Save Our Creative Community: Make Your Voice Heard

Currently, 35% of radio airtime for Popular Music formats in Canada is reserved for recordings that meet the criteria for definition as Canadian Content (popularly known as CanCon). Currently, a recording must embody a minimum of two of the following four elements:

M (music): the music is composed entirely by a Canadian
A (artist): the music is, or the lyrics are, performed principally by a Canadian
P (performance): the musical selection consists of a live performance that is recorded wholly in Canada, or performed wholly in Canada and broadcast live in Canada
L (lyrics): the lyrics are written entirely by a Canadian

This is commonly referred to as the “Maple System” (MAPL). With multiple writers, if the majority of the combined writing credits are Canadian, it qualifies.

The Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) is the regulatory agency responsible for administering broadcast regulations like this one. They are currently reviewing a proposal to eliminate the “P” in the MAPL system. Under this scenario, recordings would have to meet two of the remaining three criteria elements to be acceptable as CanCon.

CMAOntario’s position is that this would have a negative impact on jobs, businesses and creative options, among them:

• A reduction to the incentive to employ Canadian Producers, Recording Studios, Recording Engineers and Session Musicians, additionally impacting the supply chains for all of the above and diverting revenue from the domestic economy.
• An eligibility elimination of songs co-written by a Canadian and two or more non-Canadians.
• An eligibility elimination of a Canadian artist recording a non-Canadian song.

The CRTC is accepting feedback on this proposal and if the above is important to you and the music business people you care about, you need to express your opinion as soon as possible. Additionally, we all need to share this information with our colleagues so that we are aware, not just as individuals, but as a vital and necessary creative and economically productive community.

Please join with us by sending your opinion to the CRTC. Feel free to use any of the above as part of your message, or if you prefer, use your own wording, but remember to refer to the above impact points for your message to be taken seriously. Please include a reference to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332

Direct your comments to Claude Doucet, CRTC secretary-general, by clicking HERE.

To read the CRTC Policy proposal, positioning and analysis, follow this link and scroll to Item #162:
Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332

To read more about the MAPL system, click HERE.