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OTTAWA — The Canadian government has spent at least $13.7 million on sponsored social media posts since the Liberals took office, part of an ongoing shift away from traditional advertising.

Documents tabled in the House of Commons show departments and agencies’ use of paid promotion on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram has ramped up considerably in the past couple of years.

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Liberal government has spent upwards of $13.7M on sponsored Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts Back to video

These are “new dynamic ways to reach Canadians,” according to Transport Canada, and “the most cost-effective,” says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in the government’s response to a question from Conservative MP Blake Richards.

Photo by Daniel Katz/ Crag Canyon/ Postmedia Network

Amounts listed in the document cover expenses between November 2015, shortly after Justin Trudeau’s Liberals formed their government, and May 2017. Most departments and agencies that spent money on sponsored social media posts used Facebook — about 60 of them — while just under 50 used Twitter, and half that number used Instagram (which is owned by Facebook).