What Counts as Canadian Music? Updating Rules for Radio and Streaming

Official title: Share your thoughts on Canadian content for audio services

Closed Regulations & Permits Indigenous & Northern Technology & Digital

The CRTC asked Canadians how to define "Canadian content" for music in the streaming age. Right now, radio stations must play a certain percentage of Canadian music. But what about Spotify and Apple Music? This consultation looked at updating those rules so Canadian and Indigenous artists get heard on all platforms.

Why This Matters

Listen to music on Spotify, Apple Music, or the radio? This affects what you hear. Canadian artists—especially emerging ones and Indigenous musicians—could get more exposure. Or streaming platforms might face new requirements that change how they recommend songs to you.

What Could Change

The CRTC will update what qualifies as "Canadian music" for regulatory purposes. Streaming services like Spotify may face new contribution requirements similar to traditional radio. Rules around French-language music quotas could also change. These decisions will shape how much Canadian content you encounter online.

Key Issues

How should "Canadian musical selection" be defined in the streaming era?
What contributions should streaming platforms make to support Canadian and Indigenous music?
How should "emerging artists" and "French-language vocal music" be defined?
What are the impacts of AI on Canadian audio content?

How to Participate

Review the Notice of Consultation for full details on the topics that were discussed.
Read the submitted interventions to see what others said.

What Happened

The consultation ran from February 20 to May 5, 2025, followed by a public hearing from September 18 to 29, 2025. Comments were received online, by mail, and by fax. The CRTC also held industry discussions on Canadian content definitions for the audio sector. All interventions and hearing transcripts are now publicly available.