Canada and Google reach US$74 million deal to keep news in search results

Canada and Google have reached a deal to keep news stories in search results and for the internet giant to pay C$100 million (US$74 million) annually to news publishers in the country, the Canadian heritage minister said on Wednesday.

The deal resolves Alphabet-owned Google’s concerns over Canada’s online news law that aims to make large internet companies share advertising revenue with news publishers in the country.

“Following weeks of productive discussions, I am happy to announce that we have found a path forward with Google for the implementation of the Online News Act,” Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said in a statement.

The Online News Act, part of a global trend to make internet giants pay for news, passed the Canadian parliament in June, and the government is finalising rules that are expected to be released by a December 19 deadline.