It’s been a rough week for Netflix in Newfoundland and Labrador.
First, it was forced to shut down its Newfoundland streaming service because of the government’s new online piracy law.
Then, the company was accused of stealing $1.6 million in payments from Nova Scotia’s public broadcasters.
All of this came just days after Netflix said it was launching an online service in Nova Scotia.
So, what does the future hold for Nova Scotia?
That’s the question we ask ourselves when we ask about the future of the streaming video giant in the province.
Netflix, like other online streaming services, has faced the same problem: How to keep the service in the market after the online piracy crackdown is lifted.
Netflix currently operates in Nova, Ontario, and Quebec, and has a total of 4 million subscribers in the three territories.
But the company doesn’t want to have to shut off those streams, which is why it’s opening an online streaming service in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
“We think that the online service will be a better experience for Nova Scotians, and that we’ll be able to grow more quickly,” says Michael Kugler, vice president of global content and technology for Netflix.
“The only thing we’ve lost in the past few months is our revenue and we have a lot of people who aren’t going to watch anything online.”
Netflix said its Nova Scotia streaming service will offer more than 1,000 hours of content a day, including original shows like The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale, and House of Cards.
It’ll also offer new and exclusive shows, such as American Horror Story: Hotel and the upcoming Stranger Things.
The service will allow Nova Scotian customers to stream from home, but Netflix says it will also be available from the office, the community center, and even on mobile devices.
Netflix also says it plans to offer a new and expanded library of original Canadian programming.
“Netflix is one of the best and most trusted providers of international and Canadian content in the world, and we’re proud to launch a new service to help Nova Scotias communities grow their own content,” says Kuglers partner in the project, Peter Wernick.
The company says it hopes the new service will also help Nova Scotia communities with access to digital video content.
“Nova Scotia has the largest population of internet users in the country, with over 20 million users.
And Netflix has long been the only choice for local communities in Nova.
The opportunity for a new, more affordable and better Netflix service in this market is exciting and we are committed to making it a reality,” said Kugelman.
Netflix is also planning to offer its Nova Scotiac service at no cost to Nova Scotial residents, who will be able access it from their home computers.
“As the new Netflix service is a part of the Nova Scotia public service network, it is expected to provide access to Nova’s content for local residents who don’t have a connection to Netflix, or for those who do not have access to the Internet or broadband,” said Netflix in a statement.