Put time limit on CanCon libraries to revitalize playlists, CRTC told

A talent manager is calling on the CRTC to establish time limits on what is considered Canadian content (CanCon) in order to refresh the playlists of Canadian radio stations. RoseAnna Schick of RAS Creative was speaking on the final day of the commission’s hearing into audio and Indigenous content on Monday, Sept. 29. “I’m here to propose the idea of putting a ‘time limit’ on CanCon songs that qualify towards the mandatory quota,” the Winnipeg resident told a CRTC panel. “Say, for example, 10 years. Which means that a song release in 2015 would remain ‘CanCon eligible’ until 2025. And a song released in 2020 will be eligible until 2030.” She complained that emerging artists are being shut out of consideration because radio stations persist in playing older, more established material. Her proposal would open the gates for newer songs to be considered. Under questioning from commissioners, she conceded that exceptions would have to be made for stations with classic rock and similar formats. “The original intent of CanCon was to ensure exposure for Canadian artists, to help foster a viable Canadian music industry, to protect and promote Canadian culture and to strengthen national identity,” Schick added. “Given the times we are currently living in, we need all of these things more than ever.” There was a call to bring streamers into alignment with radio regulations from l’alliance des radio communautaire du Canada. The group decried the influence of foreign companies on the audio sector. “Spotify, Apple and the others do not contribute to the development of our communities but our radio stations do,” director general Louis Béland stated. The organization called for the adoption of spoken word creations in the CanCon regime, simplification of the categories and greater emphasis on music and lyrics in the MAPL points. Currently, music must match two of four MAPL points to be deemed CanCon: Music (composed by a Canadian); Artist (must be Canadian); Performance (recorded in Canada); and Lyrics (written by a Canadian). The CRTC has proposed dropping the “P” portion of the system. Chris Byrnes of Byrnes Communications Inc. called for the lessening of rules within the regime. “Streamers are not regulated, and we do not believe they can be,” he stated. “The solution is to reduce the regulations on Canadian radio, so there is some equitability. You can see it in the annual returns, Canadian radio stations are in financial trouble and declining financial returns threaten future investment and innovation.” The Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) also called for an overhaul of the rules. It stressed the importance of profitability to air local news. “But outdated regulations drive down revenues and increase administrative costs,” past president Doug Bingley said. “They reduce independent radio’s ability to provide local news.” The OAB believes the current 35 per cent CanCon mandate is too high and drives listeners away from conventional radio stations. Torres Media Group, which owns radio stations in Ottawa, Uxbridge Ont., Georgina Ont., and Valleyfield Que., illustrated the way the radio market has collapsed in recent years. “In the application for the Ottawa station , Ottawa market radio revenue exceeded $70 million,” president Ed Torres offered. “In 2024, it’s a $41 million market, a decline of 40 per cent.” When Torres Media first applied for a licence, 368 people worked in Ottawa radio, the president reported. By last year that had fallen to 216 employees, a similar drop of 40 per cent. Jérôme Payette is director general of l' association des professionnels de l’édition musicale. He stressed three points in the group’s presentation to the commission. The current CanCon regime must be retained as is, he stated. Online streamers must continue to pay five per cent of their revenues towards the creation of Canadian music. Music created by artificial intelligence must never be permitted to qualify as CanCon, he added. Ross Davies is the head of radio consultancy firm The Davies Company. He made four recommendations to the panel. The artist should count for two MAPL points rather than one; lower the CanCon level from 35 per cent to 25 per cent; eliminate the emerging artist category across all formats; and revise the measurement window to 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 5 a.m. to midnight all week using a 30-day rolling period. Currently it stands at 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. There is no allowance for digressions on a daily basis. Spotify AB is one of the foreign streamers at issue in the proceeding. Xenia Manning is the director of global music policy for the Swedish streaming giant. She advised the commissioners to follow the money. She said Spotify pays about two-thirds of its music revenue back to rightsholders as royalties. She added that the company pays more in royalties to the Canadian music sector than what commercial radio pays in royalties and Canadian content development money combined. “Please don’t treat streaming like radio–because streaming is working for artists and working for users,” Manning implored. “Our message is simple: don’t confuse innovation with disruption. Don’t take the easy way out and regulate modern platforms with outdated tools. And don’t punish success with policies that try to fix what isn’t broken.” The panel will consider the evidence it heard over the five-day hearing and release a decision in the coming months. ppark@thewirereport.ca

Put time limit on CanCon libraries to revitalize playlists, CRTC told

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By Paul Park
|September 30, 2025

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