Details announced for statutory review of Canada’s Copyright Act. Phased review projected to be completed in 2019.

The Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology recently announced that it has adopted a work plan for conducting the statutorily mandated review of the Copyright Act in 2018. At the end of 2017 the Canadian federal government initiated the five-year parliamentary review of the Copyright Act. The review will be conducted by the Standing Committee, and was launched by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, in conjunction with the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The Standing Committee has now announced that the review will take place in three phases, with testimony from a range of different witnesses. Specifically, the three phases will include testimony from:

• Phase 1 – Witnesses from specific sectors of activity, including publishing, visual arts, software and telecommunications;
• Phase 2 – Witnesses from stakeholders such as Indigenous communities and various interest groups; and
• Phase 3 – Legal expert witnesses, including individual lawyers and academics, along with professional associations.

Canadians are invited to submit short briefs expressing their views on copyright, and the Committee will travel across Canada in May 2018 to hear from individuals around the country.

Additionally, to support the review, the Committee has invited the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to conduct a study on remuneration models for artists and creative industries.

The Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology aims to complete all three phases by early 2019. Of course, any changes to the Copyright Act that may flow from the review will take additional time.

Stay tuned for further details, including how to participate.