C-18Online News Act
An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada
Government bill, introduced in the House of Commons on April 5, 2022
- Status
- Became law on June 22, 2023 · S.C. 2023, c. 23
What it does
Creates a bargaining system for digital news platforms and news businesses, with CRTC oversight, exemptions, penalties, and annual reporting.
What it does
- Applies to digital news intermediaries when there is a major bargaining power gap between the platform operator and news businesses, and lets Cabinet set rules for how that test is applied.
- Creates a bargaining process so digital news intermediary operators and news businesses can make agreements about news content made available in Canada.
- Requires the CRTC to keep a list of covered digital news intermediaries, set a code of conduct for bargaining, and manage a process for news businesses to join the system.
- Lets the CRTC exempt a platform if it has agreements with news businesses that meet set criteria, and lets Cabinet add rules for those exemptions.
- Bars operators from unfairly discriminating against certain news content or giving unjust preference or disadvantage, and lets news businesses complain to the CRTC.
- Allows the CRTC to order information, impose administrative monetary penalties, recover some administration costs, and require an annual audit report on the law’s impact.
Who it affects
- Digital news platforms
- News businesses
- Canadian news publishers
- CRTC
- Federally regulated telecom providers
- Broadcasting undertakings
Where it is
House of Commons
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Senate
First reading
Completed.
Second reading
Completed.
Committee
Completed.
Report stage
Completed.
Third reading
Completed.
Royal assent
Royal assent
Completed.
Introduced by a cabinet minister on behalf of the government. Government bills get set time for debate, so they are the most likely to become law. How a bill becomes law
How the House voted
Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada
Vote 406,
Passed
208 yeato113 nay · 2 paired
Party breakdown for vote 406 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 150 0 6 Conservative Nay 0 112 3 Bloc Yea 31 0 1 NDP Yea 23 0 2 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea1 broke ranks 2 1 0 Total 208 113 Motion respecting Senate amendments to Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada (reasoned amendment)
Vote 405,
Failed
114 yeato210 nay · 2 paired
Party breakdown for vote 405 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 152 4 Conservative Yea 113 0 2 Bloc Nay 0 31 1 NDP Nay 0 23 2 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Nay1 broke ranks 1 2 0 Total 114 210 Time allocation for Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada
Vote 390,
Passed
170 yeato144 nay · 4 paired
Party breakdown for vote 390 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 146 0 10 Conservative Nay 0 111 4 Bloc Nay 0 29 3 NDP Yea 23 0 2 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Nay1 broke ranks 1 2 0 Total 170 144 3rd reading and adoption of Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada
Vote 244,
Passed
213 yeato114 nay
Party breakdown for vote 244 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 152 0 5 Conservative Nay1 broke ranks 1 114 3 Bloc Yea 32 0 0 NDP Yea 25 0 0 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Yea 1 0 1 Total 213 114 2nd reading of Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada
Vote 112,
Passed
207 yeato116 nay
Party breakdown for vote 112 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Yea 151 0 8 Conservative Nay 0 115 4 Bloc Yea 30 0 2 NDP Yea 24 0 1 Green Yea 2 0 0 Independent Nay 0 1 0 Total 207 116 Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada (amendment)
Vote 111,
Failed
117 yeato206 nay
Party breakdown for vote 111 Party Position Yea Nay Did not vote Liberal Nay 0 150 9 Conservative Yea 116 0 3 Bloc Nay 0 30 2 NDP Nay 0 24 1 Green Nay 0 2 0 Independent Yea 1 0 0 Total 117 206
What MPs said
Each party’s first speech on this bill in the House, from Hansard. Excerpts are the speaker’s opening sentences, unedited.
LiberalChris Bittle· May 13, 2022
“This principle is at the core of Bill C-18, and it is at the core of our approach to supporting strong and independent journalism. What we are seeing now, more than ever, is just how important that is.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caConservativeJohn Nater· May 13, 2022
“It certainly is an honour to rise in the House today to debate Bill C-18, the online news act. I did not get a chance to ask the parliamentary secretary for Canadian heritage a question.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caBlocSébastien Lemire· May 13, 2022
“Today we begin debate at second reading on Bill C-18, which requires digital platforms to negotiate agreements with news businesses. I would like to join my colleagues in saying it is about time.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caNDPAlexandre Boulerice· May 13, 2022
“The bill before us today, Bill C‑18, is very important because, as I said earlier, it seeks to rectify the plundering of journalists' work and news content. This has severely damaged our ability to tell our communities' stories.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.caGreenElizabeth May· May 13, 2022
“I am focusing less on what Bill C-18 proposes to do. It has taken the approach of saying, as we have heard, that when information, news articles and content appear in what we might call our conventional media, the social media giants and the tech giants pay for that.”
Read the full speech on openparliament.ca
Read the source
LEGISinfo status: Royal assent received. Bill data from LEGISinfo, votes from openparliament.ca and the House of Commons. Last updated October 13, 2026.