DOC Responds to CBC’s Announcement on Documentary Investment and Platform Changes

Toronto – Friday, May 8, 2026 – The Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) welcomes yesterday’s announcement from CBC/Radio-Canada outlining a significant increase in investment in documentary programming, alongside the launch of a new documentary-focused FAST channel.

At a time of major transition across the screen sector, this commitment represents an important investment in documentary storytelling in Canada—particularly for feature-length work, regional voices, and projects that may not fit within existing programming strands.

DOC also recognizes CBC’s efforts to rethink how documentary reaches audiences in a rapidly evolving media environment. As viewing habits continue to shift, there is a clear need for new approaches to discoverability, accessibility, and audience engagement.

The closure of the existing Documentary Channel marks the end of one chapter in Canada’s documentary landscape, but this announcement also points toward new opportunities to expand the reach of documentary storytelling beyond traditional platforms and paywalls.

DOC welcomes CBC’s indication that a substantial portion of this investment will support feature documentary production, and looks forward to learning more in the coming weeks about how these new investments and platforms will support independent creators and connect audiences with a broad range of Canadian documentary work.

We are currently working with CBC to organize a member session in the near future to support an open and constructive dialogue with the documentary community.

DOC remains committed to advocating for a vibrant documentary ecosystem that supports public-interest storytelling, creative risk-taking, meaningful audience engagement, and a broad diversity of Canadian voices.

Download the PDF Press Release Here:

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About DOC

The Documentary Organization of Canada / l’Association des documentaristes du Canada is the collective voice of diverse independent documentary filmmakers across Canada. DOC is a member-driven, not-for-profit association representing over 1500 directors, producers, and craftspeople in the Canadian documentary community. DOC advocates on behalf of its members to foster an environment conducive to documentary production and strives to strengthen the sector within the broader screen industry.

For more information, please contact:

Julian Carrington, Executive Director
Documentary Organization of Canada
executive.director@docorg.ca