Statement from Friends of Canadian Media on the end of NHL broadcasts on the CBC
TORONTO, JUNE 16, 2026
The announcement that the CBC will no longer carry NHL broadcasts after the 2025-26 season marks the end of an era in Canadian broadcasting and raises important questions about access to one of Canada’s most cherished cultural traditions.
Hockey Night in Canada has been a shared national experience for generations. Its departure from free television raises important questions about whether Canada should adopt anti-siphoning rules, similar to those used in other countries, to ensure that events of exceptional cultural and national significance remain accessible to all Canadians rather than exclusively to paying subscribers.
As NHL broadcasts move further behind paywalls, Canadians risk losing access to a cornerstone of our cultural life. At a time when affordability remains a growing concern, public access to the stories, traditions, and events that connect us should not be treated as a luxury.
This development underscores the vital role of public broadcasting in ensuring that Canadian cultural experiences remain accessible to everyone. Unlike private corporations, the CBC exists to serve Canadians, not subscribers. Its mandate is to bring Canadians together through shared stories, events, and experiences that reflect who we are as a country.
While we recognize the commercial realities of sports broadcasting, the loss of NHL games from Canada’s public broadcaster represents a significant reduction in universally accessible Canadian programming. We encourage policymakers, regulators, broadcasters, and streamers to consider the broader public interest when negotiating the future of major cultural and sporting events.
Canadians deserve access to the moments that bring us together. Hockey is part of our national story, and that story should remain available to all Canadians.
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Friends of Canadian Media is a non-partisan citizens’ movement that stands up for Canadian voices in Canadian media – from public broadcasting to news, entertainment, culture, and online civil discourse, we work to protect and defend Canada’s rich cultural sovereignty and the healthy democracy it sustains. We are a not-for-profit organization that receives no government funding or donations from political parties or CRTC-regulated entities.