Protecting American Streaming Act

Summary#

This bill directs the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to open an investigation within 30 days into Canada’s Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11) and related actions by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The investigation must check whether Canada’s rules are unreasonable, discriminatory, or burden U.S. commerce under section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The USTR must consult affected U.S. streaming businesses, trade groups, labor, and cultural organizations and coordinate with the Departments of Commerce and State and the U.S. International Trade Commission. If the USTR makes an affirmative finding, it must publish the finding and may consider actions under section 301(c), including suspending trade agreement benefits or imposing duties. The bill requires an initial USTR report to Congress within 90 days, quarterly updates for two years, and public non-confidential summaries. If Canada does not fix the identified measures within 180 days after an affirmative finding, the USTR must take appropriate action, which can include suspending USMCA concessions or imposing duties on Canadian goods. The bill also says the USTR should use the same process for any other free trade partner that takes similar actions.

What it means for you#

  • For U.S. streaming companies: the USTR will investigate whether Canada’s rules on contribution and discoverability obligations unfairly target U.S. services. That investigation could lead to trade countermeasures.
  • For U.S. consumers and businesses trading with Canada: the bill allows the USTR to consider suspension of trade benefits or additional duties on Canadian goods if problems are found and not fixed. These actions would affect cross-border trade in goods, not the text of Canada’s streaming rules directly.
  • For Congress and stakeholders: committees named in the bill will receive an initial report and regular updates, and the USTR must publicly summarize findings.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

Supporters say Canada’s Online Streaming Act uses contribution and discoverability rules that treat U.S. companies differently from Canadian firms, imposes revenue-based payments that act like a tax, may cause double payments for audio services, and requires costly platform changes. The bill’s findings state these measures may violate USMCA commitments, create discriminatory and burdensome barriers, and could set a global precedent that harms U.S. digital services. Proponents argue it is in the U.S. national economic interest to enforce trade agreement rights and respond to such measures.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.