SOCAN on-hold music fees (2012–2019)

Summary#

This notice from the Copyright Board publishes the royalty rates that SOCAN can charge under SOCAN Tariff 15.B – Telephone Music on Hold (2012-2019). It sets per‑telephone-line fees for playing music to callers on hold and was published on November 8, 2025.

What it does#

• Sets the basic royalty: $94.51 for one trunk line, plus $2.09 for each additional trunk line.
• Explains that a “trunk line” means the telephone line that connects an establishment’s phone system to the public phone network and carries on‑hold music.
• Requires a payment and a report showing the number of trunk lines to be made no later than January 31 of each tariff year.
• Gives SOCAN the right to audit an establishment’s books and records (with reasonable notice, during normal business hours) to check the reported numbers and royalties.
• Says that if royalties are paid under Tariff 16, no fees are payable under Tariff 15 for the same use.
• States all amounts are exclusive of taxes or government levies.
• Sets interest on late payments at 1% above the Bank of Canada rate effective on the last day of the previous month; interest is calculated daily and does not compound.

Who's affected#

• Businesses and organizations that play music to callers while they are on hold and are not covered by Tariff 16.
• Phone system operators and whoever pays the phone/music service bills for an establishment.
• This tariff applies to the years 2012–2019, so affected parties may face charges for those past years.

Why it matters#

• Businesses that used on‑hold music during 2012–2019 could owe retroactive fees based on how many trunk lines they had.
• The fees are small per extra line, but they add up for organizations with many lines or multiple sites.
• The audit right means businesses should have and keep records showing how many trunk lines they operated.
• If an establishment already paid under Tariff 16, it should not be charged twice for the same use.