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“The principle guiding this review is clear: if you profit, you contribute – there is no free ride,” Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly said in a news release.

The release does not rule out a tax on Netflix or internet service providers, which have profited handsomely as Canadians demand more data and faster speeds to stream video content. Joly and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have previously said there will be no internet tax and no Netflix tax.

In the news release, the government said it plans to update the legislative framework “without increasing the cost of services to Canadians.” It also committed to net neutrality, the principle that internet service providers treat all content the same.

“We want to ensure that our laws keep pace with Canada’s rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape so that Canadians can continue to receive world-class services,” ISED Minister Navdeep Bains said in the release.

“The review will consider whether changes need to be made to support affordability and availability.”

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The announcement comes a week after the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission released a report that called on foreign players such as YouTube, Netflix and Facebook to contribute to Canada’s system. It refused to call this a tax and said contributions don’t necessarily have to be monetary. Rather, it said they would be equitable, but bespoke to individual players.

The CRTC also called for a shift in how content production is funded in Canada. It recommended a reduced levy on broadcasters and a 1 per cent levy on broadband service providers, a fee that companies would pass on to internet and wireless data consumers. It estimated the overall amount of money available would be the same.