Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage

Comité permanent du patrimoine canadien

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 19, 2022 -

On May 17, 2022, The Hon. Hedy Fry, Chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, presented the report of a study on the proposed acquisition of Shaw Communications Inc. (Shaw) by Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers).

The report entitled The Rogers-Shaw Merger: Bad News for Local News deals with the broadcasting component of the transaction.

“The committee believes that the transaction should not proceed as currently proposed. It would increase media concentration and decrease the diversity of voices and the already declining access to local news in small and medium sized communities across Canada,” said Dr. Fry.

Media and community group representatives expressed concerns regarding the possible impact of the transaction on local news. They recommended, among other recommendations, that not-for-profit community media be used to address the local news needs in underserved areas of Canada. Also, communications company executives took part in the study.

The committee makes 11 recommendations, particularly that the Government of Canada reject the Rogers-Shaw proposed merger. Also, the Committee recommends better support to not-for-profit community media organizations and an increase in contributions to the Independent Local News Fund and the Local Journalism Initiative.

The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage is composed of 12 members. The Hon. Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre) serves as chair and John Nater (Perth — Wellington) and Martin Champoux (Drummond) as vice-chairs. The other members are the Hon. Tim Uppal (Edmonton Mill Woods), Chris Bittle (St. Catharines), Michael Coteau (Don Valley-Est), Lisa Hepfner (Hamilton Mountain), Anthony Housefather (Mont-Royal), Peter Julian (New Westminster — Burnaby), Tim Louis (Kitchener — Conestoga), Rachael Thomas (Lethbridge) and Kevin Waugh (Saskatoon — Grasswood).