Skip to Main content

20.71°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Sports Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Jun 22, 2023 9:21 PM - The Canadian Press

Liberal bill requiring Google and Meta to pay for news content passes in Senate

Share On

liberal-bill-requiring-google-and-meta-to-pay-for-news-content-passes-in-senate

Meta is undergoing a test that blocks news for up to five per cent of its Canadian users, and Google ran a similar test earlier this year. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

A federal bill that will require Google and Meta to pay media outlets for news content that they share or otherwise repurpose on their platforms is set to become law.

The Senate has passed the bill in a final vote and it is now awaiting royal assent amid a standoff between the Liberal government and Silicon Valley tech giants.

Ottawa, which says the law creates a level playing field between online advertising giants and the shrinking news industry, is now waiting to see if Meta or Google will react by removing journalism from their platforms in Canada.

Meta has said it plans to comply with the bill by ending news availability on Facebook and Instagram for its Canadian users, while Google has hinted that removing news links from its popular search engine is a possibility.

Meta is undergoing a test that blocks news for up to five per cent of its Canadian users, and Google ran a similar test earlier this year.

The Online News Act requires both companies to enter into agreements with news publishers to pay them for news content that appears on their sites if it helps the tech giants generate money.

Latest news

poilievre-targets-liberal-government-over-catch-and-release-bail-system

CanadaAug 19, 2026

Poilievre Targets Liberal Government Over ‘Catch-and-Release’ Bail System

The issue of bail for serious offenders in Canada has once again come under the spotlight. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the Liberal government, accusing it of allowing dangerous offenders to remain in the community because of what he calls weak bail laws. Poilievre pointed to a recent incident in Windsor, Ont., involving 22-year-old Qasim Sabi, who has been accused of sexually assaulting two young boys. Police say Sabi was already facing allegations in an earlier case and was out under court-ordered conditions when the latest incidents allegedly occurred. According to po

canadas-wildfire-season-could-rank-among-countrys-worst-on-record

CanadaAug 19, 2026

Canada’s wildfire season could rank among country’s worst on record

Canada’s 2026 wildfire season is on track to become the country’s fourth-worst on record, with millions of hectares already affected and hundreds of fires still active. Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski said during a virtual briefing Tuesday evening that the country remains in the middle of the wildfire season, with some regions facing difficult and uncertain conditions. According to the federal government, about 4.1 million hectares have been affected by wildfires so far this season. Roughly 580 fires are currently active across Canada, including about 30 that remain

b-c-conservative-leader-attacks-eby-government-over-forestry-decline

B.C. Conservative Leader Attacks Eby Government Over Forestry Decline

B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad has accused Premier David Eby of blaming U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs for the province’s forestry-sector decline in an attempt to hide his government’s own failures. In a statement Tuesday, Rustad said U.S. tariffs are harmful and should be strongly opposed. However, he said forestry production in B.C.’s Interior began declining as early as 2016, long before Trump returned to office, and has now fallen by about 50 per cent. According to Rustad, poor provincial policies, permit processes that can take two to three years, and uncertaint

trumps-presidency-delays-quebec-sovereignty-referendum-says-parti-québécois

CanadaAug 18, 2026

Trump’s Presidency Delays Quebec Sovereignty Referendum, Says Parti Québécois

Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says his party would not hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty while Donald Trump remains president of the United States. St-Pierre Plamondon says the party still intends to hold a referendum on whether Quebec should separate from Canada during its first mandate if elected. However, he says such a crucial decision about Quebec’s future requires a clear and calm debate. He says the referendum debate should not be disrupted by American politics or unexpected announcements from the U.S. president. According to St-Pierre Plamondon, the unpredic

AlbertaAug 18, 2026

Sentencing Arguments Begin for Man Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Three Women

Sentencing arguments begin today for 62-year-old Richard Mantha, who was convicted of sexually assaulting three vulnerable women and drugging one of them. Mantha was found guilty of six offences following a trial that lasted more than two years. The full day has been set aside for the Crown and defence to present their arguments on what sentence he should receive. He was convicted of two counts of sexual assault, as well as choking while committing a sexual assault and administering a noxious substance. Mantha was also found guilty of assault with a weapon and uttering threats against a fourth

Related News

Poilievre Targets Liberal Government Over ‘Catch-and-Release’ Bail System

Poilievre Targets Liberal Government Over ‘Catch-and-Release’ Bail System

The issue of bail for serious offenders in Canada has once again come under the spotlight. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the Liberal government, accusing it of allowing dangerous offenders to remain in the community because of what he calls weak bail laws. Poilievre pointed to a recent incident in Windsor, Ont., involving 22-year-old Qasim Sabi, who has been accused of sexually assaulting two young boys. Police say Sabi was already facing allegations in an earlier case and was out under court-ordered conditions when the latest incidents allegedly occurred. According to po

Canada’s wildfire season could rank among country’s worst on record

Canada’s wildfire season could rank among country’s worst on record

Canada’s 2026 wildfire season is on track to become the country’s fourth-worst on record, with millions of hectares already affected and hundreds of fires still active. Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski said during a virtual briefing Tuesday evening that the country remains in the middle of the wildfire season, with some regions facing difficult and uncertain conditions. According to the federal government, about 4.1 million hectares have been affected by wildfires so far this season. Roughly 580 fires are currently active across Canada, including about 30 that remain

Trump’s Presidency Delays Quebec Sovereignty Referendum, Says Parti Québécois

Trump’s Presidency Delays Quebec Sovereignty Referendum, Says Parti Québécois

Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says his party would not hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty while Donald Trump remains president of the United States. St-Pierre Plamondon says the party still intends to hold a referendum on whether Quebec should separate from Canada during its first mandate if elected. However, he says such a crucial decision about Quebec’s future requires a clear and calm debate. He says the referendum debate should not be disrupted by American politics or unexpected announcements from the U.S. president. According to St-Pierre Plamondon, the unpredic

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

Broadcasting Notice of Consultation

BC Children's Hospital