Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA)

Overview

The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is the national trade association representing independent producers working in film, television, and digital media across Canada. The CMPA advocates for the independent production sector with Canadian broadcasters, streaming platforms, government funding bodies, and in negotiations with creative guilds including ACTRA, the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC), and the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC). The CMPA sits across the table from unions to negotiate the collective agreements that govern rates and working conditions for cast and crew on independent Canadian productions.

The CMPA's current chair is Kyle Irving. The organization has been actively combatting misinformation about the Online Streaming Act from US politicians ahead of trade negotiations between Canada and the United States. In April 2026, the CMPA met with politicians across party lines in Ottawa to highlight the importance of Canada's film and television industry and separate the Act's actual provisions from US misinformation.

Membership Categories and Fees

The CMPA has four membership categories plus a permittee membership available on a per-project basis. Annual membership runs from April 1 to March 31. Fees are not prorated for mid-year joins, though a fourth-quarter discount is available for applications received between January 1 and March 31.

Producer Membership

Other Categories

Permittee Membership (2026 Rates)

Permittee membership applies to companies ineligible for full CMPA membership. It allows access to discounted administration fees payable through labour agreements and the CMPA industrial relations team. Permittee members cannot vote or access other membership benefits.

The Online Streaming Act and CRTC Regulation

The Broadcasting Act amendments of 2023 (Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act) extended CRTC jurisdiction to online streaming services. The CMPA advocated for this legislation for over a decade. Implementation is ongoing and contentious.

In May 2025, the CRTC issued a decision that would have tripled foreign streamer contributions to Canadian content from 5% to 15% of Canadian revenues. MPA-Canada (representing Disney, Netflix, Paramount) launched a legal challenge. Ottawa then ordered the CRTC to review its May policy. CMPA chair Kyle Irving expressed concern that Ottawa "has sold out Canadian culture."

In November 2025, the CRTC issued its Canadian content (Cancon) definition decision, focusing on the Cancon point system, certification framework, AI use, and data collection. US politicians mischaracterized this decision as requiring promotion of Canadian content on streaming services. The CMPA's Andrew Addison disputed these claims, noting the Act actually brings foreign streamers up to the same investment level as Canadian broadcasters.

The CMPA appeared at the CRTC market dynamics hearing in July 2025, proposing "codes of practice" negotiated between producer associations, Canadian broadcasters, and foreign streamers. These codes would ensure rights retention, define licensing terms, mandate fair revenue sharing, and require major buyers to disclose key performance data to producers. Lisa Broadfoot, CMPA VP of industry and business affairs, argued the codes would "restore commercial balance."

The CMPA also submitted that a 30% Canadian Programming Expenditure (CPE) requirement is appropriate for large broadcasting undertakings and should apply to revenues from affiliated online undertakings. The CMPA proposed independent production expenditure rules to ensure meaningful portions of CPE support productions where independent producers retain ownership and economic interests, including copyright.

Collective Agreements and Administration Fees

The CMPA negotiates the Independent Production Agreement (IPA) with ACTRA, the CMPA/DGC Agreement with the Directors Guild of Canada, and agreements with the WGC and other guilds. These agreements establish minimum rates and working conditions for independent Canadian production.

Administration fees are payable to the CMPA when using these labour agreements. Members receive discounted rates with maximum caps. Non-members pay higher rates with no caps. Fees changed on October 1, 2025.

National Fee Examples (Member Rates)

CMPA membership is not required to access the labour agreements, but the administration fees are significantly higher for non-members.

Profile 2025 Report

The CMPA's Profile 2025 report indicated that the Canadian content production side declined slightly year-over-year, while the service production side (foreign productions shooting in Canada) continues to grow. The gap between the two is widening. Producers are hopeful the Online Streaming Act will stem this trend by requiring foreign streamers to invest in Canadian content.

A February 2026 Pollara survey commissioned by the CMPA polled 2,410 Canadian adults on their opinions about the Online Streaming Act, demonstrating the organization's commitment to building public support for Canadian content requirements.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For international co-productions with Canada, the CMPA provides the framework for understanding the Canadian independent production landscape. Canadian co-production treaty access, Telefilm Canada and Canada Media Fund (CMF) financing eligibility, and compliance with CMPA collective agreements are all relevant considerations for international producers seeking Canadian partners.

For Canadian producers, CMPA membership provides collective agreement access at discounted administration fees, advocacy representation at the CRTC and in Ottawa, industry resources, and professional community. The CMF requires compliance with CMPA collective agreements for funded productions, making membership a practical necessity for producers seeking CMF financing.

The CMPA accepts Visa, MasterCard, Amex, electronic funds transfer (EFT), and cheques for membership fee payments.

See Also

For the Canadian guilds the CMPA negotiates with, see ACTRA, Directors Guild of Canada (DGC), and Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) in this directory. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to estimate production costs for Canadian independent productions.