The Review of the Canadian Music Industry

In December 2013, the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage moved to undertake a Review of the Canadian Music Industry, as per Standing Order 108(2).

As per the standing order, the purposes of the review were the following:

  • inform Committee members of the details and impacts of the government support on Canadian music, as well as the creators and entrepreneurs who create and distribute music in Canada
  • determine how funding is allocated
  • and finally, establish whether the government support is meeting objectives laid out for it, and to make recommendations to the government on how it might strengthen support for Canadian music, and report its findings to the House.

The meetings began in early March 2014, with key industry players providing testimony on some of the challenges and opportunities they are facing. Originally expected to last for no more than 7 meetings, the Committee has extended its sessions to hear from a wide range of stakeholders, and is expected to table its report and recommendations by spring or summer 2014.

CIMA’'s Participation

On March 25, CIMA President Stuart Johnston and Chair Shauna de Cartier (Six Shooter Records) had the opportunity to represent the interests of the Canadian independent music industry to the Committee. Their statements were focused around the following:

  • Emphasized the economic impact of the independent music industry in Canada.
  • Articulated that access to capital is the number-one issue facing the small-businesses that discover and develop Canadian artists, arguing that governments are important partners in providing the necessary seed capital.
  • Discussed the need for ongoing support for marketing, production and promotion that is necessary to help the domestic, independent businesses companies with the larger multinationals.
  • Presented the argument that government needs to be a partner in enabling the independent music sector to access foreign markets, as well as to provide assistance in production and marketing
  • Shauna provided the story of Six Shooter Records as a case study in how government-funded initiatives, like FACTOR, are instrumental in creating sustainable Canadian-based infrastructure for a vibrant cultural industries sector in Canada.

Review of the Canadian Music Industry: Report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage – June 12, 2014

On June 12, 2014, the Standing Committee issued its recommendations, pursuant to its mandate via Standing Order 108(2). In total, the Committee held 14 meetings on the study where it heard from 82 witnesses and receiving 15 briefs – including testimony from CIMA (see above for more details).

The Committee’s report focuses on 5 key themes:

  • Digital distribution and streaming
  • Music education
  • Music tourism
  • Current funding –future investment
  • FACTOR/Musicaction

Click here for full-text of the report.

Want to Keep Track of the Proceedings? We Can Help!

Meeting 13: March 4, 2014

Witness: Jean-Francois Bernier & Sophie Couture, Department of Canadian Heritage

Resources: Transcript, Audio

Meeting 14: March 25, 2014

Witnesses:

Alain Lauzon, Society for Reproduction Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers in Canada

Victoria Shepherd, Connect Music Licensing

Brad Keenan & David Faber, Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, Recording Artists’ Collecting Society

Solange Drouin, Association quebecoise de l’industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la video

Stuart Johnston & Shauna De Cartier, Canadian Independent Music Association

Bob D’Eith, MusicBC

Resources: Transcript, Audio

Meeting 15: March 27, 2014

Witnesses:

Elizabeth Bihl & Jodie Ferneyhough, Canadian Music Publishers Association

Gilles Daigle, Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada

David Murphy, Professional Music Publishers’ Association

Herve Dery & Cecilia Muir, Library and Archives of Canada

Scott Hutton, Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission

Resources: Transcript , Audio

Meeting 16: April 1, 2014

Witnesses:

Natalie Bernardin & Benoit Henry, Alliance nationale de l’industrie musicale

Greg Johnston & Jean-Robert Bisaillon, Songwriters Association of Canada

Martin Smith, Gospel Music Association of Canada

Shawn Cooper, Volu.me

Andreanne Sasseville & Paul Cunningham, Sirius XM Canada

Vanessa Thomas, Songza

Resources: Transcipt, Audio

Meeting 17: April 8, 2014

Witnesses:

Alan Reid, MusiCounts, Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

As Individuals: Brett Kissel & Louis O’Reilly, O’Reilly International, Inc.

Ian MacKay, Re:Sound

Sebastien Nasra, Avalanche Productions and Sound Publishing

Richard Petit & Annie Morin, Artisti et Union Des Artistes

Resources: Transcript, Audio

Meeting 18: April 10, 2014

Witnesses:

Pierre-Daniel Rheault, Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec

Mark Tetrault, Canadian Federation of Musicians

Luc Fortin, Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Quebec

Mike Tanner, North by Northeast

Riley O’Connor & Ken Craig, Live Nation Canada

Patti-Anne Tarlton, Ticketmaster Canada

Resources: Transcript, Audio

Meeting 19: April 19, 2014

Witnesses:

Brian Hetherman, Cerberus Management & Consulting

Serge Sasseville & Christian Breton, Quebecor Media Inc.

Steve Jordan, Polaris Music Prize

Mark Monahan, RBC Ottawa Bluesfest

Greg Klassen, Canadian Tourism Commission

David F. Goldstein, Tourism Industry Association of Canada

Resources: Transcript, Audio

Meeting 20: May 1, 2014

Witnesses:

Dominique Jutras & Claude Fortier, Institut de la statistique du Quebec

Steven Kane, Warner Music Group

Simon Mortimer-Lamb, Nettwerk Music Group

Alain Chartrand, Coup de Coeur francophone

Francois Bissoondoyal & Rosaline Rico, L’Equipe Spectra

Resources: Transcripts, Audio

Meeting 21: May 6, 2014

Witnesses:

Zachary Leighton & Gregg Terrence, Canadian Independent Recording Artists’ Association

Andrew Mosker & Mary Kapusta, National Music Centre

Eric Albert & Mathieu Peloquin, Stingray Digital

Jason Kee, Google Canada

Justin Erdman, Deezer Canada

Resources: Transcripts, Audio

Meeting 22: May 8, 2014

Witnesses:

As Individuals: Jim Vallance, Paul Hoffert

Stephanie Moffatt & Mylene Fortier, Mo’Fat Management

Jean Surette & Richard Hornsby, Music NB

Stephen Carroll, Manitoba Music

 Resources: Transcripts, Audio

Meeting 23: May 13, 2014

Witnesses:

Susan Wheeler, Duncan McKie & Allison Outhit, FACTOR

Pierre Rodrigue & Louise Chenail, Fondation Musicaction

Francois Bissoondoyal & Louise Chenail, Fonds RadioStar

Graham Henderson, Music Canada

Sylvie Courtemanche, Chip Sutherland & Alan Doyle, Radio Starmaker Fund

Neill Dixon, Canadian Music Week

Resources: Transcripts (TBA), Audio

Meeting 24: May 15, 2014

Drafting Instructions for Analysts for the Report

Resources: Transcripts (TBA), Audio