Achi news desk-
Quebecers could soon see more homegrown content on streaming services like Netflix and Disney+.
The provincial government has announced that it plans to introduce a new bill next year that would force online streaming giants to add more Quebec-made media to their platforms. It was one of nine measures unveiled Sunday as part of the province’s plan to spend $603 million over five years to protect the French language in Quebec.
Culture Minister Matthew Lacombe did not provide details about what would be included in the bill.
“We are working on it,” he told reporters at a press conference in Montreal. “The goal is to make sure that when you connect to Internet platforms, like Netflix, like Disney, the goal is that users here in Quebec have easier access to Quebec content, and that’s not the case right now.”
The new funding will target nine priorities outlined by the government to increase the position of the French. More than half of the money — $320 million — will go to ensuring that temporary international workers speak and learn French. After immigration, culture is set to receive the second largest share of funding, at $187.3 million.
The Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Ministry of International and Francophone Relations will both be tasked with increasing the availability and accessibility of Quebec’s Francophone culture on digital platforms. According to the action plan unveiled on Sunday, the two ministries will be responsible for providing “leadership and developing international partnerships to ensure a diversity of Francophone cultural content on digital platforms.”
It is unclear how Quebec intends to force streaming giants to increase locally produced content on their services. The action plan stated that it would develop international partnerships and that “the government is determined to use all the levers at its disposal to raise the profile of Quebec’s francophone culture.”
