Carney says he won’t backtrack on digital services tax, streamers’ CanCon payments

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney has reaffirmed his stance on eliminating the digital services tax and Canadian content contributions for streaming services providers. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet questioned Carney in the House of Commons, inquiring whether he would reconsider these decisions following unsuccessful trade negotiations with the United States.

The digital services tax, a three-percent levy on revenue from Canadian users targeting major tech companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber, and Airbnb, was set to begin just before its initial payment deadline last year. Carney's decision to halt the tax was aimed at restarting trade discussions with the United States. Additionally, the government announced plans to remove the financial contribution requirement for streamers under the Online Streaming Act, established by the CRTC in June.

Despite these measures, the United States maintained its opposition to the Online Streaming Act during the most recent trade talks, which Carney pointed to as a reason for the government's decision to cease negotiations in August. The Canadian Press reported this story on September 21, 2026, with Anja Karadeglija as the author.