Montreal's Mayor Denis Coderre To Create A "Netflix Tax"
Denis Coderre is tired of Netflix getting a free ride and is contemplating imposing a special tax on the streaming giant and similar services, like Amazon Prime or Hulu.
The mayor's opinion isn't invalid.
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Most media companies that operate within Canada need to pay a special distribution tax. This money then goes into funding Canadian-made TV and film projects.
Streaming services like Netflix, however, are exempt from this tax and don't really add anything back to Canadian media.
That's why Coderre wants a "Netflix tax" of some sort, to ensure that streaming services are on the same playing field as any other media organization.
“There must not be a double standard” Coderre said during a press conference yesterday.
What such a tax would look like, and whether or not it would jack-up subscription prices for Montreal users, remains to be seen.
It's worth noting that the Trudeau government has already said "no" to a Netflix tax, but that doesn't a provincial tax is off the table.
Coderre's comments on a Netflix tax came during a press conference held to announce the formation of a new advisory committee that will exist to promote Montreal's TV and film industry.
The advisory committee, made up of 17 industry experts, will make sure that Montreal remains a major destination for the filming of both international and local TV and movie projects.
Coderre says movie-filming is a major asset to Montreal's economy, gaining over $400 million for the city this year alone.
And if the advisory committee does its job, those numbers will only increase. As will the amount of celebrities heading to Montreal to do some filming.
