Canada brings in new fees to play music at weddings and karaoke bars



Want music at your wedding? Well, if you are getting hitched in Canada, it’ll cost you. Want dancing too? You'll pay double.

The Copyright Board of Canada has certified new tariffs that apply to recorded music at live events including weddings, conventions, karaoke bars and fairs.



The fees, which take effect immediately, are being collected by a not-for-profit called Re: Sound, a music licensing Toronto-based company which seeks fair compensation for artists and record labels through royalties.



New costs: The Copyright Board of Canada has certified new tariffs that apply to recorded music at live events including weddings. The fee doubles if there is also dancing at the event

'We are trying to establish tariffs for the remuneration of everybody involved in the music — everybody that has some rights to receive some remuneration,' said Gilles McDougall of the Copyright Association of Canada.

There are seven tariff rates which will apply to different venues and type of event, according to Matthew Fortier, the Director of Communications at Re:Sound.



Venues that host weddings, conventions and fashion shows should expect to pay $9.25 a day to play recorded music if there are fewer than 100 attendees.



The cost increases to $39.33 for crowds of more than 500 people and, if there is dancing, the fees double.

Karaoke cost: The new fees will also apply to Karaoke bars who will have to pay between $86 and $124 annually

Meanwhile karaoke bars will need to stump up between $86.06 and $124 each year depending on how many days a week they are open, reported the Canadian Press .

Each float in a parade has to pay $4.39 if they want recorded music under the new rules.



It is the venues, and not the customers who use them, who are responsible for paying the fees, said Fortier.



'By paying the tariff, these venues are buying the right to play as much music as they like on their premises. That's important for nightclubs, hotels, gyms, restaurants and other venues where the right music is crucial to their success,' Fortier told CTV news .

Fairs and festivals: Each float playing recorded music at a parade will cost organizers $4.39

However it is up to the businesses to decide how to cover these new fees and, of course, they can pass the cost on to consumers, for example, newlyweds desperate for a first dance.



Fortier said the money collected will make a big difference to the thousands of ‘small, struggling artists and record labels’ signed up with Re:Sound.



Discussions between the not-for-profit, businesses, recording companies and the Copyright Board of Canada about imposing new tariffs began in 2007.

