How to Access Local News in Canada on Google & Meta (2023)
If you’re in Canada, you may notice that you can’t see or share Canadian news on Google and Facebook. This is because Google and Meta removed all Canadian news content from their platforms after the Online News Act was passed.
Fortunately, there are many other ways to stay abreast of Canadian news and share them with others. One approach is to use a VPN, which encrypts your traffic and changes your virtual location, while also protecting your connection from hackers, spies, and other attackers.
After testing over 50 services, I’ve concluded that ExpressVPN is the best VPN to access local news without restrictions in Canada, as it always worked. It’s also the fastest and most secure VPN on the market. When you get ExpressVPN for Canada, it’s risk-free because your purchase is protected by a 30-day money-back guarantee if it doesn’t work for you.
Get ExpressVPN to see Canadian news
What is the Canada Online News Act or Bill C-18?
The Online News Act in Canada, also known as Bill C-18, requires all online platforms to pay news publishers if they reproduce or share their content. The platforms include social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, and search engines like Google.
The bill is an attempt to help struggling news publishers earn money for their hard work and journalism so they can stay in business. The Canadian government has cited news companies losing out on ad revenue as the reason for Bill C-18, but Google has described the Online News Act as a “link tax.”
Google and Meta responded by blocking all Canadian news from their platforms instead of paying to show them. This means that internet users in Canada are now unable to see this content through their usual connections.
6 Ways to Access Canadian News From Canada Despite Blocks by Google and Meta
1. Use Alternate Social Media Platforms
At the time of writing, only Google and Meta have blocked Canadian news on their platforms. Other social media platforms still show and allow you to share Canadian news. These include Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and Reddit. Reddit is a particularly popular site for finding national and local news stories, as many Canadian cities even have their own dedicated subreddits.
2. Try a Different Search Engine
Google is the only search engine to have blocked Canadian news sites as of yet. Search engines like Bing, Yahoo Search, and DuckDuckGo still list news from Canadian outlets, i.e. they don’t apply a Canada news ban. DuckDuckGo also provides privacy benefits as it doesn’t collect your data or track your searches.
3. Follow Canadian News Agencies’ Social Media Accounts
To get updates directly from Canadian news media, you can follow their social accounts on Twitter/X or news aggregation sites like Feedly, Panda, and Reddit. It’s possible that the Online News Act Canada may affect news links on Threads, but this isn’t certain yet as the platform is still relatively new.
4. Visit Canadian News Sites Directly
Although Google and Meta have blocked Canadian news, you can still go to sites like CBC, CTV, and Global News directly to get the latest reports. You can also download these news portals’ apps and subscribe to receive regular email updates from them.
5. Rely on International News Outlets
If you’d prefer to get your daily reports from Google or social media platforms, you can still search for Canadian news and find them on non-Canadian sites. News agencies like the BBC, CNN, Reuters, and Al Jazeera always cover international news, and they often show up in Google searches.
6. Use a VPN
Using a VPN with servers elsewhere is another option. Besides enabling you to see Canadian news content as usual, a VPN will also keep you safe online. Encrypting your entire internet traffic, it hides your activities from hackers, especially when you use public WiFi in Canada.
Additionally, Canada is a part of the 5 Eyes Alliance, which shares internet surveillance data with other member countries. A VPN will provide the privacy you need from those who want to know what you’re doing online.
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Access Blocked Canadian News With a VPN
- Download a VPN. ExpressVPN is the overall best VPN to continue seeing Canadian news on Google and Meta.
- Connect to a server. Pick one outside Canada, like the US, where the Canada Online News Act doesn’t apply.
- That’s it! Now, you’ll see Canadian news on Google and Meta.
The Best VPNs to Access Canadian News on Google and Meta (Tested 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — #1 VPN to Get Canadian News on Google and Meta
Key Features:
- Over 3,000 servers in 94 countries around the world
- Military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, split tunneling, RAM-based servers, and more
- Reach customer support via email, 24/7 live chat, and online guides
- Connect up to 8 devices at the same time
- A generous 30-day money-back guarantee
ExpressVPN is the top VPN to keep seeing Canadian news feeds in Canada and stay on top of recent headlines. Connecting to servers in New York, Los Angeles, London, and others turned up links to CTV and The Globe and Mail on my Facebook feed. I also found articles from the Toronto Star and La Presse on Google.
There are at least 24 ExpressVPN server locations in the US, which is geographically near Canada. This is significant because distant VPN servers require longer for data to travel, thus minimizing speed. Additionally, a big network in the US and other nearby countries means there’s less congestion when you connect to a server. This improves speeds.
With ExpressVPN, I experienced lightning-fast speeds even on servers almost 9,000 miles away from my location. All the Canadian news sites I tested, like The Toronto Star, Vancouver Sun, and National Post took less than 2 seconds to load whether I clicked it on Google or Meta.
In addition to blocking Canadian news, Meta is known for logging user information. Thankfully, ExpressVPN has a range of security features that never failed during my tests to keep your activities private on social media. These include:
- No-logs policy — independently audited to confirm that it doesn’t log your data. Plus, it runs on RAM-based servers that delete all data with every reboot.
- Military-grade encryption — encrypts your traffic with a 256-bit cipher so that sites like Meta can’t see your IP address.
- Data leak protection — ensures no DNS or IP information escapes the encryption while you access Canadian news.
- Network Lock kill switch — shuts down your browsing session instantly if your device loses connection to the VPN.
- British Virgin Islands headquarters — based in a privacy-friendly location, where the laws don’t require user log or internet monitoring.
The price for all this is a little higher than most other VPNs as ExpressVPN costs $6.67 a month for the 1-year + 3 months plan. However, it’s worth it because it fetches Canadian news reliably on Google and Meta, and it does so privately.
You can buy ExpressVPN risk-free because if you find it’s not good for you, you can ask for a refund within 30 days. I used the live chat system to ask for my money back, and I was refunded within 4 days without questions.
ExpressVPN is compatible with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Fire, Android TV, gaming consoles, select routers, and more.
Get ExpressVPN for Canadian News now
2023 Update! ExpressVPN has dropped prices for a limited time to a crazy $6.67 per month for the 1-year plan (you can save up to 49%) + 3 months free! This is a limited offer so be sure to grab it now before it’s gone. See more information on this offer here.
2. CyberGhost — NoSpy Servers Improve Privacy When Reading Canadian News Online
Key Features:
- 9,600+ servers in 91 countries including 1390+ in the US
- Military-grade encryption, kill switch, and NoSpy servers
- Email support, 24/7 live chat, and online tutorials available
- Use with 7 devices simultaneously
- 45-day refund policy
CyberGhost’s NoSpy servers keep your Canadian news browsing private from third-party server operators. They’re owned and maintained by CyberGhost’s internal staff, so your information is protected by its no-log policy. These servers are also based in Romania, which isn’t part of any data-sharing pacts.
For security, CyberGhost uses 256-bit encryption and data leak protection that worked every time during my tests. It also has:
- Automatic kill switch — terminates your session if the VPN connection drops while you’re reading Canadian news.
- Block Content option — blocks any malware-containing ads that may appear on news sites.
- WiFi protection — starts a VPN connection automatically when using a public hotspot to make sure you’re not vulnerable to hackers while reading news online.
- Split tunneling — lets you route only certain traffic through CyberGhost, so you can read Canadian news on your browser while using your local apps without encryption.
Accessing Canadian news sites was easy while connected to CyberGhost’s servers. I tried 5 of its 1390+ US servers, and I was able to see links and read articles from sites like CBC, Toronto Sun, Vancouver Sun, and National Post every single time.
Although CyberGhost is second only to ExpressVPN in terms of speeds, distant servers were noticeably slower. The server in Singapore slowed my connection by 32% due to being 6,500+ miles away from me. However, this won’t be a problem as US servers are plentiful and very fast to access Google News in Canada, as well as other news providers.
It only costs $2.11 a month to subscribe to CyberGhost’s 2-year + 3 months plan, and it comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee. To test this policy, I messaged CyberGhost’s support team via 24/7 live chat. My refund was confirmed in just 2 minutes, and my money was returned to my account the same week.
CyberGhost is compatible with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Amazon Kindle, gaming consoles, select routers, and more.
Get CyberGhost for Canadian News now
2023 Update! You can subscribe to CyberGhost for as low as $2.11 per month + get extra 3 months free with the 2-year plan (save up to 84%)! This is a limited offer so grab it now before it’s gone. See more information on this offer here.
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Large Server Network to Read Canadian News on Google and Meta Without Congestion
Key Features:
- Huge network of 35,000+ servers in 84 countries, including thousands in the US
- Military-grade encryption, an automatic kill switch, and a no-log policy
- Customer support via 24/7 live chat, email, Twitter/X, and online knowledge base
- Use unlimited devices at the same time
- 30-day money-back guarantee
PIA has more servers than any other premium VPN I’ve tested to read Canadian news. Since there are well over 7,000+ PIA servers in the US, none of the servers I connected to were overcrowded. Since the load was distributed across the servers, I had fast speeds. Even the videos on Canadian news sites like Vancouver Sun loaded within 3 seconds.
When it comes to security and privacy in Canada, PIA uses 256-bit encryption and has a built-in kill switch to protect your data in case the VPN disconnects. Additionally, PIA has:
- Advanced kill switch — doesn’t enable the internet until the VPN connection is restored after an interruption.
- MACE — blocks ads and trackers on ad-heavy sites like Toronto Star so you can read without distractions.
Additionally, PIA supports unlimited device connections. Instead of logging in and out, you can leave all your devices connected and access Meta news in Canada instantly.
One minor drawback of PIA is that the company is based in the US, a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. However, PIA has a strict no-log policy that’s been verified by Deloitte and proven in court, so your activities are private.
You can subscribe to PIA short-term without worries, as it’s one of the best monthly VPNs. But even better is the 2-year + 3 months plan, as it’s just $2.11 each month. Both let you get a refund within 30 days. I requested this by submitting an online support ticket and heard back from a support staff the same day. 5 days later, I had my money back.
PIA is compatible with: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, gaming consoles, select routers, and more.
2023 Update! You can subscribe to PIA for as low as $2.11 per month + get extra 3 months free with the 2-year plan (save up to 82%)! This is a limited offer so grab it now before it’s gone. See more information on this offer here!
Easy Comparison Table: 2023’s Best VPNs to Access Canadian News on Google and Meta
| VPN | Servers in the US | Global Servers and Countries | Security and Privacy Features | Browser Extension | Device Limit | Best Plan and Price |
| ExpressVPN | 24 | 3,000+ servers in 94 countries | – RAM-based servers
– Network Lock kill switch – Audited no-log policy |
Chrome, Firefox, Brave | 8 | $6.67 a month for 1-year + 3 months plan |
| CyberGhost | 1390+ | 9,600+ servers in 91 countries |
|
Chrome, Firefox, Edge | 7 | $2.11 a month for 2-year + 3 months plan |
| PIA | 7,665+ | 35,000+ servers in 84 countries |
|
Chrome, Opera, Firefox, Edge | unlimited | $2.11 a month for 2-year + 3 months plan |
How I Tested and Ranked the Best VPNs to Access Canadian News on Google and Meta
I used these criteria to test the top VPNs in 2023 and find the best ones to access Canadian news:
- Strong security features — the best VPNs for accessing Canadian news protect your data with strong encryption, a kill switch, and leak protection. My list only includes VPNs with these features.
- No-logs policy — some VPNs log your data and online activity. I eliminated any VPN that stores logs from the list and only included those with no-logs policies.
- Fast speeds — news websites with videos often load slowly, so you don’t want a VPN making that worse. Only VPNs with fast connection speeds made my top 3 list.
- Large server networks — all the VPNs on this list have an extensive global network and servers in the nearby US.
- Customer support — even with the best VPNs, you may have questions or need help troubleshooting, so I only picked VPNs with 24/7 live chat to resolve matters quickly.
Access Canadian news with ExpressVPN
FAQs About VPNs and Canada Online News Act
Is it legal to access Canadian news on Google and Meta with a VPN?
Yes, it’s legal to access Canadian news using a VPN as long as VPNs are legal where you are. Additionally, a VPN protects your privacy from online spies and secures your data when using unsecured public WiFi. However, I don’t condone using a VPN to bypass any laws, so do your own research before connecting.
Why was the Online News Act enacted in Canada?
The Online News Act, or Bill C-18, was introduced to help Canadian news publishers earn money from their content. Since many advertisers have moved from news websites to social media sites like Facebook, news publishers have been struggling, and this move is believed to help them.
Does the Online News Act impact people in the US?
No, the Online News Act only affects those living in Canada. You can freely access Canadian news on Meta and Google from the US and elsewhere, as there are no laws concerning the content in other regions. Plus, Google and Meta only restrict Canadian news in Canada.
How does the Online News Act impact people in Canada?
Firstly, people in Canada can’t see local news on Meta or Google search results, so they have to visit Canadian news sites directly. Besides this:
- Canadian news links don’t appear on Google’s “News” tab.
- Canadians aren’t able to share content from local news sites on Facebook and Instagram.
Why are Meta and Google blocking Canadian news?
Meta and Google have blocked Canadian news due to the Online News Act. You’ll have to use other social media platforms or search engines to see this content. The Act, also known as Bill C-18, requires online platforms to pay Canadian news outlets to share their content. Meta and Google decided to block Canadian content instead of paying the news sites.
With Google enforcing a ban, can I still access Canadian news?
Yes, you can still access Canadian news in Canada using alternative methods. Google has blocked all Canadian news outlets from its search engine results and “News” tab. However, you can use alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo and Bing to get Canadian news in Canada.
Can I use a free VPN to access Canadian news on Google and Meta?
Yes, but I don’t recommend it. There are some good free VPNs out there, but they restrict speed and data, which can affect news video streaming. Others are just not safe to use, with poor security features and bad privacy policies. Some even install malware on your device when you download the app.
If you want to use a reliable VPN without spending lots of money to stay abreast of the local news in Canada, I recommend CyberGhost. Its long-term plans have a refund policy that lets you claim your money back within 45 days of purchase.
Get the Best VPN to Access Canadian News on Google and Meta!
The Online News Act has only made it difficult to read the latest local news, not impossible. There are many other ways you can keep up with the latest happenings in Canada. A good VPN can help access any Canadian content without being ensnared by hackers while scrolling through Facebook or using Google.
I recommend ExpressVPN as it works with every platform, has fast speeds, and protects your privacy and security. Plus, it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee so your purchase is risk-free. If you’re not happy with it, you can ask for a refund without hassle via live chat.
