Google will compensate media in Canada with $74 million per year for sharing information on their platforms, the Canadian government announced on Wednesday.

Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said this figure will be adjusted each year for inflation and that the Canadian executive reserves the right to review the terms if Google reaches a more beneficial agreement for media from other countries.

The deal follows Canada's approval of the Online News Act which requires Google and Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) to pay media outlets for sharing their content on digital platforms.

Since the law was passed in August, Google and Meta have protested by blocking access to the information in Canada.

Read: Google allocates $1.9 million through Restor for ecosystem preservation

Although the law was passed months ago, the Canadian government has not implemented it pending an agreement with Google and Meta.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that the agreement between Google and his government demonstrates, “after months of resistance,” Canada’s commitment to “local journalism, with independent journalists paid for their work.”

Trudeau also criticized Meta, which refused to pay media outlets for broadcasting its content, saying the American giant “completely abdicates any responsibility towards democratic institutions and even stability.”

The agreement with Google provides that the company will determine how it will negotiate with the media the distribution of the $74 million.

Google is also committed to continuing to offer programs to Canadian news companies to train their employees and use digital tools and resources.

With information from the EFE

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