OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Canada's government directed its television and communications regulator to back down from a recent decision to triple financial contributions required from U.S. streaming services such as Netflix for Canadian content, the country's culture minister said Wednesday.
Instead, Culture Minister Marc Miller said, the government will invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the sector.
The U-turn comes after the Motion Picture Association, the U.S. group representing streamers, called on the Canadian Cabinet to reconsider its approach, and after the U.S. ambassador to Canada called for the policy to be rescinded.
It also comes as Canada and the United States are in discussions on whether to renew the free trade agreement between the two countries and Mexico.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission — the country's equivalent to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission — said in May it would require large streaming services like Netflix to contribute 15% of their Canadian revenues to Canadian content. It made the decision as part of its work to implement the Online Streaming Act.
Asked whether the decision is another concession to the U.S., Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday the government was looking at how much the new policy would cost Canadians.
“It is another step to reinforce affordability for Canadians. This is not the time to raise the costs for Canadians,” he said.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra welcomed the decision.
“American firms want to invest in Canada’s creative sector, and a fair, nonburdensome framework makes that possible,” Hoekstra posted on social media.
Miller, the Canadian culture minister, told reporters in Ottawa that the fact the U.S. has identified the Online Streaming Act as a trade irritant was not the only reason the government asked the CRTC, the controller, to change its course.
“We’re impatient to make sure that the (streaming) sector stays vital and stays supported, and that’s why we’re making that investment of $600 million Canadian (US$432 million) into the industry," he said.
The reversal was met with some discontent.
Kyle Irving, chair of the board of the Canadian Media Producers Association, said in a statement that the board was still reviewing the development, but “we are concerned that the federal government has sold out Canadian culture in favor of big U.S. tech interests.”
Irving said the question that must be asked is whether U.S. streamers, who make “tens of billions” from Canadians, should be required to invest in Canadians telling Canadian stories.
FILE - Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller speaks to the media during the federal cabinet retreat in Montreal, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP,File)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The New York Knicks' winning streak lives on, and they struck first in the NBA Finals.
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Knicks erased a 14-point second-half deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-95 in Game 1 of the finals on Wednesday night.
OG Anunoby had 17 points for New York — which has won 12 consecutive playoff games, the seventh team to have such a streak in NBA history. Brunson scored 13 points in the fourth, only six fewer than San Antonio managed as a team in that quarter, and sealed it with a spinning jumper while falling to the court with 38 seconds left.
“He's a gamer, man,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “In the biggest moments, he shows up. That's what MVPs are supposed to do.”
And the Knicks, who finished on an 11-0 run, made a little more history. They became the first team to beat San Antonio in a Game 1 of the title series — the Spurs were 6-0 in those — and this is also the first time the Spurs have ever trailed a finals before the finish.
Victor Wembanyama had 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, but he shot 6 for 21 from the field in his finals debut. Stephon Castle scored 17, while Julian Champagnie and Dylan Harper each had 16 for the Spurs.
“I was bad tonight,” Wembanyama said. “It's not more complicated than that.”
Game 2 is Friday in San Antonio.
Former San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich was at the game, as he’s been for every finals game in Spurs history, albeit watching from a suite and not stomping the San Antonio sideline. The Spurs legends — David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen and more — were there, too.
So were Knicks great Patrick Ewing and the world’s most recognizable New York fans: Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, Ben Stiller, Fat Joe, Timothée Chalamet and more. Plenty of non-celeb Knicks fans made the trip as well; Tommy Sherlock, a auto sales manager from Brooklyn, said it cost less for two Game 1 tickets in San Antonio, with hotel and airfare, than Game 3 tickets in New York would have set him back.
“First-class air, too,” Sherlock said. “By a lot.”
The Knicks led 14-7 early, the Spurs answered with a 20-13 run to go up by 10, the Knicks rallied and the second quarter saw six lead changes before San Antonio took a 55-48 lead into the break.
San Antonio pushed the lead to 14 midway through the third quarter before the Knicks stormed back, finishing the period on a 22-9 run and sending the game into the fourth tied at 76.
New York's lead was eight midway through the final period. Wembanyama made a pair of free throws with 2:16 left to put San Antonio up 95-94, but Brunson made a corner 3 on the next possession to put the Knicks on top for good.
“I think we let that one go,” Wembanyama said.
San Antonio's run of never trailing the finals had some close calls over the years. The Spurs were tied twice with New Jersey in 2003 finals, tied with Detroit twice in 2005, tied with Miami three times in 2013 — they lost that series in seven games, so they only trailed when it was over — and then were tied with the Heat once more in 2014.
It's only 1-0. But the Knicks are only three wins away from their first title in 53 years, and they just took home-court advantage away from San Antonio.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama tries to shoot against the New York Knicks during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) steals the ball from San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks down as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks towards his bench during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) is pressured by San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson motion after a basket against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) battle for the rebound during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown laughs with center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during a time out during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) shoots past San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet (7) during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) yells during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) spins as San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, left, defends during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown speaks to the media prior to the start of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson speaks to the media prior to the start of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
