Netflix has announced that it will introduce a streaming-only service for Canadian residents to watch unlimited movies and TV shows for a monthly fee.
According to a company press release, the Canadian operation, which is set to launch in the fall, will be the first of several international Websites that Netflix intends to launch in the coming months. While the cost of the service and its launch date have not yet been revealed, interested users are encouraged to sign up for e-mail notifications when more information becomes available.
Unlike its American counterpart, the Canadian Netflix service will not offer customers the opportunity to rent physical media. Although the company has not provided an explanation on why this is the case, it is likely for two reasons. First, not having a physical presence in Canada will limit operating expenses and make it easier to extend the service to other foreign markets.
In addition, Netflix may want to avoid having to comply with Canadian content laws, which are well-known (at least among Canadians) for imposing strict requirements on the proportion of Canadian content that is made available through the media. That’s in addition to international copyright arrangements, which often cause programming to be available on Canadian networks at different times than their American counterparts.
Like its U.S. cousin, Netflix.ca will work on both PCs and Macs, as well as on the licensed devices designed to support the company’s streaming technology.