Google’s annual $100-million contribution to Canadian news businesses will begin flowing soon, following a recent exemption granted by the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The five-year exemption from the Online News Act (ONA) allows Google to distribute funds without the mandatory agreements required under the Act, the CRTC announced Monday.
Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, has welcomed the decision as a much-needed financial boost for newsrooms facing economic pressure.
“It’s a relief the money will begin to flow with a quick turnaround time, injecting some much-needed support to our journalist and media worker members and helping to save local news,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
The initial payment is required within 60 days, marking the first installment of Google’s indexed contribution that will be adjusted for inflation. According to the CRTC, the Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC) will oversee the allocation of funds among eligible Canadian news outlets. This distribution mechanism aligns with Unifor’s recommendations, which emphasized maintaining journalistic independence and transparency as key components of the ONA.
“Unifor has argued from the beginning that the ONA and related regulations should focus on the principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. We’re glad to see our asks reflected,” said Payne.
The decision arrives amid broader industry challenges, with media outlets across Canada experiencing layoffs and financial instability. “News businesses that employ our members have been struggling to survive. The last two years have seen hundreds of layoffs, and this funding from Google is long overdue,” said Randy Kitt, Unifor’s media director. He added that while Google’s contribution supports Canadian journalism, it is “just one piece of the legislative puzzle to ensure a healthy and vibrant news media in Canada.”
In addition to funds for stable journalism jobs, Unifor has advocated for equitable distribution that includes local, regional, and national outlets, Indigenous and official language minority media, and news sources serving diverse communities across Canada.
The decision follows Meta’s controversial response to the ONA, which resulted in the removal of news content from Facebook in Canada rather than payment agreements with news publishers. Unifor criticized Meta’s approach, accusing the tech company of contributing to the spread of misinformation. “Facebook has proven it is a terrible corporate citizen and has become a danger to our sovereignty and our democracy,” stated the union, calling for Facebook to engage with Canadian news organizations responsibly.
Unifor represents over 10,000 media workers in Canada’s broadcast and print news industry and more than 320,000 private-sector workers across various industries.