SOCAN Tariff for Concerts at Fairs

Summary#

The Copyright Board published SOCAN Tariff 5.B – Concerts at Exhibitions and Fairs (2022-2027) on December 13, 2025. It sets a royalty of 3% on concert ticket sales at exhibitions and fairs and spells out payment, audit, tax, and interest rules.

What it does#

• Sets the royalty rate at 3% of gross receipts from concert ticket sales for the period 2022–2027.
• If a concert ticket also grants access to the fair or exhibition grounds, the adult general grounds admission price is deducted from the ticket to get the net ticket price used to calculate the royalty.
• Royalties are calculated on a per-concert basis and must be paid within 30 days after the exhibition’s or fair’s closing.
• Gives SOCAN the right to audit a user’s books and records on reasonable notice during normal business hours to verify payments.
• States that amounts payable are exclusive of taxes.
• Late payments accrue interest daily at a rate equal to 1% above the Bank Rate published by the Bank of Canada on the last day of the previous month; interest does not compound.

Who's affected#

• Organizers and operators of exhibitions and fairs that host concerts, including ticket sellers and promoters.
• Event companies and venues that run standalone concerts inside fairs or exhibitions.
• SOCAN, as the music rights society collecting the royalties.
• It is unclear from the notice how this directly affects individual performers or third-party service providers; the tariff targets the event “users” who pay royalties.

Why it matters#

• Organizers may face higher costs or need to adjust ticket prices because of the 3% royalty on ticket sales.
• Smaller fairs and community events could be more sensitive to the added fee and to the administrative requirements (payments, audits, interest on late payments).
• The audit and interest rules create compliance and cash-flow considerations for event organizers.
• Anyone planning concerts at exhibitions or fairs should be aware of these rules when budgeting, pricing tickets, or negotiating contracts.