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An exterior view of Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010.  (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Netflix to offer web movies, TV shows in Canada

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CTV News Video

Canada AM: Alan Sawyer, media analyst
A consultant discusses Netflix's move to Canada. He says a huge catalogue of content will be available, which may mean trouble for some video rental establishments. However, he predicts some will remain open for those who can't stream video.
CTV Ottawa: Paul Brent on Netflix coming to Canada
It is unknown when Netflix will be available in Canada and how much it will cost consumers for their services, but a Canadian company named Zip.ca says they are ready for the competition when it does come.
CTV News Channel: Marc Saltzman on the move
CTV's tech expert says Netflix will deliver streaming video which is unique to Canada, but he notes the company will not offer the latest releases and it is not clears what type of content will be available to Canadians.
CTV News Channel: BNN's Andrew Bell explains
A business correspondent discusses market reaction to the news that California-based Netflix says it's expanding into Canada with an Internet subscription service that will deliver movies and TV episodes to televisions and computers for a monthly fee.

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An exterior view of Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010.  (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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An exterior view of Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010.  (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

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Date: Mon. Jul. 19 2010 7:58 PM ET

U.S. video streaming giant Netflix is finally set to cross the border into Canada starting this fall.

The service will allow Canadians to stream an unlimited number of movies and television shows to their TVs or computers for a monthly fee.

The company did not announce the cost of the service but has set up a website at www.netflix.ca for Canadian updates.

Similar web services are being put together by Canadian companies, including Quebecor's Videotron and Rogers Communications.

BNN's Andrew Bell said Netflix is going to pose a serious challenge to its Canadian rivals.

"Netflix is likely to do a pretty darn good job here," he said, noting culture issues could also be raised due to the company's vast selection of American films, both Hollywood and independent.

The Canadian launch will be the company's first international venture. Netflix's initial launch will be in English only, but expects to add a French service in the future.

The company has 13 million subscribers in the U.S.

Tech consultant Marc Saltzman said that Netflix will bring a "buffet-style" approach to movies in Canada.

"We don't really have a service like this," he told CTV News Channel, adding that Netflix allows users to pause films and pick them up later on different devices.

"You can even resume that on another device like a laptop or an iPod … it knows where you've left off," he said.

In the U.S., Netflix's mail order business handles the latest releases, while the streaming service offers older movies and TV shows.

However, the mail order business won't be coming to Canada, meaning the latest releases won't be available, he added.

Comments are now closed for this story

Nancy Anne - Peterborough
said

I'm fed up with the CRTC regulations. Like many who are opposed to the CRTC's regulatories. Cable is getting increasingly expensive, the U.S. residents have much more options and cheaper rates in TV programming. We shouldn't be dictated to as to what we want, can and should watch. Programming is up to us, why should our livingrooms be controlled by Canadian Government bureauacy.


Savoera
said

WOOHOO! I'm so excited! I'm currently with Rogers, before that with Canfilix, and they don't compare to Netflix! I used to have Netflix in the States, and you don't have to wait forever for the latest movies to arrive in your mail. Yippiieee! :))


Althea
said

Finally consumers will get what they want and what they pay for and not what those money grabbing cable companies and the CRTC feel like dishing out to them. I hope too they will allow some decent telephone companies to come in with good and reasonable price service like in U.S.A. I think the Canadian phone companies are all the same( new and Old), just want o get rich overnight.


Matthew
said

Rogers and Bell will still have the last laugh because of their monthly data caps. When people start going over their monthly allowance watching all these movies guess where the overage charges go.


Earthwatcher
said

about bloody time


Jake in Florida
said

Correction, I pay $8.99 a month for netflix, not 9.99. And yes, we have a PS3 to watch all of the instant movies online. Be sure to not overlook this option since it is part of the 8.99 price.


Badjohnny
said

Finally competition for Rodgers and Bell..!!This can only be good for us, and I won't mind paying the $20 for each remaining months left on my Bell contract just to sign up with Netflix..ADIOS..!! Rodgers and Bell..!!!!


Retailers need to learn to survive!
said

Leave it to the Americans. They always go out of their way to get and Keep the customer. Something Bell (and Canadian retailers) need to learn is if you don't keep your customers happy, they will go elsewhere. I have had bad experiences with Bell because of poor customer service. Check out the return policy at Costco . They keep certainly keep me coming back. Another American company.


Bryan
said

From what I've heard, Netflix is a pretty reliable service. I truly hope it will end the gouging done by the large rental stores.

In regards to the CRTC, doesn't the 60% canadian content only apply to television carriers? Since all of this content is "On Demand", I believe they would be exempt.

I can only hope that the fee to use the service monthly will be around the $8.99 advertised on their American site. I just cannot justify $15+ a month. However, if the library is vast enough, it'd be worth that because of the On Demand services on the XBOX 360 and Wii consoles, plus the PC client.


Heet
said

Awesome, been waiting for netflix.Now if they can signup to provide content through the PS3/Xbox like they do in the US, then I am all in.We are almost there.


Jeff
said

This is exelent. The traditional Canadian providers have been dragging their feet on this for years. It is about time someone pushes them aside. This is also going to dramaticaly reduce the amout of movie piracy in our country.


IT Manager from Edmonton
said

This is fantastic news and for me fits into our digital home very well. We use the Windows Media Center in Win7 for all of our content management, so now the Netflix plug in for MCE will be something we can actually use. I for one do not care about price too much for now and will subscribe if only to foster competition in our archaic CRTC (Big Brother) controlled media universe.


RICHARD
said

I often download my movies from P2P networks. I had Rogers, Bell, and most recently Cogeco but found them all to be extremely untrustworthy and incompetent. Cogeco I found to be the worst seeing as they're the one's advertising how superior their service is compared to others. When Netflix is available I WILL be subscribing to watch movies on my computer which is hooked up to my flatscreen tv. We have no cable companies anymore, all shows and movies are watched online. Thankfully, California has realized they cannot stop illegal downloading until they update their method for delivering films to Canadian viewers. Cable is dead like the radio. Good riddance to Bell, Rogers, Cogeco, and all the other CRTC bed-buddies. If only someone could drop the CRTC next.


Al en NL
said

I hope this is good news. Bell ExpressVU is a farce. I've had it for just about a year now. They brag about the number of movies available on their channels, but every one of them have been repeated - repeatedly since I subscribed. They can't seem to offer anything new.


Jake in Florida
said

I pay 9.99 a month in Florida. Includes unlimited online movies in all genres, and one continuous mail-in movie. We quit Blockbuster over a year ago after finding out about Netflix. Only caution is that the online movies are always the poorer rating movies. But many of those are still great finds...


Robert
said

Until the CRTC sensors the content.Must be 60% Canadian and the content must not offend anyone?


Michael - SW Ont
said

Great - Netflix comes to town. Now, if we could just get reasonable, responsible and consumer focused regulation-on-demand instead of CRTC rubber-stamp-on-demand for Bell, we might have affordable bandwidth to try this out instead of the cap limited gift the CRTC has given Bell and Rogers.


Drew from TO
said

I am totally up for this. So tired of Rogers and Bell. I want to watch what I want to Watch and when I want to watch it. I am tired of being told what I pay for and what I get. I hope they mop the floor with Rogers and Bell.


reidjr
said

This is very good news i can't wait.


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