ASL – Summary – Closed Captioning Provided by Online Streaming Services (1 of 3)
Video is also available in Langue des signes québecoise (LSQ).
Video Transcript
The Online Streaming Act made significant changes to the Broadcasting Act (the Act) that require the CRTC to modernize the Canadian broadcasting framework and help ensure that programs are accessible without barriers to persons with disabilities, including through closed captioning services for persons who are Deaf, DeafBlind, or hard of hearing (DDBHH).
Closed captioning allows persons who are DDBHH to have access to different parts of the auditory content of programming. Closed captioning displays a program’s dialogue on screen; it conveys background noises, music, and other sounds; and it identifies speakers and their manner of speaking, to the fullest extent possible.
As part of its broader regulatory plan to implement the modernized Act, the CRTC launched a public consultation to identify, remove, and prevent barriers to access to programming. It sought comments on the establishment of a regulatory policy regarding closed captioning of programs provided by online streaming services operating in Canada. The CRTC received a wide range of views in response, including from online streaming services, on-demand services, traditional broadcasters, associations representing broadcasters, accessibility groups, and individuals.
Based on the record, the CRTC has determined that online streaming services must provide closed captioning for all new original programs, live and pre-recorded, within one year. These services must also provide closed captioning for all English- and French-language programs that have previously been broadcast on traditional television with captions. Furthermore, online streaming services must provide closed captioning for 80% of their program catalogues within four years and 100% within five years. This time will help ensure that closed captioning is accurate and of high quality.
The CRTC also expects online streaming services to ensure that users can easily activate closed captioning and customize caption features.
The CRTC will impose these requirements by way of orders issued pursuant to section 9.1 of the Act.
The text of the proposed orders is set out in Appendix 2 to this regulatory policy. Interested persons may file comments on the proposed orders by no later than 25 June 2026 and may submit a reply to any comments received by no later than 6 July 2026.
Key information from this regulatory policy is available in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ).
Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2026-98
Consultation on closed captioning of programming from online streaming services
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