A proposal from Meta could bring news back to Facebook and Instagram in Canada. The plan is now tied to ongoing Canada-U.S. trade talks. Ottawa has not yet responded.
Media and publishing professionals in Canada are watching closely as Meta seeks to reintroduce news content on Facebook and Instagram. The company has submitted a proposal to Canadian Heritage outlining how news could return to its platforms, but the process is now entangled in broader Canada-U.S. trade negotiations, according to two officials familiar with the discussions.
Meta stated that it has always been open to restoring news for Canadian users and has engaged in talks with the federal government. However, Ottawa has not yet responded to the proposal, as it is being considered within the context of ongoing trade discussions with Washington. U.S. officials have objected to Canadian rules requiring large American streaming companies to support Canadian content, and the government is preparing a new policy direction for the Online Streaming Act that may ease financial obligations for U.S. tech firms.
In 2023, Meta blocked news links on its platforms in Canada in response to the Liberal government’s Online News Act, which mandated that tech giants pay Canadian publishers. The new proposal from Meta does not include direct payments to publishers as required by the Act. Instead, it suggests alternative ways the company could support Canadian news publishers, though the details of the proposal have not been made public. Meta has long argued that its platforms drive valuable free traffic to news sites.
For news to return to Facebook and Instagram, Meta is seeking a legal solution that would not require payments to publishers. This could involve the government exempting Meta from the Online News Act or repealing the legislation altogether. The 2025-26 federal budget granted Cabinet new powers to exempt corporations from federal laws, but it remains unclear how these powers will be used. Repealing the Act would also remove Google’s obligation to contribute around C$100 million annually to Canadian news organizations.
Negotiating a deal with Meta could be politically sensitive for Prime Minister MARK CARNEY’s government, as critics may view it as another concession to U.S. interests. The government previously dropped the Digital Services Tax after President DONALD TRUMP threatened to exit trade talks. The office of Canadian Identity and Culture Minister MARC MILLER has not commented on the current proposal, stating there is nothing to share at this time.
According to Meta’s most recent financial disclosures, the company reported annual revenues exceeding $130 billion in 2025, with Facebook and Instagram serving billions of users worldwide. In Canada, Meta’s platforms remain among the most widely used social networks, despite the ongoing news blackout. The Online News Act, passed in 2023, was designed to support Canadian journalism by requiring major tech companies to compensate publishers, but its implementation has led to significant changes in news distribution and digital traffic patterns across the country.
