TikTok Canada Avoids Shutdown as Court Overturns Government Order

TikTok Canada is getting a reprieve, albeit a temporary one.

On Wednesday (Jan. 21), the federal court overturned a Canadian government order that TikTok must close down in Canada, a decision that means the short-form video app, a giant player in social media, can continue operating for the time being.

Federal court judge Russel Zinn set aside the order and returned the matter to Industry Minister Mélanie Joly for review. He did not give any reasons due to confidentiality provisions in the Investment Canada Act.

A spokesperson for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada told CBC News that the issue now goes back to the minister and Joly “will now proceed with a new national security review.”

TikTok welcomed the decision to set aside the shutdown order, with a TikTok company spokesperson saying that “[We] look forward to working with the minister toward a resolution that’s in the best interest of the more than 14 million Canadians using TikTok.”

“Keeping TikTok’s Canadian team in place will enable a path forward that continues to support millions of dollars of investment in Canada and hundreds of local jobs.”

Canada had initially launched an inquiry in Feb. 2023 into whether TikTok is a national security concern. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and privacy regulators in Quebec, B.C. and Alberta examined whether the organization’s practices are in compliance with Canadian privacy legislation and in particular, whether valid and meaningful consent is being obtained for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

TikTok vowed to fight the order, though progress seemed slow. TikTok’s global CEO Shou Zi Chew even sought a meeting with Canadian government officials.

Read more here. — Kerry Doole

Bruno Mars Sets New Touring Records in Toronto and Vancouver

Bruno Mars is making history with his upcoming tour.

The star singer announced his world stadium tour, The Romantic Tour, last week, and it’s already breaking records. With four concerts at Vancouver’s BC Place set for October (14, 16, 17 and 20), he now holds the record for the most shows played at the stadium by an artist on a single tour. Mars also becomes the first artist to play five concerts at Rogers Stadium in Toronto, all of which are set for May (23, 24, 27, 28 and 30).

The BC Place record was previously held by Taylor Swift who closed out her Eras Tour with a trio of Vancouver shows last December. As for Toronto’s Rogers Stadium, Coldplay played four nights at the temporary venue during its inaugural season last summer. Both venues are among the biggest in their cities with capacities of over 50,000, making four or five night affairs a rare feat.

Mars is making history beyond Canada too. He broke the record for the most tickets sold on Ticketmaster in 24 hours, another record previously held by Swift’s massive Eras Tour. The Romantic Tour sold 2.1 million tickets on Jan. 15, the most single-day sales in Live Nation’s history. After adding additional dates due to overwhelming demand, Mars’ first trek in ten years now boasts 71 dates in stadiums worldwide, including six new Canadian shows.

The tour is in support of The Romantic, his upcoming first solo album since 2016. While the full album won’t be out until Feb. 27, it’s already doing blockbuster numbers. Lead single “I Just Might,” a groovy funk number with infectious horns and guitars, debuted at No. 1 the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Canadian Hot 100 this week.

Despite his long breaks between albums, Bruno Mars has remained one of the most popular artists making music right now. Mars was credited on the No. 3 and No. 4 Canadian Hot 100 songs of 2025, “APT.” (with Rosé) and “Die With a Smile” (with Lady Gaga). The demand is high, and this should be one of the biggest tours of 2026.

Read more here. — Stefano Rebuli

SOCAN and Festival d’été de Québec Reach Agreement After 2025 Legal Dispute Over Licensing Fees

Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and Festival d’été international de Québec (FEIQ) have reached an agreement after a months-long licensing fees dispute.

In July 2025, the licensing and royalties organization, which is responsible for granting licenses and collecting royalties on licensed music in Canada, sued the Quebec music festival for copyright infringement and failure to pay royalties for approximately three years.

The claim, which cited The Festival international d’été de Québec Inc. and BLEUFEU as defendants, alleged that since at least July 2022, festival organizers “failed to obtain a license” from SOCAN and didn’t pay any royalties or submit any report forms.

Now, the two parties shared that they have resolved the claim.

Both sides acknowledge the importance of paying equitable wages to songwriters and composers in the live music space.

“Fair compensation is fundamental to a healthy live music sector,” says SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown in a public statement via SOCAN’s Words & Music publication (due to legal considerations, neither SOCAN nor FEQ were able to grant interviews).

“When every contributor’s work is recognized and valued, the entire industry becomes stronger and more sustainable.”

Nicolas Racine, CEO of BLEUFEU and FEIQ, echoes a similar sentiment:

“We have always placed artists and musical creation at the heart of our approach,” he says. “The dialogue with SOCAN has allowed us to find common ground. We are now looking ahead, committed to continuing our contribution to a strong and dynamic music ecosystem.”

Last year, SOCAN filed the copyright infringement court claim on July 3, coinciding with the first day of the 11-day music festival, which concluded on July 13.

The 2025 edition of FEQ featured performances from many popular artists, including Avril Lavigne, Simple Plan, Shania Twain, Alessia Cara, Benson Boone and more.

FEQ promptly responded, noting that “fair remuneration, in accordance with the highest industry standards,” was one of the festival’s core values, while claiming that they had a different interpretation of the law from SOCAN that corresponded to other comparable organizations. In addition, they questioned SOCAN’s motives for filing during the festival and their desire to pursue court proceedings in English.

Read more here. — Heather Taylor-Singh