OTTAWA — A federal court has overturned a Liberal government order to shut down TikTok Canada’s business operations, ordering Industry Minister Mélanie Joly to take another look at the app that more than 14 million Canadians use.
On Wednesday, a federal court judge quashed the Liberal government’s order that would have shuttered the tech company’s Canadian offices over national security concerns.
The order to shut down TikTok Canada has been set aside, effective immediately.
“We welcome the decision to set aside the order to shut down TikTok Canada, and look forward to working with the Minister towards a resolution that’s in the best interest of the more than 14 million Canadians using TikTok,” said Danielle Morgan, a spokesperson for TikTok Canada. “Keeping TikTok’s Canadian team in place will enable a path forward that continues to support millions of dollars of investment in Canada and hundreds of local jobs.”
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Liberal government ordered TikTok to wind up its business operations in Canada in 2024 under then-Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.
TikTok Canada challenged the decision in court. Canada, along with other Western governments, has expressed concerns the Beijing-based company, ByteDance, which currently owns TikTok, could put sensitive data in the hands of China’s government or be used as a misinformation tool. Chinese law says the government in Beijing can order companies to help it gather intelligence.
The windup would not have banned the app in Canada, but would have led to hundreds of job losses and investments. TikTok Canada says it’s committed to engaging with the government to reach a resolution that they say is in the best interest of Canadians.
The Prime Minister’s Office would not say if Carney raised concerns about the popular video app when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping last week.