SOCAN Tariff for Non‑Commercial Radio (2022–2027)

Summary#

The Copyright Board published SOCAN Tariff 1.B (2022-2027) on August 23, 2025. It sets a royalty that non-commercial AM, FM and Internet-only radio stations (other than the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) must pay to play music from SOCAN’s repertoire: 1.9% of the station’s gross operating costs for each year in 2022-2027.

What it does#

• Sets the royalty rate at 1.9% of a station’s gross operating costs for the years 2022-2027. Gross operating costs explicitly include a station’s internet operating costs.
• Applies when a non-commercial radio station communicates SOCAN‑repertoire music to the public over the air or over the Internet.
• Requires stations to pay an estimated royalty and provide a report of the previous year’s costs no later than January 31 of each covered year. Payments are adjusted later if actual costs differ.
• If a station broadcasts for less than a full year, it must apply to operate under the tariff by the end of its first month on a SOCAN form and pay estimated royalties then.
• Clarifies that “non-commercial” includes any non‑profit or not‑for‑profit station, even if some operating money comes from advertising.
• Excludes music used in the transmission of a pay audio signal by a distribution undertaking.
• Gives SOCAN the right to audit a user’s books and records on reasonable notice during normal business hours.
• States that amounts are before taxes and that late payments incur interest calculated daily at 1% above the Bank Rate (as published by the Bank of Canada) with no compounding.

Who's affected#

• Non‑commercial AM, FM and Internet‑only radio stations in Canada that are not part of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. This includes community radio, campus radio, campus‑community stations, and non‑profit internet stations.
• SOCAN, which collects the royalties under the tariff.
• The notice does not directly name other groups, but small stations, station managers and boards, and funders/donors are the people most likely to notice the change.

Why it matters#

• Stations will need to budget for a recurring cost equal to 1.9% of their reported operating costs each year in 2022-2027 and meet the reporting and payment deadlines.
• Including internet operating costs means streaming and web services count toward the base used to calculate fees.
• The audit provision and interest on late payments add administrative and financial risks for stations that fall behind on reporting or payments.
• For small or volunteer-run stations, this can affect programming choices, fundraising needs, and how they manage accounting and compliance.