We marked a major event this past year: Copibec’s 25th anniversary. Together, our senior management, personnel, members, copyright owners, partner associations and many people we work with had an opportunity to celebrate our copyright collective’s achievements and dream about its future.
Much has happened in a quarter century! And now, driven by our commitment to enhance the vitality of the arts and culture sector, we intend to accomplish just as much in the coming decades. Many challenges await us, and we’re beginning this new chapter of our history with enthusiasm.
One of the challenges that lays ahead is the review of the federal Copyright Act, which we have been urging for a long time and which we hope to see make progress in 2022. Despite all our efforts, awareness campaigns and multiple meetings with various stakeholders, our goals have unfortunately not yet been met. We’ll be doubling down in 2023 to make sure the voices of creators and publishers are heard. Urgent action is needed on this file and that’s the message we’ll continue to deliver to government officials. The survival of the book industry depends on it.
There’s also some good news. Copibec recently adopted a new strategic plan developed in cooperation with the Board of Directors as well as our personnel and a number of partners in order to meet the needs and expectations of all of Copibec’s users, members and employees. We’re proud of the result and you’ll soon be able to view it on our site. A detailed action plan will follow shortly so we can attain the objectives we’ve set.
Some parts of the strategic plan are already underway, including a revamp of Savia, our platform for reporting the use of copyrighted content. Our team is currently working very hard to design an efficient, user-friendly platform with features that reflect the realities of the various individuals and organizations relying on it. That is an important step in developing our operations, improving our processes and optimizing our tools. The system is expected to be rolled out in 2023 and will be a highlight this year!
Since its beginnings, Copibec has been committed to ensuring that the rights of authors, visual artists and publishers are respected when their creative content is used. More than ever, in today’s environment where users’ rights unfortunately tend to be in opposition to creators’ rights, it is crucial to defend our mission. Building on our past successes, we intend to continue spreading our message by promoting the diversity of cultural expression and helping to amplify our sector’s dynamic strength.
Mélissa Verreault, President