Tag Archives: CMPA

Industry News

WGC and CMPA Ratify Extension of Independent Production Agreement

From a media release:

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) today announced that an 18-month extension to the CMPA/WGC Independent Production Agreement (IPA) has been ratified by both parties. The current IPA will now expire on December 31, 2023. The IPA establishes the terms, conditions and rates for writers, story editors, and story consultants.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that protects Canadian screenwriters and maintains our strong relationship with the CMPA”, says WGC President Alex Levine. “As our government looks to modernize the Broadcasting Act with Bill C-11, our relationship with our producing partners is more
important than ever.”

“This extension will create a welcome foundation of stability for all involved, as the industry continues to recover from the challenges of the pandemic,” said Sean Porter, Vice President, National Industrial Relations and Counsel, CMPA. “We thank our negotiating partners at the WGC for their commitment and diligent work throughout these negotiations.”

The two groups reached an agreement in principle in May after constructive negotiations between the parties. As part of the newly ratified agreement, the minimum Script Fees in effect from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, will increase by 3 percent effective on July 1, 2022. The budget thresholds under the Low-Budget Television Production Incentive will also increase by 3 percent effective on July 1, 2022.

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Industry News

Canada’s independent producers, performers and directors petition Minister Joly to reject CRTC decision

From a media release:

Today the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), and the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) submitted a joint petition to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, asking her to set aside, or refer back, the CRTC’s Group Licence Renewal decisions for Canada’s large television broadcasters, released last month.

Across the production sector, Canada’s creator community shares deep concerns about the damaging impact of these decisions. An independent analysis commissioned by the CMPA found that the CRTC’s decision to decrease the required amount broadcasters must spend on Canadian Programs of National Interest (PNI) will likely result in a drop of more than $900 million in production volume, causing a cumulative economic reduction of $1.15 billion in GDP over the five-year period during which the broadcasters’ licences will be in place. A backgrounder summarizing these findings is available here.

If these decisions are allowed to stand, the required PNI spend for channels operated by Rogers, Corus and Bell, will fall to just five per cent, having a severe negative impact on the production of Canadian television dramas, comedies, children’s programming, long-form documentaries, variety and performing arts shows,  and on the health and productivity of our sector as a whole.

In addition to greatly reduced PNI spending, the joint petition objects to the CRTC’s decision to remove evening exhibition requirements for the broadcasters’ discretionary services and the negative consequences of the CRTC’s failure to address the erosion of independently-produced programming.Facebooktwitterredditlinkedinmail