December 18, 2018, Toronto: Music Canada is pleased to see that reforms to the Copyright Board of Canada were made official as the Government of Canada’s Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, (Bill C-86) received Royal Assent. The changes will make the Board’s processes faster, more efficient, and more predictable.

“On behalf of our members, Music Canada extends our thanks to the Hon. Minister Navdeep Bains and the Hon. Pablo Rodriguez for their vision in leading the Copyright Board reform process, from the consultations last year through to Royal Assent,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada. “By modernizing the Copyright Board, the Government is creating a more efficient regulatory environment which will support a royalty rate-setting process that better reflects the true value of music.”

When the reforms come into force in April 2019, they will address a long-held concern of the music sector. The Copyright Board plays a vital role in relation to Canada’s music community by setting rates that directly impact the value of music and the amount that artists and labels receive for their investment. Music Canada has been a lead advocate for full and meaningful reform of the Copyright Board.

“Everyone that works a job likes to be paid fairly and the changes made are a huge step for all of us that make music for a living. I applaud the government for taking action on this,” says Gord Bamford, one of the most decorated artists in Canadian country music with an impressive 24 Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) awards and multiple JUNO nominations.

Music Canada looks forward to working with the government to support the implementation of these changes as the reforms come into force.

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For more information:
Quentin Burgess, Music Canada
qburgess@musiccanada.com
+1 (647) 981-8410

About Music Canada
Music Canada is a non-profit trade organization that represents the major record companies in Canada:  Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Universal Music Canada and Warner Music Canada. Music Canada also works with some of the leading independent record labels and distributors, recording studios, live music venues, concert promoters, managers and artists in the promotion and development of the music cluster.