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SOCAN and ACCORD (an umbrella collective of Canadian music organizations, of which SOCAN is a member) continued to advocate for Canada’s songwriters, composers, and music publishers before the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission), during a public hearing on Sept. 25, 2025, regarding the future of Canadian and Indigenous audio content.
As a reminder, the CRTC has made a decision imposing a five percent contribution requirement toward the creation of new Canadian music on streaming services that make $25 million or more in annual revenues (and are not affiliated with a Canadian broadcaster). Subsequent CRTC consultations are examining how to support the discoverability of Canadian, French-language, and Indigenous audio content on online audio services.
Data from SOCAN, supported by independent studies from the submissions of other participants, shows that Canadian music currently has a low market share of streams on online audio services. That is, only about 10 percent of music streamed online in Canada is Canadian. As in our submissions made earlier this year, on Sept. 25, SOCAN and ACCORD once again supported greater promotion and recommendation of Canadian music from online music streaming services to Canadian audiences, which will hopefully lead to more streams. SOCAN’s position is that more streams of Canadian music will lead to better support of the Canadian cultural community, and establish the next generation of Canadian songwriters and composers.
SOCAN and ACCORD support the CRTC’s regulatory structure for traditional radio broadcasters, citing the positive and measurable impact these regulations have had for the Canadian music industry. In looking at ways to modernize the regulatory framework for all broadcasters, the CRTC has suggested a new definition for Canadian music called “MAL”(Music, Artist and Lyrics) that recognizes the importance of Canadian songwriters and composers.
SOCAN and ACCORD have also suggested that the CRTC seek further information from the online audio services as to what promotion and recommendation measures they currently use, to understand what will be effective for showcasing Canadian music, and to ensure these obligations are tailored and appropriate to each type of service.