Royalty payment to end the year

Royalties paid to 2,101 authors and 400 publishers.

Executive Director's update

December is finally here and Copibec hopes that the year-end holidays will bring you comfort, joy and time to unwind.

Education sector royalty payment

We’re ending 2020 by distributing the royalties collected from Quebec educational institutions. This represents a total of over $8 million benefitting 2,101 authors and 400 publishers.

The payment was made possible by the teachers and professors in Quebec schools, CEGEPs and universities who reported their content use. We’d like to thank them for their efforts. The data they provide is crucial for ensuring that creators and publishing houses can be compensated for their work and will be able to continue telling the stories of tomorrow.

Best wishes to Jean-Sébastien

Regretfully, we’ve had to say so long to our Education Director, Jean-Sébastien Vallée. He’s leaving to pursue other professional challenges. Our entire team will miss his expertise and in-depth knowledge of the education sector, together with his optimism and humour. We wish him much success in his new projects.

Copibec on holiday

Your copyright collective will be taking some time off during the Holidays. Our office will be closed from December 18, 12h,  to January 3 inclusively. The entire team will be back at work on January 4.

Since this year’s holiday season will be a quiet one, it’s the ideal time to get lost in a good book and explore new worlds. At the same time, you can take this opportunity to support Quebec’s book industry!

We’d like to wish you all the best during the Holidays and throughout 2021. Take some time to rest and regenerate, and make sure you and your loved ones stay healthy.

Happy Holidays!

Frédérique Couette
Executive Director

Copyright in 2020

It’s been a truly dramatic year and the cultural sector has had its share of ups and downs. Here are some of the sector’s high points and major challenges in 2020.

1. Exponential growth in online book sales

1297%: that was the increase in traffic on the website leslibraires.ca last April. There’s no doubt reading has been popular since the pandemic began.

Read the article from Radio-Canada (in French).

2. Bill C-10

In November, Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault tabled Bill C-10 which will put the Web giants under the jurisdiction of the Broadcasting Act.

Read the article from The Globe and Mail.

3. Access Copyright v. York University

The case will be going to the Supreme Court of Canada. The dispute dates back to 2013 when York University decided to apply its own rules for fair dealing. Result: authors and publishers are no longer being compensated for the use of their content.

Read the announcement from Access Copyright.

4. Google offered $10 million per year to Canadian news publishers

That offer was considered clearly insufficient by the main publishers whose content is posted by Google without financial compensation. In Australia, the government is demanding $600 million for news publishers.

Read the article from La Presse (in French).

5. European reform: Google makes a step in the right direction

After months of negotiations, Google has finally reached agreements with a number of media organizations in France, and others are still to come. News publishers will be compensated for excerpts appearing in search results and for the content used on online platforms.

Read the article from Le Journal de Montréal (in French).

Looking back at 2020

This past year, workers in the cultural sector have faced a barrage of challenges that have really made life difficult. For them, like us, the year has tested our patience and resilience.

2020 education sector royalty payment

Authors and publishers are thrilled to be receiving royalty income this year. Despite the pandemic, Copibec has gone ahead with its usual education sector payment. That’s great news for the 2,101 (...)