On August 9, the federal government launched consultations on reforming the Copyright Board of Canada. The goal of Copyright Board reform, according to the government release, is to “enable creators to get paid properly and on time,” and to “create new business opportunities in the current fast-moving economic environment.” The release also states that getting the Copyright Board system right would mean “more money for creators and users and less money being spent on legal fees.”

The announcement was made by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The Copyright Board is an economic regulatory board empowered to establish royalties paid for the use of copyrighted works, when the administration of these copyrights is entrusted to a collective administrative society.  Royalty rates established by the Board include the reproduction of musical works, educational and private copying, public performance of music, and other rights that are vital to creators’ livelihoods.

“The Government of Canada recognizes the invaluable contribution of Canadian creators to our economy and society and is committed to ensuring fair remuneration for artists,” said Minister Joly. “Through these consultations, we seek concrete improvements to the Copyright Board that enable creators to efficiently access new, diverse and stable streams of revenue. I invite anyone concerned with these issues to engage in this important consultation.”

The announcement has been applauded by several Canadian creative industry associations, including Focus On Creators supporting partners.

“Music Canada applauds Minister Bains and Minister Joly for beginning these consultations on Copyright Board reform,” said Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada. “The time is right to modernize the Board, which will better support music creators and advance Canada’s innovation agenda. A more efficient and predictable regulatory environment will help spur growth for Canada’s cultural industries and the creative class.”

“The operation and resulting decisions of the Board are crucial to the development and growth of the music publishing industry in Canada”, said Canadian Music Publishers Association Executive Director Margaret McGuffin. “The Canadian Music Publishers Association has long agreed with the need to make the Board’s tariff-setting process as efficient and effective as possible, especially at a time of profound change in the digital world.”

“CIMA is encouraged to see the government taking action,” stated the Canadian Independent Music Association in a release. “CIMA has advocated for the Copyright Board to become more nimble and anticipatory, and render decisions in a timely manner. We advocated for changes that would ensure that the Copyright Board of Canada be optimally configured and provided with adequate resources in order to render fair and equitable tariff decisions in a timely manner – a process that is more closely aligned with ever-evolving technology and the planning cycle of the Canadian music industry.”

“We fully agree with the need to improve the Copyright Board’s efficiency and transparency. We believe that this undertaking will benefit all of its stakeholders,” said SOCAN’s CEO, Eric Baptiste.

“Access Copyright has long supported the need to ensure that the Copyright Board’s tariff setting process operates in a timely and efficient manner,” said Roanie Levy, CEO & President of Access Copyright. “This consultation provides a welcome opportunity to pursue meaningful reform that will promote the expedient approval of certified tariffs and also encourage users to comply with those same tariffs.”

“Canada’s professional authors support any review of the Copyright Board that modernizes and makes more efficient the protection of creator rights in an innovative market,” said John Degen, Executive Director of The Writers’ Union of Canada. “We look forward to advancements in the enforceability of Board decisions, and we commend Ministers Joly and Bains for launching this process.”

The consultation will run until September 29^th. To take part in the consultation, interested parties can share their views by emailing CBconsultations@canada.ca.