Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC)

Overview

The Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC) is the national, not-for-profit professional association representing Anglophone composers for film, television, and audiovisual media in Canada. Founded in 1980 as the Guild of Canadian Film Composers (GCFC) by composer and jingle producer Ben McPeek, the organisation was renamed Screen Composers Guild of Canada in 2010 to reflect the broader range of media its members work in. The SCGC is headquartered in Toronto and has approximately 15 staff.

Since 2003, the SCGC has been certified under the Federal Status of the Artist Act to represent all screen composers, songwriters, music arrangers, orchestrators, and music editors who work in English-language Canadian audiovisual productions, whether or not they are SCGC members. The equivalent organisation for French-language productions is SPACQ (Societe professionnelle des auteurs, compositeurs du Quebec et des artistes entrepreneurs).

Membership Levels and Fees

The SCGC offers four membership levels with annual fees:

All members must be over 18 and under 71 to enrol. Professional and Gold members receive a 25% discount on IMDbPro memberships using the 2025 SCGC discount code. All members are automatically enrolled in the Members' Advantage Program (MAP), which provides discounts at selected merchants across Canada.

Applications can be submitted through the SCGC Membership page.

Canadian Content Certification and the CRTC

Hiring a Canadian screen composer triggers one point under the CRTC and CAVCO Canadian content certification system. This point is important for regulatory accreditation and for a production's access to federal and provincial funding bodies. In November 2025, the CRTC issued updated Canadian Content definitions that upheld the recognition of screen composers as key creators, preserving the music composer point after the SCGC and hundreds of its members advocated against a preliminary proposal that would have placed music rights holders on the same footing as screen composers.

Under the updated framework:

• The music composer point is awarded only when the production engages a Canadian screen composer
• Productions that do not use a screen composer, or that use a Canadian screen composer, can earn a bonus certification point by using 50% or more pre-existing Canadian music meeting MAPL criteria
• Productions engaging a non-Canadian composer are not eligible for any music-related certification points

This makes the SCGC's advocacy directly relevant to producers seeking Canadian content certification for their projects.

The Buyout Problem and Lack of Collective Bargaining

Screen composers are the only key creatives in the Canadian content certification system who do not have a collective bargaining agreement with the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA). Writers, directors, editors, actors, and production designers all have collective agreements that establish minimum rates, fringe benefits, and working conditions. Composers do not.

According to the SCGC's 2023 Member Survey:

• 60%+ of SCGC members transfer ownership of copyright or publishing rights to clients always or most of the time
• Only 11.5% enter co-publishing arrangements always or most of the time
• 26% have been asked by Canadian content producers to accept a full buyout of future revenues as a condition of getting the job
• Only 28% reported that their working conditions have improved in the past five years

The SCGC's position is that composers should retain ownership of the works they create, consistent with the Copyright Act, just as producers retain ownership of their works. The Guild has an alliance with the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) aimed at developing collective bargaining strategies, but no collective agreement has been reached with the CMPA to date.

Model Contract and Resources

The SCGC provides a Model Contract (Version 2.4, updated March 2020) that includes a template contract, deal memo, song license document, quick start manual, and annotations. The contract was developed by a committee of experienced composers and music supervisors with assistance from SOCAN's legal department. The SCGC notes that the model contract is not a substitute for independent legal advice.

SOCAN Partnership

The SCGC works closely with SOCAN, Canada's performing rights organisation. SOCAN held an online town hall with the SCGC on June 5, 2025, covering reproduction rights royalties, AI regulation advocacy, and domestic revenue trends. Key points from the SOCAN partnership:

• SOCAN negotiates post-sync reproduction rights with global streamers and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters
• Every time a screen production is streamed, downloaded, or broadcast, reproduction royalties are generated separately from the composer's fee and performance royalties
• SOCAN has dedicated screen composer staff: Ambassador Robert Kraft (Los Angeles) and Director of Film and TV Mike Rocha
• SOCAN advocates for transparency, licensing, and no new copyright exceptions for AI-generated music

Advocacy and Government Submissions

The SCGC provides regular submissions to lawmakers and government bodies. Recent advocacy work includes:

• 2025 CRTC Submissions ("The Path Forward"): Defining Canadian program criteria, supporting sustainable Canadian broadcasting, and final reply to CRTC secretary general
• 2025 Innovation, Science and Economic Development AI Consultation: Submission on ensuring credit, consent, and compensation for composers in AI-generated music
• Copyright Act modernization: Advocating for a fair proportion of digital marketplace revenue and balance in legislation reflecting 21st-century realities

The SCGC also holds an annual Screen Composer Summit, with 2025 registrations opening in August.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Canadian producers, hiring a Canadian screen composer earns a CRTC Canadian content certification point, which is required for regulatory accreditation and funding access. The SCGC Model Contract provides a standardised framework for engaging composers, and the SCGC can connect producers with qualified composers through its membership.

For composers, the SCGC is the only national organisation representing Anglophone screen composers in Canada. Professional membership ($150/year) requires at least 2 years of experience and one on-screen media composing credit. The lack of a collective bargaining agreement means composers must negotiate rates and rights individually, making the SCGC's Model Contract and rates data essential tools for fair negotiations.

For international producers, engaging a non-Canadian composer disqualifies the production from receiving any music-related Canadian content certification points. This has direct implications for projects seeking Canadian funding or qualifying as Canadian content.

See Also

For the Canadian producers association that the SCGC does not yet have a collective agreement with, see Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) in this directory. For the Canadian performers union, see ACTRA in this directory. For the World Soundtrack Awards recognising screen composers internationally, see World Soundtrack Awards in this directory. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to budget for composer fees and music licensing in Canadian productions.