Consultation on closed captioning of programming from online streaming services
Current status: Decision issued
The CRTC is introducing changes to better support Canadians who rely on closed captioning. Within one year, Canadians will have access to captions on online streaming services for new original programs, whether live or pre-recorded. Shows that were captioned on TV will also include captions when added online. More programs will include captions over time, and within five years, this feature will be available for all online programming.
Read the decision about closed captioning.
As part of the CRTC’s work to modernize Canada’s broadcasting framework, we sought your comments on the closed captioning of programming provided by online streaming services operating in Canada. We asked you to share your views on how to ensure that Canadians who rely on closed captioning have access to barrier-free programming online.
This consultation ran from June 19 to August 19, 2024 (first consultation period) and from September 10 to December 11, 2024 (second consultation period to allow new participants to submit comments).
Who was the focus of this consultation
This consultation was of most interest to:
- Canadians who are Deaf, DeafBlind, or hard of hearing
- Viewers and other interested members of the public
- Canadian and foreign online streaming services operating in Canada
Key topics for discussion
The CRTC is looking to build a regulatory policy for closed captioning of programming provided by online streaming services operating in Canada.
We invited you to provide your comments on:
- what barriers persons who are Deaf, DeafBlind, or hard of hearing face when accessing online programming
- solutions to remove the current barriers and prevent new ones
- standards and quality of closed captioning of online programming
- how to implement appropriate reporting and monitoring mechanisms
- how to treat complaints related to closed captioning on online platforms
- industry engagement with the Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing communities
- which online streaming services should be subject to any new rules
Read the Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2024-137 for more details.
What we learned
- Interventions (comments we received online, by mail and by fax)
Related information
- TV access for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing: closed captioning
- Let’s Talk TV - Navigating the Road Ahead - Making informed choices about television providers and improving accessibility to television programming, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-104
- Standard conditions of service for licensed discretionary services, national news discretionary services and mainstream sports discretionary services and exemption order for exempt discretionary services, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-306
- English-language closed captioning mandatory quality standards relating to the accuracy rate for live television programming, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2019-308
- Quality standards for English-language closed captioning, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2012-362
- Quality standards for French-language closed captioning – Enforcement, monitoring and the future mandate of the French-language Closed Captioning Working Group, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-741-1
- Quality standards for French-language closed captioning, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-741
- Date modified: