Radio Retransmission Tariff (2019–2023)

Summary#

This is the Radio Retransmission Tariff (2019-2023) published by the Copyright Board. It sets the yearly fees (royalties), reporting rules and record-keeping requirements for people and companies that retransmit distant radio signals (for the years 2019–2023), and specifies how those fees are split between four collective societies.

What it does#

• Sets simple yearly charges for retransmitting distant radio signals:
  • Small systems and certain unscreened transmitters pay a flat $12.50 per year.
  • All other retransmission systems pay 8¢ per premises per year.
• Offers discounts:
  • Systems in defined Francophone markets pay 50% of the normal rate for eligible premises or services.
  • Non-residential premises get lower rates: hospitals and schools 75% discount; hotels 40% discount.
• Divides each royalty payment among four collective societies:
  • CBRA 36.605%, CRRA 10.945%, FWS 3.68%, SOCAN 48.77%.
• Reporting, records and audits:
  • Retransmitters must report system details and counts as of December 31 each year, with reports due January 31 of the following year.
  • Records must be kept until December 31, 2029 and can be audited by collective societies.
• Payment and interest rules:
  • Late amounts accrue interest at a rate equal to 1% above the Bank Rate (calculated daily).
  • There is a transitional “settlement date” for refunds of overpayments set at January 26, 2025.
• Confidentiality and administrative details:
  • Collected information is generally kept confidential but can be shared with other societies, the Board, or used to distribute royalties.

Who's affected#

• Retransmitters: cable operators, direct-to-home satellite systems (DTH), multichannel multipoint distribution systems (MDS), Low Power Television stations (LPTV), master antenna TV systems (MATV), and any small retransmission systems that carry distant radio signals (systems serving up to 2,000 premises).
• Building operators and institutions that host service points: hotels, hospitals, schools and other properties that may be eligible for discounts.
• The collective societies named in the tariff: Canadian Broadcasters Rights Agency (CBRA), Canadian Retransmission Right Association (CRRA), FWS Joint Sports Claimants Inc. (FWS), and Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN).
• Radio listeners are affected indirectly if retransmitters change service packaging or fees; the source does not spell out any direct consumer price changes.

Why it matters#

• It determines the actual dollar cost for businesses and organizations that legally retransmit radio signals. That can affect small local systems much more than large providers because of the flat-fee threshold and the per-premises charge.
• The Francophone-market discount and the non-residential discounts can lower costs in French-speaking communities and in hospitals, schools and hotels.
• The tariff also requires annual reporting, record-keeping until December 31, 2029, and allows audits, which creates ongoing administrative work for retransmitters.
• The tariff covers 2019–2023 and includes transitional rules and a settlement date (January 26, 2025) for refunds of any overpayments. The Canada Gazette text does not explicitly state the exact legal effective date of every provision; the document should be consulted directly for formal deadlines and implementation details.