Today is officially Music Creator Day.
Spearheaded by SOCAN, the date was acknowledged by Senator René Cormier on Nov. 4 in the Canadian Senate and by Member of Parliament David Myles in the House of Commons two days later.
As of 2025, Nov. 7 will now be annually observed as Music Creator Day across the country.
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It coincides with beloved Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell’s birthday, paying tribute to her contributions and representing a lasting legacy for the next generation of musicians.
“Thank you for honouring my work in this manner,” Mitchell says in a statement. “Although I have lived mostly in the States since I was 21, I live part-time in B.C. I have always been proud to be a Canadian and lately more than ever.”
Earlier this year, Mitchell was honoured with SOCAN’s 2025 Cultural Impact Award, recognizing her impact as a Canadian songwriter. Canadian singer-songwriter Allison Russell performed a showstopping rendition of “Both Sides Now” at the SOCAN Awards and spoke to Billboard Canada about her work with the legendary artist. “Getting to be in creative communion and community with her has been one of the most surreal gifts of my life,” she said.
“I invite you all to sit down and enjoy your favourite Joni song, or a song by any other amazing Canadian, and honour the great musical creators of this country on Music Creator Day,” says MP Myles.
The declaration is accompanied by a recent survey conducted by Pollara for SOCAN on the connection between Canadian music and culture. They report that 81% of Canadians believe supporting local music creators is vital to ensuring our culture thrives for future generations, with 77% claiming local music helps define Canadian culture.
It’s reflected on the charts, too. As of November, five Canadian artists have hit No.1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, including two albums from The Weeknd, PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake’s collaborative $ome $exy $ongs 4 U and Tate McRae’s So Close to What, marking the pop singer’s first No. 1 on the chart. The most recent was Justin Bieber’s Swag, which sat at No. 1 for one week.
Read more here.
Canadian Government Renews Canada Music Fund in 2025 Budget
The Canada Music Fund has been renewed.
After a few weeks of uncertainty from independent Canadian music industry groups, yesterday (Nov. 4), the government officially renewed and allocated $48 million to the fund, in the first federal budget tabled by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne — it will be distributed over the next three years, beginning in 2026.
The decision serves as a moment of celebration for Canadian music organizations. Québec music organization ADISQ shares that it’s a relief for the industry.
“This renewal was essential for our companies to continue investing fully in the career development of local artists, and thus maintain the sector’s competitiveness,” says Eve Paré, executive director of ADISQ, in French. “Public funding provides leverage for our industry. It plays a vital role in reaching the full potential of our cultural vitality.”
For over four decades, the Canada Music Fund has been a cornerstone of Canada’s music economy, supporting FACTOR and Musicaction, two of the country’s biggest and most important music grants.
The Canada Music Fund’s $48 million renewal extends the $16 million annual boost that was announced as a temporary two-year top-up in 2024, with another $16 million for the next three years.
Securing stable funding will enable music orgs to meet the challenges they face, such as declining contributions to private radio broadcasting, and will serve as a boost after the paused 5% revenue funds for major foreign-owned digital streaming platforms under Bill C-11.
The Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) notes that the renewal is a sign of recognition and validation for homegrown artists and organizations.
“Canadian music companies and the artists they work with represent a dynamic economic engine powering the growth of Canada’s cultural economy. This budget announcement is an encouraging step forward,” says Andrew Cash, president and CEO of CIMA.
The renewal will benefit live music organizations, too. The Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) enthusiastically welcomed the federal government’s continued investment in Canada’s cultural sector, “including the commercial live music infrastructure of venues, festivals and promoters that connect artists to audiences across the country.”
In addition to the renewal, the government has announced a $150 million funding increase for CBC/Radio-Canada, with hopes of the country securing a spot on Eurovision’s international song contest.
“Public funding preserves a dynamic local ecosystem that values what makes us unique. We must now work to guarantee the sustainability of this funding and thus ensure the future of our music,” says Paré.
Read more here.
Music Streaming Services Call On National Assembly of Québec to Forego French-Language Quotas
Music streamers are speaking out against new French language music streaming legislation.
The Digital Media Association (DiMA), the trade association and lobby group that represents platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, has raised concerns about Bill 109, a proposed new law that would ensure French-language content is prioritized by digital platforms operating in the province.
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Bill 109, titled An Act to affirm the cultural sovereignty of Quebec and to enact the Act respecting the discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital environment, was introduced in May by Québec’s Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe.
If passed, the act would “enshrine the right to discoverability of and access to original French language cultural content” into Québec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, and allow the province’s government to mandate “the quantity or proportion of original French-language cultural content that must be offered by digital platforms.”
The bill states that the Quebec government has to establish content quotas on how much music needs to be produced or featured on these platforms, although no numbers were specified. All platforms would be required to register with Lacombe.
According to DiMA, the major streaming services don’t want any new discoverability requirements and French language quotas.
In a submission to the Committee on Culture and Education in the Québec National Assembly, the music association writes that “mandating quotas and the discoverability of certain tracks or types of tracks risks altering the business model that has made streaming so attractive and has delivered vital revenues to artists and the music industry.”
The organization fears that if there is government intervention, it will affect how the streaming services operate, and “degrade the user experience,” which may limit the flow of revenue to Francophone artists and rightsholders.
Additionally, DiMA raises logistical issues with the government’s implementation of content quotas.
DiMA highlights that the key to ensuring both parties are satisfied is prioritizing the ultimate objective — to promote the language and culture of Québec.
“We believe the most effective path forward is one focused on listener choice, not constraint. Québec artists and Francophone music are thriving on streaming services today because audiences are empowered to find and listen to music organically,” says Graham Davies, DIMA’s president and CEO.
“By working together — combining the government’s cultural vision with the streaming services’ reach, expertise and innovation — we believe Francophone and music of Québec can continue to thrive both at home and on the global stage.”
While Quebec is pushing discoverability of French-language music, the online platforms are pushing back against the cross-country “streaming tax battle,” pushing against the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)’s now-paused plan to require major foreign streaming companies to invest 5% of their income to support Canadian content.
DiMA has led a campaign called “Stop The Streaming Tax,” which some in the music industry have called “disingenuous.” Services like Spotify, meanwhile, have been touting the success of francophone music on its platform.
Read more here.
