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Yes. Google committed to contribute C$100 million annually to a fund for eligible Canadian news organizations in exchange for a five-year exemption from the Online News Act’s mandatory bargaining rules. The CRTC granted the exemption on October 28, 2024. The amount is adjusted for inflation, and the exemption does not remove all regulatory oversight.
What Google’s exemption means
Canada’s Online News Act establishes mandatory bargaining provisions for covered digital platforms and news businesses. The CRTC’s five-year exemption means Google does not have to bargain individually with news businesses under those provisions, provided it meets the exemption’s terms. The CRTC described its decision as a five-year exemption after reviewing the public record (CRTC, October 28, 2024).
This is an exemption from mandatory bargaining, not a blanket release from the Act. Because Google continues to make news available online, the CRTC said it remains subject to undue-preference complaints. The commission also required annual reporting by the Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC) and allowed other eligible news businesses to join the collective (CRTC decision).
How much Google pays, and whether it changes
Google’s commitment is C$100 million per year, with annual inflation adjustments. The amount and adjustment are set out in the Canadian regulations governing the exemption (Online News Act exemption regulations). Google announced the underlying agreement on June 7, 2024, saying it would contribute C$100 million annually to a collective that distributes funds to eligible Canadian news businesses (Google’s announcement).
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Who receives the money
Google’s payment goes to the CJC, not directly to each publisher. The CJC distributes funds to eligible Canadian news organizations under its allocation process. This collective structure is part of the exemption arrangement, and eligible news businesses can seek to join it under the CRTC’s conditions.
In its first funding year, the CJC distributed more than C$96 million to 459 eligible news businesses, according to Canadian Heritage (Canadian Heritage, 2026). That is a reported distribution total for the first funding year; it is distinct from Google’s annual commitment, which is inflation-adjusted.
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When Google paid and when distributions began
- December 2024: The CRTC reported that the CJC received Google’s first C$100 million payment.
- March 2025: The CJC began distributing funds to eligible organizations.
These timing details are reported by the CRTC (CRTC, 2025).
Why headlines say Google pays to be exempt
The shorthand captures the link between Google’s funding commitment and its exemption, but the legal mechanism matters: the CRTC granted the exemption under the Online News Act after assessing the arrangement and attached conditions to it. Google is exempt from mandatory bargaining, while the CRTC retains specified oversight, including the ability to consider undue-preference complaints.
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