Moreover, consumers who do not even use storage media to record music are also forced to pay the levy.
Even worse, the music industry has proposed sharp increases to the already high rates!
For example, a consumer who purchases a 100-pack of blank CD-Rs currently pays a levy of $21 per 100 CDs which could have a retail price as low as $50. The CPCC proposed a levy of $0.59 for each CD-R, an increase of 181% over the existing levy! This means that, in this example, if the proposals are approved, a 100-pack of blank CD-Rs would have a levy of $59, raising its retail price to around $88 plus tax. Without the levy, the retail price could be $29.
The music industry also wants to extend the levy to a range of new products like blank DVDs, MP3 players, and many commonly-used removable storage products.
Higher levies may mean Canadians will not be able to afford many important new technologies. That’s bad for consumers and bad for Canada.
We at the CCFDA want the government to repeal the levy because we believe there are better ways to compensate copyright holders.
New technology and new distribution systems already exist that provide alternatives for recording artists to protect copyrighted material. We are ready to work with the music industry and the government to ensure fair digital access for all Canadians.
This website is designed to inform you about the levy and how you can take action to encourage the government to adopt more progressive policies that work for all stakeholders.
Do Something About It
Recordable media costs you enough as it is.
Tell the government you want it to change its policies and repeal the levy.