Challenges and Pitfalls in Revising the Canadian Copyright Act

Abstract:

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology and the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage filed their Copyright Act review reports in 2019. Among their recommendations: the term extension of copyright, the new “termination right,” the amended copyright reversion regime, and the new mandatory registration system. I provide an economic policy analysis of the implications of those recommendations on creator bargaining power and remuneration, on the availability of works, and on the creative marketplace in general. I conclude that the committees’ intended goals will not be fully achieved if their recommendations are implemented as formulated.