Today the CRTC issued updated Canadian Content definitions and criteria, upholding the important recognition of screen composers as key creators in the Canadian content framework.

The Commission clearly heard the concerns raised by SCGC (and hundreds of its members) over its preliminary view that music rights holders could potentially be considered on the same footing as screen composers within the framework used to define Canadian programs.

As Canada’s national association representing professional Anglophone composers for film, television, and AV media, we are grateful for the Commission’s renewed acknowledgment of the vital role that screen composers play in defining and enriching our cultural identity, and are pleased to see the determined engagement of Canadian and Indigenous screen composers across the country delivering this positive result.

As SCGC President John Rowley notes:

“We are particularly grateful that the CRTC’s proposal retains the current treatment of the ‘music composer point’, acknowledging composers as key creators in the Canadian content certification system. This respects the principle that Canadian-authored music is an essential part of genuinely Canadian audiovisual works.

I especially want to thank the hundreds of SCGC members who provided personal and professional feedback to the CRTC on this proposal. Today’s decision underlines the power of constructive engagement between key creators and the regulator.”

In the decision, the CRTC states that “Supporting the inclusion of Canadian Music Composers and existing Canadian music in the certification framework recognizes the role of key Canadian creators… In the Commission’s view, hiring Canadian Music Composers for Canadian programs remains important. Maintaining a point for Canadian Music Composers would continue to support the policy objectives of promoting Canadian artistic and cultural expression.”

Under the updated framework:

• To be awarded the music composer point, the production must engage a Canadian screen composer.
• For productions which do not use a screen composer, or which use a Canadian screen composer, use of 50% or greater of pre-existing Canadian music by a production may be used to achieve a bonus certification point, provided that the music used toward the achievement of the point meets Commission’s certification criteria for “Canadian Musical Selections” (currently the MAPL criteria).
• Importantly, productions which engage a non-Canadian composer are not eligible to receive any music-related certification points.

SCGC wishes to gratefully acknowledge the dedicated advocacy of Société professionnelle des auteurs, compositeurs du Québec et des artistes entrepreneurs (SPACQ-AE) and its members, SOCAN, and our fellow Canadian music organizations in ACCORD. SCGC is also truly grateful for the support for our members expressed by many other Canadian stakeholders throughout the regulatory process.

SCGC looks forward to continuing dialogue with the CRTC, Canada’s media producers, broadcasters, and other stakeholders to ensure that screen composers remain fairly recognized and remunerated. SCGC remains committed to advocating for a sustainable and equitable future for music creators in Canada, and we welcome the CRTC’s responsiveness to our community’s insights.