Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the decision to shut down TikTok’s Canadian arm was based on “information and evidence” amassed by the government during a national security review launched last year.Photo by Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press/File

TikTok Canada offices ordered closed over 'national security risks,' but app still permitted

Despite the risks, the innovation minister said 'the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content'

by · National Post

OTTAWA – The federal government has ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian arm over security concerns, a move it says won’t affect Canadians’ access to the viral video app that security agencies say can be used by China to spy on users.

In a statement Wednesday, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that the government had issued an order to TikTok Technology Canada to “wind up” its business in light of the “national security risks” linked to the app and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

Ottawa secretly ordered national security review of TikTokOTTAWA — The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of popular video app TikTok in September 2023 but did not disclose it publicly.Anja Karadeglija, 14 Mar 2024TikTok tells MPs it wouldn’t share Canadian data with Chinese governmentOTTAWA — MPs at the House of Commons privacy committee grilled executives from social media video platform TikTok over the company’s links to the Chinese government Wednesday.Anja Karadeglija, 19 Oct 2023