(Toronto) – The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) announced today that over $60 million has been distributed to copyright holders in the music industry in the past three years from the private copying levy on recordable CDs, audiocassettes and MiniDiscs. Of that amount, $27.6 million was distributed in 2005.

“Over $60 million in private copying levies has been paid to over 65,000 rights holders in just three years. This revenue is important to a creator’s ability to continue to create music,” said CPCC Chair Claudette Fortier.

“One of the challenges facing the CPCC has been to identify the thousands of rights holders eligible to receive a portion of the levy. Over the three years since we began distribution, the process of identification has become more efficient and we are able to distribute more money to the rights holders. We anticipate that 2006 will be even better,” said Anna Bucci, Executive Director of the CPCC.

Under the Copyright Act, Canadians are granted an exception that allows them to copy music on to blank recording media, for their own personal use, without the authorization of the music’s creators. In exchange, Canadians pay a small levy of 21 cents on each blank recordable CD, 29 cents on a blank audio tape and 77 cents on each blank MiniDisc. Prior to revisions to the Copyright Act in 1998, music copied onto these blank media infringed copyright and the rights holders received nothing for this use of their work.

The Canadian Private Copying Collective (CPCC) is the non-profit agency that collects and distributes the private copying royalties. The CPCC is a collective of member collectives representing music authors, music publishers, recording artists, musicians and record companies.

-30-

For more information contact:
Alison Thompson
CPCC
tel. (416) 486-6832, ex. 221
email: [email protected]