Policies, Licenses & Links

For resources related to getting copyright permission or for finding works in the public domain/licensed through the Creative Commons, go to the resources section of the Copyright and Teaching guide.

University Policies & Resources

Canadian Copyright Law

Copyright Agencies, Collectives & Performing Rights Societies

Canada

  • Access Copyright: The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency
    "Access Copyright, The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency [formerly known as CANCOPY], is a not-for-profit agency established in 1988 by publishers and creators to license public access to copyright works. The agency now represents a vast international repertoire along with more than 5,100 Canadian writers, photographers, illustrators and 450 newspaper, book and magazine publishers. " -- cf. Access Copyright website.  
  • Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)
    This federal agency (part of Industry Canada) is responsible for "administering the intellectual property systems in Canada (patents, trade-marks, copyrights, industrial designs and integrated circuit topographies)." -- cf. CIPO website.
  • The Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency Limited (CMRRA)
    "[N]on-profit music licensing agency, which represents the vast majority of music copyright owners (usually called music publishers) doing business in Canada. On their behalf, CMRRA issues licenses to users of the reproduction right in copyrighted music. These licenses authorize the reproduction of music in CD's and cassettes (usually called 'mechanical licensing') and in films, television programs and other audio-visual productions ('synchronization licensing')." -- cf. CMRRA website.
  • Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC)
    "[T]he non-profit agency charged with collecting and distributing private copying royalties. Established in 1999, CPCC is an umbrella organization that represents songwriters, recording artists, music publishers and record companies. These are the groups on whose behalf the royalties are collected. CPCC is not an arm of government. Enforcement of the private copying tariff and advocacy, including representing copyright holders before the Copyright Board, which decides the tariff, are other important functions of CPCC." -- cf. CPCC website.
  • Copyright Board of Canada
    "[A]n economic regulatory body empowered to establish, either mandatorily or at the request of an interested party, the royalties to be paid for the use of copyrighted works, when the administration of such copyright is entrusted to a collective-administration society. The Board also has the right to supervise agreements between users and licensing bodies and issues licences when the copyright owner cannot be located." -- cf. Copyright Board Canada website.
  • Playwrights Guild of Canada (PGC)
    A "national association, which represents the interests of professional playwrights and promotes their work nationally and internationally." -- cf. PGC website.
  • Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC)
    A "nation-wide non-profit organization" that reflects "the broader professional interests of approximately 600 members across the country." -- cf. PWAC website.
  • Société québécoise de gestion collective des droits de reproduction (COPIBEC)
    "Copibec’s principal duty is the management of the rightholders’s rights from whom Copibec was granted a mandate for the special purpose of authorising the usage of their copyright-protected works within Québec." -- cf. COPIBEC website.
  • Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)
    "SOCAN is a Canadian copyright collective for musical works, ... We protect the performing rights of our members (composers, lyricists, songwriters and publishers) and members of our international affiliated societies by licensing music users and paying royalties to our members and affiliated societies for the public performances of their copyright-protected works." -- cf. SOCAN website.
  • Additional Copyright Collectives (as listed by Copyright Board Canada)

Foreign & International

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