Some people in Canada say they’re protesting the proposed U.S. tariffs by cancelling their subscriptions to major streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video.
In a Reddit post that has received hundreds of reactions, one person says another Netflix price increase combined with the “rampant American corruption” led them to axe their subscription.
“Disney+ is gone, too! (Maybe now I can afford a house!) It’s been nice seeing Canadians band together over the tariff nonsense. Let’s keep the momentum going!” reads the post.
Netflix Canada hiked its subscription prices on January 21. Viewers now have to pay the following rates:
- Standard with Ads — $7.99/month (up from $5.99/month)
- Standard (no ads, HD-supported) — $18.99/month (up from $16.49/month)
- Premium (no ads, 4K-supported) — $23.99/month (up from $20.99/month)
Canadians flooded the comments in agreement.
One Amazon Prime Video user says they’re not going to renew their subscription because the company “bent the knee to a tyrant and are shuttering their Québec warehouses because the workers dared to exercise their right to organize.”
Last month, the e-commerce giant announced it was shuttering all of its warehouses in Quebec, affecting approximately 1,700 employees and 350 seasonal workers.
There’s speculation about this decision due to hundreds of Amazon employees in Laval, Quebec, unionizing last year and becoming affiliated with the Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux (CSN), a decision the retailer challenged unsuccessfully.
However, Amazon says the closures are about “offering the best service we can to customers in a way that’s efficient and cost-effective.”
“Cancelled my Netflix and Disney+. Reason given: ‘Trump tariffs,'” reads one comment.
“Did the same a couple days ago. And in reason I specifically wrote ‘Donald Trump threatening our sovereignty,'” added another.
Others heavily implied that they’ve resorted to pirating movies and TV shows instead of paying for the streamers.
“We sail the high seas now mateys. Yarrrr,” one person commented.
“I’ve never stopped sailing for two decades now. I use Plex media server to stream all my movies and stream to all my friends,” added another.
For those who don’t want to risk seasickness, there are Canadian streaming services like CBC Gem, Crave, and StackTV.
One Canadian did point out that cancelling these major platforms is futile.
“We can’t watch media without benefiting Americans so I haven’t felt the need to cancel most of my streaming services,” they wrote.
This isn’t the only way Canadians are expressing their frustration towards the proposed tariffs.
According to a February 2 poll from Research Co., which surveyed 1,002 adults in Canada, more than three in five Canadians (63 per cent) say they will avoid buying goods originating from the U.S. if a non-American alternative is available.
The data reflects the reactions online.
One Canadian on the subreddit “Loblaw Is Out of Control” suggested boycotting products made in the U.S.
Others are urging retailers to add “Canadian-made” symbols on products to help those who want to boycott U.S. products during the tariff war make informed decisions. There’s even a petition asking grocery stores to add these labels.
Some major grocers in Canada have also pledged to promote made-in-Canada goods in light of the tariffs.
We contacted Netflix Canada, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video to comment and will update this story when they respond.
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