Ottawa drops TikTok ban, will now let platform stay in Canada with conditions

OTTAWA — Ottawa says it will allow TikTok to continue operating in Canada now that it has more security guarantees from the social media company to protect Canadians’ data.

The federal government banned TikTok from operating and maintaining a physical presence in Canada in 2024. Ottawa recently asked the Federal Court to set aside that order to permit another review.

Privacy and safety concerns have been raised about TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance Ltd. because of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations in that country to assist with intelligence gathering.

The decision to set aside the shutdown order came shortly after Prime Minister Mark Carney visited China and secured a deal to get Beijing to lower agricultural tariffs in exchange for new market access for Chinese electric vehicles.

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said Monday in a media statement the decision to let TikTok remain in Canada hinges on several conditions, aligned with a similar approach taken by the European Union.

The decision followed “a thorough assessment of the information and evidence gathered during the review process, including advice from Canada’s security and intelligence community” and other government partners, Joly said.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service had no immediate comment Tuesday.

TikTok will implement stronger protections for Canadians’ personal information, including new security gateways and privacy-enhancing technologies to reduce the risk of unauthorized or prohibited access to Canadians’ data, Joly said.

An independent, third-party monitor will be appointed to audit and continuously verify data access controls, she added.

In addition, TikTok will implement enhanced protections for minors consistent with the findings and recommendations of the federal privacy commissioner and three provincial privacy watchdogs, she said.

“Further, this decision will protect Canadian jobs, ensuring that TikTok Canada maintains a physical presence in Canada, with commitments to invest in its cultural sector,” Joly said.

TikTok’s Canadian division will support the growth of Canadian creators, artists and cultural organizations, while strengthening the production and accessibility of Canadian cultural content, she added.

TikTok Canada said in a statement its continuing support of the cultural sector would include a focus on francophone and Indigenous creators.

“We look forward to investing in new and returning programs that support the thriving ecosystem of Canadian creators, artists and small businesses,” the company said.

Comedian Neema Naz, who relies on online platforms like TikTok to showcase his talent, said news of the deal was “relieving and welcomed.”

Naz said the hope is that people who see creators’ online offerings will become fans and followers, and decide to come to a show or buy their products.

Ottawa’s previous decision did not extend to banning Canadian users from downloading and using the popular social media app.

In February 2023, however, the government banned the TikTok app from federal government-issued mobile devices.

Mohammad Kamal, a spokesperson for Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali, said Tuesday the government regularly reviews measures to protect the security of its networks and data.

“The existing restrictions on the use of TikTok on government devices remain in place,” he said in an email.

The company said last month that closing its Canadian operations would have meant hundreds of lost jobs and less support for homegrown creators.

TikTok announced last year it was pulling out as a sponsor of several Canadian arts institutions, including the Juno Awards and the Toronto International Film Festival, as a result of the previous order.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2026.

— With files from Craig Lord and Anja Karadeglija

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press