Commercial Radio Reproduction Tariff 2024–2026

Summary#

This is the text of the Commercial Radio Reproduction Tariff (2024-2026) published by the Copyright Board on July 8, 2023. It sets the monthly royalty rules and reporting duties for Canadian commercial radio stations that reproduce music, sound recordings or performers’ performances on over‑the‑air broadcasts and simulcasts.

What it does#

• Sets monthly royalty rates that stations must pay to four collective societies: CMRRA, SOCAN, Connect/SOPROQ and Artisti. Rates vary by:
  • whether a station is a low‑use station (uses music less than 20% of broadcast time in the reference month) or not;
  • whether a station is a French‑language station (there is a Schedule listing many French stations);
  • tiers of station revenue: rates apply separately to the first $625,000, the next $625,000, and the rest of annual gross income.
• Gives percentage rates (examples):
  • For a non‑low‑use, non‑French station, CMRRA’s rate on the first $625,000 is 0.1989%; on later tiers it rises (other society rates are listed similarly in the tariff).
• Requires monthly reporting and payment:
  • Stations must report gross income for the reference month and pay royalties no later than the first day of each month.
  • Stations must report detailed, day‑by‑day lists of all music and recordings broadcast (full music‑use reporting for 365 days per year).
  • For simulcasts, stations must report simulcast income and audience indicators (listeners and listening hours when available).
• Record‑keeping and audits:
  • Stations must keep short‑term broadcast records for 6 months and financial records for 6 years.
  • Collective societies may audit those records. If an audit finds royalties were understated by more than 10%, the station must pay the audit costs within 30 days.
• Confidentiality and other rules:
  • Information supplied by stations is treated as confidential, with specified exceptions (sharing among societies, legal requirements, royalty distribution, Board proceedings, etc.).
  • Late payments incur interest calculated daily at a rate equal to 1% above the Bank Rate (no compounding).

Who's affected#

• Primarily commercial radio stations across Canada, including many stations identified as French‑language in the tariff’s Schedule A.
• The four collective societies named above: CMRRA, SOCAN, Connect/SOPROQ and Artisti. The tariff also references Re:Sound in relation to audits and royalty distribution.
• Station owners, managers and accounting staff who handle licensing, reporting and payments.
• Smaller or niche stations may be affected differently if they qualify as low‑use.

If anything about who is affected is unclear from the tariff text (for example, the full list of French‑language stations and exact boundaries for networked broadcasts), the tariff itself is the authoritative source.

Why it matters#

• Money: the tariff determines how much radio stations must pay each month for the right to play music and recorded performances. Even small percentage points can add up for stations with higher revenue.
• Workload: stations must produce detailed daily playlists and keep records for audits. That can increase administrative work and costs, especially for smaller stations.
• Risk: failure to report correctly can trigger audits and extra costs (including audit fees if underreporting exceeds 10%).
• Simulcasts: online streaming of an over‑the‑air program (simulcast) is expressly covered, so stations streaming their signal online need to report and may owe additional royalties.