Skip to main content

Far-right Rebel News not eligible for journalism tax credits, Federal Court rules

Ezra Levant of Rebel News arrives at the Law Society of Alberta in Calgary on March 2, 2016. (Jeff McIntosh / The Canadian Press) Ezra Levant of Rebel News arrives at the Law Society of Alberta in Calgary on March 2, 2016. (Jeff McIntosh / The Canadian Press)
Share
OTTAWA -

A Federal Court judge has upheld the government's decision that far-right media outlet Rebel News doesn't qualify for journalism tax credits because it doesn't produce enough original content.

Rebel News applied in May 2021 to be designated as a qualified Canadian journalism organization, but was rejected by the Canada Revenue Agency, which found that less than one per cent of its content was original news.

The outlet sought a judicial review in Federal Court, but in a decision Wednesday, Justice Ann Marie McDonald found the agency's decision was reasonable.

McDonald's ruling notes that the revenue agency assessed 423 news reports from Rebel News and found that only 10 were original.

She says the rest were not based on facts and didn't include multiple perspectives, or were curated content or material rewritten from other sources.

The official designation allows news outlets to claim the Canadian journalism labour tax credit and their subscribers to claim the digital news subscription tax credit.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

WATCH LIVE

WATCH LIVE Helene strengthens to a Category 4 hurricane as it nears Florida's Gulf Coast

Helene strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane hours ahead of its expected landfall on Florida's northwest coast Thursday night, and forecasters warned that the enormous storm could create a 'nightmare' surge in coastal areas and bring dangerous winds and rain across much of the southeastern U.S.

Local Spotlight

Stay Connected