‘Let’s fix this’: IRCC reviewing media rules, reverses decision after refusing comment to independent journalist

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada says its tax-credit-linked criteria was meant to filter out commercial requests, but the Canadian Association of Journalists warns against the government determining who qualifies as a journalist.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada has walked back an initial denial of media services to an independent journalist based in part on the Income Tax Act's criteria for outlets to qualify for federal tax credits and subsidies. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

News

BY STUART BENSON

March 10, 2026

A federal department says it has launched a review of its media accreditation process following a now-reversed denial of an independent journalist's request for comment, partially based on the government’s own criteria for qualified organizations’ eligibility for tax cre...

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