By Eric Boland, CEO, W-World Media
Over the past several months, W-World Media has faced mounting economic and regulatory pressures that have forced us to make tough decisions about our future. Today, I must announce that, effective immediately, we are suspending operations of all W-World Media brands except for WNews and Digiima while we explore new partnerships, renegotiate existing contracts, and work to cut expenses.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly. However, the economic fallout of U.S. tariffs on Canada, coupled with the Trudeau government’s harmful regulatory policies, has created a business climate that is increasingly unsustainable for small and medium-sized enterprises like ours.
The Challenges We Face
The Canadian economy is struggling under the weight of broad and reckless policies that have made it more expensive to do business in this country. The Trudeau Liberal government’s failures are well-documented, but for media and tech companies like W-World Media, they have been particularly devastating:
- Bill C-11 (The Online Streaming Act) and Bill C-18 (The Online News Act) have effectively placed government gatekeepers over digital content and news, stifling competition, restricting content creators, and making it harder for independent media to thrive.
- The Digital Services Tax (DST) is yet another burden that discourages innovation and investment in the Canadian digital economy.
- Carbon taxes and out-of-control government spending have driven up costs across all industries, while runaway deficits and immigration-driven inflation have made life unaffordable for Canadians.
- The Canadian dollar has plunged by over six cents against the U.S. dollar in the past five months, increasing our costs significantly as most of our vendors bill in U.S. dollars.
This is not the economic environment in which a forward-thinking digital media company can thrive. Instead, it’s an environment where businesses are forced to downsize, relocate, or shut down altogether.
The Impact of New Tariffs
On March 4, 2025, US President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada, citing concerns over trade imbalances and border security. This move was met with immediate backlash from Canadian businesses and government officials. In retaliation, the Canadian government announced counter-tariffs of 25% on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods, with plans to expand these measures to an additional $125 billion in the coming weeks.
These escalating trade tensions are already having serious economic consequences:
- Prices on essential goods—including food, electronics, home appliances, and cars—are rising sharply.
- Manufacturing and export-dependent industries are being hit hard, leading to potential job losses and plant closures.
- Supply chain disruptions could worsen inflation, further straining both businesses and consumers.
For businesses like ours, these tariffs mean higher costs for imported equipment and services, further straining our financial resources. Combined with the already challenging regulatory environment, this makes it nearly impossible to operate under current conditions.
What Happens Next?
For now, W-World Media will continue to operate WNews and Digiima, but even these brands are not immune to the broader economic headwinds.
- Digiima clients can rest assured that their hosting services will remain active until at least the end of their current contract period. Our account managers will be in touch should anything change. We are still accepting new clients.
- WNews will continue providing news coverage under its current structure. However, W-World Media has financial arrangements specific to the w.news domain name. Should these arrangements fail, WNews may be transferred to a new domain, wne.ws, to maintain operations.
While the current situation necessitates the suspension of InnerCercle, W-World Ads, and KennedCast, these brands could resume operations if economic conditions improve or if W-World Media secures new investments or clients. The company remains open to discussions with potential investors and partners who align with its long-term vision
If conditions do not improve in the coming months, we will likely cease operations entirely by the end of 2025. We will announce our decision whether to wind down operations or specific operations.
Final Thoughts
Small businesses, digital startups, and independent media are the backbone of a healthy economy. Unfortunately, under the current Canadian government, these sectors are being suffocated. While we remain committed to finding solutions, we cannot ignore the reality that Canada is becoming an increasingly hostile place to do business.
We are grateful to all of our clients, partners, and supporters who have been with us on this journey. We will keep you updated on any further developments as we continue to assess our next steps.
“Small businesses and independent media have been left behind by this government’s policies, and the new tariffs only deepen the crisis,” Boland added. “We are fighting to survive, but we are also preparing for the possibility that we won’t be able to continue past this year.”
For now, we are fighting to survive, but we are also preparing for the worst.
Thank you for your continued support.
Eric Boland
CEO, W-World Media
