework sought to extend that same principle to foreign streaming services profiting from Canadian audiences. Through these contributions, Canada has built a cultural ecosystem that reflects our communities, our history, and our diverse perspectives, while sustaining culturally significant forms of programming—including documentary.

Documentary occupies a distinctive place within Canada’s cultural ecosystem. Documentary filmmakers investigate issues of public importance, preserve historical memory, amplify underrepresented voices, and foster informed civic dialogue. These public-interest works strengthen Canada’s democratic and cultural life, yet they are often among the most challenging forms of programming to finance through market forces alone. Their continued vitality requires a stable policy framework that recognizes their cultural value and provides meaningful long-term support.

The federal government’s new commitment of $600 million annually for Canada’s audiovisual sector reflects an important recognition of the industry’s economic and cultural value. But annual public funding cannot provide the same long-term certainty as durable regulatory obligations. For more than three decades, Canadian broadcasting policy has been guided by the principle that every element of Canada’s broadcasting system should contribute appropriately to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming. Over the past five years, Canada’s screen sector has participated in an extensive process of parliamentary debate, public consultation, and independent regulatory review to determine how Canadian programming will be sustained for the next generation. The policy framework developed through that process should not be set aside at the stroke of a pen.

As the government develops its new policy direction, DOC urges it to preserve the principle of shared responsibility that underpins Canada’s broadcasting system while ensuring that documentary and other culturally significant forms of Canadian programming continue to receive dedicated support. Canada’s cultural future depends not only on continued investment, but on preserving a stable, equitable, and sustainable framework that recognizes both the value of Canadian stories and the shared responsibility for supporting them.

DOC stands ready to work with the Government of Canada, the CRTC, and industry partners as this new policy direction is developed. As Canada modernizes its broadcasting framework and seeks to strengthen its cultural sovereignty, it must ensure that those who benefit from Canadian audiences also share responsibility for sustaining Canadian storytelling.