Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 160, Number 22: SUPPLEMENT 2

May 30, 2026

SUPPLEMENT 2 Vol. 160, No. 22

Canada Gazette

Part I

OTTAWA, Saturday, May 30, 2026

COPYRIGHT BOARD

CBRA Non-Commercial Media Monitoring Tariff (2027-2029)

Published pursuant to section 70.1 of the Copyright Act

Lara Taylor
Secretary General
1‑833‑860‑7131 (toll-free number)
1‑833‑369‑0396 (TTY)
registry-greffe@cb-cda.gc.ca (email)

CBRA Non-Commercial Media Monitoring Tariff (2027-2029)

Definitions

1. In this tariff,

“CBRA broadcaster”
means anyone that has authorized the CBRA to collect royalties from monitors on its behalf for the fixation or reproduction of programs or communication signals; (« radiodiffuseur de la CBRA »)
“CBRA item”
means an excerpt, monitoring note, summary note or transcript of a CBRA program; (« produit CBRA »)
“CBRA program”
means a program in which copyright is owned or controlled by a CBRA broadcaster, whether or not the program is embedded in a CBRA signal; (« émission de la CBRA »)
“CBRA-related monitoring costs”
means the monitor’s gross costs for the monitoring, fixation, reproduction, use or provision of any CBRA program, CBRA signal or CBRA item, as well as for any research or activity that relates to any such program, signal or item. Those costs include, without limitation, (i) salaries and wages of all staff and managers, (ii) operating expenses, including equipment, leases, rent, office supplies, software leases or licences and telephone and network charges, and (iii) capital expenditures, including computers, video recorders and other equipment. They exclude applicable taxes, actual out-of-pocket cost for recording media, their labelling and delivery charges, and any amount paid by the monitor to a commercial media monitor acting pursuant to a licence from the CBRA for any CBRA item; (« dépenses de veille CBRA »)
“CBRA signal”
means a communication signal broadcast by a CBRA broadcaster; (« signal CBRA »)
“communication signal”
has the meaning attributed to it in section 2 of the Copyright Act, which reads:
  • “ ‘communication signal’ means radio waves transmitted through space without any artificial guide, for reception by the public.”
This includes the signal of a conventional or specialty service; (« signal de communication »)
“excerpt”
means an excerpt of a program; (« extrait »)
“government” means
  • (a) His Majesty in right of Canada as represented by all “departments” as defined in the Financial Administration Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. F-11 (as amended) [including, without limitation, all branches or divisions of the public service of Canada named in Schedule I of the Financial Administration Act and all corporations named in Schedule II of the Financial Administration Act] and all “public officers” and “parent Crown corporations”, as defined in the Financial Administration Act;
  • (b) His Majesty in right of a province or territory of Canada, as represented by all departments, ministries, branches or divisions of the public services, as well as any public officer and any corporation a majority of whose shares are held by the Crown;
  • (c) all cities, towns, municipalities and other local government bodies or authorities (whether or not incorporated), including all local boards, commissions, committees, bodies and authorities established or exercising any power under any legislation with respect to the affairs or purposes of one or more cities, towns, municipalities or other local government bodies or authorities;
  • (d) the Senate, the House of Commons of Canada, a provincial or territorial legislature, its members, its staff and its members’ staff; and
  • (e) a registered political party; (« gouvernement »)
“government user”
means anyone within government to whom a monitor provides or makes available excerpts, monitoring notes, summary notes, transcripts, monitoring research or other associated services or benefits through any means and in any form; (« utilisateur gouvernemental »)
“monitor”
means anyone within government who produces or makes available excerpts, summary notes, monitoring notes or transcripts through any means and in any form; (« service de veille »)
“monitoring note”
means a short, written description of all or part of a program; (« survol »)
“program”
means a radio or television news program, current affairs program or public affairs talk show; (« émission »)
“semester”
means the period from January to June and the period from July to December; (« semestre »)
“summary note”
means an extended written summary of all or part of a program; (« sommaire »)
“transcript”
means a transcription in any form of the text or spoken content of all or part of a program; (« transcription »)
“year”
means calendar year. (« année »)

Ambit

2. (1) A monitor that complies with this tariff may do any act described in sections 3 to 9.

(2) This tariff only grants rights with respect to the elements in a CBRA program in which a CBRA broadcaster owns or controls the copyright. A CBRA broadcaster may not own or control the copyright in certain elements (such as rights in the music or in the performances) or certain portions (such as newswire feeds) of CBRA programs. The monitor is solely responsible for obtaining and paying for any authorization required to use those elements.

(3) This tariff does not grant any rights with respect to

(4) A monitor is not entitled to fix, reproduce or make available a CBRA program, CBRA signal or CBRA item except as allowed by this tariff.

(5) This tariff does not apply where there is an agreement between the CBRA and a monitor, for the period covered by the agreement.

Permitted Uses

3. A monitor may reproduce CBRA programs and fix CBRA signals on any medium, but only for the purpose of doing an act described in sections 4 to 8.

4. (1) A monitor may reproduce no more than two excerpts of up to a maximum of 10 minutes each of any CBRA program, as well as the portion of CBRA signal on which the excerpt is embedded.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), in any given year, up to a maximum of 10% of excerpts of CBRA programs provided to all government users on audiotape, 10% of excerpts of CBRA programs provided to all government users on videotape, 10% of excerpts of CBRA programs provided to all government users on other media, 10% of excerpts of CBRA programs provided to all government users pursuant to subsection 6(1) [listening over the telephone], 10% of excerpts of CBRA programs provided to all government users pursuant to subsection 6(2) [email attachments] and 10% of excerpts of CBRA programs provided to all government users pursuant to section 7 [database access] may exceed the limits set out in subsection (1).

5. A monitor may provide to a government user copies, on any medium, of an excerpt made in accordance with section 4.

6. (1) Subject to subsection (3), a monitor may allow a government user who requires immediate access to listen over the telephone to a recording of an excerpt made in accordance with section 4.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), a monitor may send to a government user who requires immediate access a video excerpt made in accordance with section 4 as an email attachment with a resolution no greater than 320 pixels by 240 pixels and with a frame rate no greater than 15 frames per second.

(3) The number of CBRA items provided pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) each year cannot exceed 10% of the total number of CBRA items the monitor provides to all government users in any year.

7. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a monitor may include transcripts and video excerpts of CBRA programs in a password-secured database.

(2) The operation of a database referred to in subsection (1) shall be subject to the following conditions:

(3) The number of excerpts downloaded pursuant to paragraph 7(2)(d) cannot exceed 10% of the total number of CBRA items the monitor provides to all government users in any year.

8. A monitor may create and make available to government users monitoring notes, summary notes or transcripts of CBRA programs in any form.

9. A monitor is entitled to do an act described in sections 5 to 8 with respect to any CBRA item it receives from a commercial media monitor acting pursuant to a CBRA licence.

10. (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4), a monitor shall destroy anything it possesses or controls that was made pursuant to sections 3 to 8 no later than six months after the day the relevant program or signal was broadcast.

(2) A monitor shall destroy a transcript or copy of a transcript of a CBRA program no later than 10 years after the day the transcript was made.

(3) A monitor may keep monitoring notes and summary notes of a CBRA program indefinitely.

(4) A monitor may, with the authorization of a CBRA broadcaster, keep anything made pursuant to this tariff that embodies a program or signal that is owned or controlled by that broadcaster.

11. (1) This tariff entitles a monitor to provide or make available CBRA items or services related to CBRA items only to government users.

(2) Before a monitor provides or makes available any CBRA item to a government user, the monitor shall ensure that the government user has agreed in writing to the following conditions:

(3) A monitor shall not knowingly provide or make available a CBRA item to anyone who intends to contravene any of the terms set out in subsection (2).

12. A monitor shall ensure that any CBRA item it provides, any computer interface used to access a database and any email message to which an excerpt of a CBRA program is attached has a clear statement, label or video lead-in stating the following:

13. A CBRA broadcaster, or the CBRA at its direction, may, by notifying a monitor in writing, restrict the use of a CBRA item if the broadcaster believes that this could raise a legal issue or result in liability.

14. (1) If a CBRA broadcaster broadcasts a correction, clarification or similar statement regarding the content of a CBRA program, a monitor, upon receiving a written notice to that effect, shall immediately provide a copy of the statement to each government user who had access to a CBRA item derived from that program.

(2) No royalties are payable with respect to any CBRA item in respect of which a statement is supplied pursuant to subsection (1).

(3) A monitor shall be entitled to deduct from its CBRA-related monitoring costs the costs it incurs to make and send any statement supplied pursuant to subsection (1).

ROYALTIES

15. (1) Each semester, a monitor shall pay to the CBRA a royalty equal to 14%  of the monitor’s CBRA-related monitoring costs for the previous semester.

(2) Royalties payable pursuant to subsection (1) shall be paid no later than the first day of the third month of the semester.

(3) Royalties payable under this tariff are exclusive of any federal, provincial or other governmental taxes or levies of any kind.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

Reporting Requirements: Monitors

16. (1) When a royalty payment is due, a monitor shall also provide to the CBRA the following information in respect of the previous semester:

(2) Within 60 days of the end of a year, a monitor shall provide to the CBRA, with respect to that year, a list of government users and sufficient information to determine the monitor’s compliance with subsections 4(2) and 6(3).

Errors

17. A monitor that discovers an error in any information provided to the CBRA shall promptly provide the correct information.

Reporting Requirements: CBRA

18. The CBRA shall, upon request, provide a monitor with an updated version of the list of CBRA signals set out in the Appendix of the reasons for decision.

Records and Audits

19. (1) A monitor shall keep and preserve, in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and for a period of six years from the end of the relevant year, accounts and records from which the CBRA can readily ascertain the amounts payable and the information required under this tariff including

(2) The CBRA may audit these records at any time, on reasonable notice and during normal business hours.

(3) If an audit discloses that royalties due to the CBRA were understated in any semester by more than 5%, the monitor shall pay the reasonable costs of the audit within 30 days of the demand for payment being made.

Confidentiality

20. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), information received pursuant to this tariff shall be treated in confidence, unless the monitor that supplied the information consents in writing to the information being treated otherwise.

(2) Information referred to in subsection (1) can be shared

(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to information that is publicly available, to information obtained from someone other than the undertaking and who is not under an apparent duty of confidentiality to that undertaking or to information that has been aggregated so as to prevent the disclosure of commercially sensitive information.

Adjustments

21. (1) Subject to subsection (2), adjustments in the amount of royalties owed by a monitor (including excess payments), as a result of the discovery of an error or otherwise, shall be made on the date the monitor’s next royalty payment is due.

(2) A monitor may deduct any amount owed to it from its next payments to the CBRA until no money remains owed to it.

Interest on Late Payments

22. (1) Any amount not received by the CBRA by the due date shall bear interest from that date until the date the amount is received.

(2) Any amount found to be owing to the CBRA, through an audit or otherwise, shall bear interest from the date it was due until the date the amount is received.

(3) Interest shall be calculated daily at a rate equal to 1% above the Bank Rate effective on the last day of the previous month (as published by the Bank of Canada). Interest shall not compound.

Addresses for Notices

23. (1) Anything that a monitor sends to the CBRA shall be sent to P.O. Box 82011, RPO Riverside South, Ottawa, Ontario, K1V 2N9 or to any other address of which the monitor has been notified in writing.

(2) Anything that the CBRA sends to a monitor shall be sent to the address provided by the monitor in accordance with paragraph 16(1)(a) or, where no such address has been provided, to any other address where the monitor can be reached.

Delivery of Notices and Payments

24. (1) A notice may be delivered by hand, or by postage-paid mail.

(2) A notice or payment mailed in Canada shall be presumed to have been received three business days after the day it was mailed.

Appointment of Designate

25. (1) Any person that the CBRA designates to receive a payment or notice shall have an address in Canada.

(2) The CBRA shall notify a monitor at least 60 days in advance of such a designation or of any change therein.

Exemptions Regarding Below-Threshold Media Monitoring Costs

26. (1) In this section, “total media monitoring costs” means the monitor’s gross costs for the monitoring, fixation, reproduction, use or provision of any program or signal, as well as for any research or activity that relates to any such program or signal. Those costs include, without limitation, (i) salaries and wages of all staff and managers, (ii) operating expenses, including equipment, leases, rent, office supplies, software leases or licences and telephone and network charges, and (iii) capital expenditures, including computers, video recorders and other equipment. They exclude applicable taxes, the actual out-of-pocket cost for recording media, their labelling and delivery charges, and any amount paid by the monitor to a commercial media monitor acting pursuant to a CBRA licence for any CBRA item.

(2) Subsections (3) to (7) apply in a year to a monitor that, no later than January 31 of that year, delivers to the CBRA a statement certified as accurate and signed by a senior officer of the monitor that in the officer’s good faith view, the monitor’s total media monitoring costs for that year shall be less than $100,000 and that the monitor wishes to avail itself of section 26 of this tariff.

(3) A monitor that complied with subsection (2) shall provide the information set out in paragraph 16(1)(d) only if the monitor has that information.

(4) Paragraph 19(1)(c) does not apply to a monitor that has complied with subsection (2).

(5) As soon as its total media monitoring costs exceed $100,000 in the relevant year, a monitor that has complied with subsection (2) shall notify the CBRA of this occurrence. That monitor shall not be entitled to avail itself of this section for the rest of the relevant year and shall instead comply with the other provisions of this tariff.

(6) A monitor that has complied with subsection (2) and that has not delivered a notice pursuant to subsection (5) shall deliver to the CBRA, on or before January 31 of the next year, a statement certified as accurate and signed by a senior officer of the monitor setting out the monitor’s total media monitoring costs for the relevant year.

(7) A monitor that complied with subsection (2) and whose total media monitoring costs for the relevant year exceeded $100,000 may not avail itself again of subsection (2) without the written authorization of the CBRA.

GENERAL

Indemnity

27. (1) A monitor shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the CBRA, CBRA broadcasters and their respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, successors, licensees and assigns from and against any claim, demand, loss, liability, cost, damage or expense including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees that they may incur if

(2) A monitor’s obligations pursuant to subsection (1) are not affected by the right of approval granted to the CBRA pursuant to paragraph 7(2)(e).

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1), the CBRA or the relevant CBRA broadcaster may avail itself of any recourse it may have against a government user who breaches any condition set out in subsection 11(2).

28. The CBRA shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the monitor, its shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, successors, licensees and assigns from and against any claim, demand, loss, liability, cost, damage or expense including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees that they may suffer or incur by reason of a failure by the CBRA to comply with this tariff or of an inaccuracy in the information supplied pursuant to section 18.

Default

29. (1) A monitor whose royalties the CBRA has not received within five business days of the date the royalties are due pursuant to subsection 15(2) is not entitled to do any of the acts described in sections 3 to 9 from the first day of the semester in respect of which the royalties should have been paid until the monitor pays the royalties and the accrued interest.

(2) A monitor that fails to comply with any other provision of this tariff is not entitled to do any of the acts described in sections 3 to 9 as of five business days after the CBRA has notified the monitor in writing of that failure and until the monitor remedies that failure.