If you’re outside Canada, have been watching CBC Gem with a VPN, and it’s stopped working. The CBC has blocked your VPN and its IP addresses.
This is frustrating, but don’t panic. There are several fixes you can try to resolve this issue.
This article will show you how to fix CBC Gem not working with VPN and if you read to the bottom of the article, it’ll explain how you can stop this from happening in the future.
See also:
- VRV not working with VPN? (July 2021) Try these EASY fixes!
- Crave not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes! (July 2021)
- Crackle not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes (Updated July 2021)
CBC Gem not working with VPN: Fixes
Total Time: 2 minutes
Delete Cookies
Cookies are small files designed to make your online experience more streamlined. Websites and apps use them for many reasons. They may prevent you from having to log in when revisiting a website, or they might store your bank details.
Don’t worry. They’re not malicious files. However, to make your online experience better, Cookies can contain information about your location.
It’s possible the CBC can access this information to find out if you’re watching its content outside Canada. If you are, it will block your connection, and you’ll no longer be able to watch CBC Gem with your VPN.
A good place to start when trying to fix Binge not working with your VPN is deleting your cookies.
Change to a different Canadian server
Your VPN isn’t working with CBC Gem because the streaming service has been able to identify and block the IP address you’re VPN has given you.
This doesn’t mean that the CBC has blocked all of the IP addresses that your VPN can provide.
Changing to a different Canadian server will give you a different IP address. And if the CBC hasn’t blocked this IP, it will fix CBC Gem not working with VPN.
Upgrade to a better VPN
If the first two steps didn’t fix CBC Gem not working with your VPN, all of the IP addresses your VPN can provide have been blocked.
You can wait for your VPN to release more IP addresses that haven’t been blocked, but there’s no telling how long that will take.
Also, seeing as the CBC has been able to block all of your VPN’s IP addresses already, it’ll only be a matter of time before the new ones are blocked as well. This is because your VPN doesn’t have measures in place to stay ahead of the CBC’s blocks, and inevitably the new IP addresses will get blocked as well.
The best way to get around this issue is to upgrade to a VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month). ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) has fast servers all over the world, and most importantly, it has measures in place that will stop all of its IP addresses from being blocked by CBC Gem.
On the off chance your IP address is blocked by the streaming service, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) closes that IP address and opens a new one ensuring you can use the VPN to watch CBC Gem reliably wherever you are.
This will stop you from running into the same problems you’re coming across with your current VPN.
How does the CBC block my VPN?
The CBC blocks VPNs by monitoring for an abnormal amount of connections coming from the same IP address. Usually, only a household of devices (8-10) uses the same IP address.
This is an issue for VPNs because they need to have more customers than IP addresses in order for them to be profitable. Free VPNs struggle to get around this issue because they have a lot more customers than IP addresses.
Because of this business model, VPN customers are often forced to share IPs. When CBC sees hundreds or thousands of connections coming from the same IP address, it deems this as an abnormal amount of connections. It knows this is an IP that a VPN has provided, and it blocks it.
Why does the CBC block VPNs?
The CBC blocks VPNs to protect itself from potential copyright and licensing issues.
The CBC is a Canadian streaming service that only has the rights to broadcast its content in Canada.
If the CBC broadcast its content outside of Canada, it would breach the copyright and licensing agreements that it has with its content partners, resulting in significant financial punishments.
Because VPNs are a well-known way to watch CBC Gem outside Canada, they could cause these licensing breaches. And to protect itself from this happening, CBC Gem tries to block VPN connections from accessing its content.

Does CBC Gem still work with VPNs?
Yes, it does still work with a VPN; however, you need a VPN that is compatible with the service.
You need a VPN with a large number of IP addresses, reliable Canadian servers, and measures in place to stay one step ahead of CBC’s VPN blocking measures.
ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.49/month) are VPNs that meet all of these criteria.
Both of these VPNs have a lot of IP addresses, so you have less chance of sharing an IP with another customer. They have fast Canadian servers, and most importantly, they can stay one step ahead of the CBC.
On some occasions, even ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.49/month) can have their IP addresses blocked by CBC. However, it’s not an issue for you, the customer, because they react in a way that allows you to watch CBC Gem anywhere in the world reliably.
When ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or NordVPN ($3.49/month) has an IP address blocked by the CBC, they close that IP and open a new one. This prevents you from running into the issues you’re coming across with your current VPN.
The best VPNs to watch CBC Gem
1. ExpressVPN
The fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2022

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Expensive
SPECIAL OFFER – 3-MONTHS FREE!
2. NordVPN
A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Pro
- Fast servers
- No logs
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 6-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
SPECIAL OFFER – $3.49/month
3. Ivacy
The great low-cost VPN option

Pros
- Fast servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- Dedicated streaming servers
- 5-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 5 devices
- Sometimes runs slow
- Occasionally blocked by streaming sites
SPECIAL OFFER: 7-DAY TRIAL ($0.99)
4. Private Internet Access
The BEST mid-range VPN for streaming!
Pros
- Fast and reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 10-simultaneous connections
- 24/7 Live Chat
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Only 48 server locations
SPECIAL OFFER – SAVE 82%!
30-day money-back guarantee
5. CyberGhost

Pros
- 1-day free trial
- Reliable servers
- Thousands of IP addresses
- 7-simultaneous connections
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easy-to-use app
Cons
- Expensive
- Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
30-day money-back guarantee