Commercial Radio Reproduction Tariff 2027–2029

Summary#

This Canada Gazette notice publishes the Commercial Radio Reproduction Tariff (2027-2029) from the Copyright Board on July 11, 2026. It lays out the monthly royalty rates and the reporting, record‑keeping and audit rules that commercial radio stations must follow when they reproduce music, sound recordings and performers’ performances — including over‑the‑air broadcasts and simulcasts.

What it does#

• Sets who must pay and for what:
  • Commercial radio stations pay royalties to the music rights organizations for on‑air use of musical works, published sound recordings and performer performances. The tariff covers both over‑the‑air broadcasting and certain simulcasts.
  • The rules refer to the Copyright Act for authority.
• Splits stations into categories that affect rates:
  • A low‑use station is one that plays musical works or recordings for less than 20% of its broadcast time (reference month). Different rates apply to low‑use vs non‑low‑use stations.
  • Stations licensed as French‑language stations have different (usually lower) rates for some parts of the tariff.
• Gives the royalty rate structure by income brackets:
  • Rates are charged on a station’s gross income in a year across three brackets: on the first $625,000, on the next $625,000, and on the rest.
  • Examples (percentages the station pays on gross income in each bracket):
    • Low‑use, non‑French stations — first $625,000: 0.0882% (CMRRA), 0.0018% (SOCAN), 0.089% (CONNECT/Panorama), 0.002% (Artisti).
    • Low‑use, French stations — first $625,000: 0.0495% (CMRRA), 0.0405% (SOCAN), 0.089% (CONNECT/Panorama), 0.002% (Artisti).
    • Non‑low‑use, non‑French stations — rest of income: 0.8095% (CMRRA), 0.0165% (SOCAN), 0.822% (CONNECT/Panorama), 0.017% (Artisti).
    • Non‑low‑use, French stations — rest of income: 0.4543% (CMRRA), 0.3717% (SOCAN), 0.822% (CONNECT/Panorama), 0.017% (Artisti).
  • (The tariff lists full percentage rates for each bracket and each society.)
• Reporting and payment timing:
  • Stations must pay royalties and report gross income and other required data no later than the first day of each month.
  • Stations must report simulcast income and, where available, listener numbers or listening hours.
  • Stations must provide daily, sequential lists of all music and recordings played — the tariff says this requires full music reporting for 365 days per year.
• Metadata and record details required:
  • For each track played, stations must provide, where available, items like title, artist, album, track number, label, author/composer, duration, UPC, ISRC, and cue sheets for syndicated content.
  • These lists should be delivered in electronic format (e.g., Excel) with separate fields for each piece of information.
• Record retention, audits, and costs:
  • Stations must keep broadcast details available for 6 months and keep gross‑income records for 6 years.
  • The societies (and Re:Sound) can audit those records. If an audit finds royalties understated by more than 10%, the station must pay the reasonable audit costs within 30 days.
• Confidentiality and sharing:
  • Information submitted is generally treated as confidential but may be shared among the societies, with the Copyright Board, with service providers (subject to confidentiality agreements), with royalty claimants for distribution purposes, or if required by law.
• Other practical rules:
  • Royalties are exclusive of taxes and levies.
  • Late payments accrue interest daily at a rate equal to 1% above the Bank Rate (interest does not compound).
  • Addresses and delivery methods for notices and payments to each society (e.g., CMRRA, SOCAN, CONNECT, Panorama, Artisti) are listed in the notice.

Who's affected#

• Primarily commercial radio station owners and operators in Canada — both large and small stations, including those that stream an over‑the‑air signal as a simulcast online.
• Stations licensed to broadcast in French (or as ethnic stations) — because they have separate rate tables.
• The listed collective societies: CMRRA, SOCAN, CONNECT/Panorama, and Artisti — they receive the royalties and handle reporting/audits.
• Service providers used by the societies for audits or royalty distribution, and rights holders who receive royalties.
• It is not fully clear from the notice if any other classes of broadcasters (e.g., community or campus stations) are treated differently; the tariff text focuses on “commercial radio stations.”

Why it matters#

• Budget and cash flow: Stations must plan monthly payments based on their gross income. The percentage rates and the $625,000 income brackets determine how much a station will owe.
• Administrative burden: Stations need systems to capture and deliver detailed daily metadata (titles, ISRC, UPC, timings, cue sheets) and to retain records for audits. Smaller stations may need new processes or tools to comply.
• Audit risk and penalties: Societies can audit records for up to 6 years of income; understatements of more than 10% can lead to audit cost liabilities and interest on late payments.
• Impact on programming and streaming: The tariff covers simulcasts and requires simulcast reporting, so stations that stream their broadcast online must include that income and listener indicators in their reports.
• Differences for French‑language stations: Separate rate tables mean the financial effect will differ by station language licence, which could influence budgets and pricing decisions.