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CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Why SOCAN is suing a Quebec City music festival for copyright infringement
Social Sharing The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is suing Quebec City's Festival d'Été de Québec (FEQ) music festival for copyright. In the lawsuit, which was first reported by The National Post, SOCAN says the festival infringed copyright by performing or authorizing the performance of musical works under its repertoire, without a license and without paying the royalties, in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The FEQ is among the biggest outdoor festivals in Canada. Every year, the 11-day event gathers a star-studded lineup of artists with some shows drawing 90,000 people each night in Quebec City. But this year, on its first day on July 3, FEQ was hit with a lawsuit from SOCAN, which represents over 200,000 Canadian music writers, composers and publishers. The FEQ argued that its charitable status means it doesn't have to pay the fees. But experts in copyright law say it's not a strong defence. What does SOCAN want? Music composers, authors and publishers hold copyrights over their works and have the right to license the use of their music to those who want to play or perform them. SOCAN grants licenses and collects royalties on their behalf. Instead of paying these artists the fees directly, those playing the music can cut the check to SOCAN, who will redistribute the funds. Any public venue playing music has to pay royalty and licensing fees to SOCAN, whether it's a restaurant, bar or festival. But, SOCAN says the FEQ has been avoiding paying their fees by claiming that their charity status exempts them from doing so. It's an argument they've been using for a while, said Alexandre Alonso, SOCAN's director of Quebec affairs. He didn't specify if the festival had been avoiding payment for more than three years, stating SOCAN couldn't comment on the FEQ's actions beyond what is in the statement of claim. What SOCAN is asking from the festival is "simple," Alonso said, adding that SOCAN doesn't accept the FEQ's argument. "They are paying everybody, the vendors, the technicians, the artists on stage, but they don't pay the license fees," he said. He said SOCAN is open to negotiating with the festival outside the courts. "If they want to come and have that conversation and find a solution for the payment, we are still open," he said. No specific amount of money is claimed in the lawsuit. Alonso says it should equal three per cent of the festival's revenue for paid events or three per cent of the artist performance fee for free events. It's information that the FEQ hasn't disclosed to SOCAN, he says, making it impossible to estimate the amount they could be owed. CBC News reached out to the FEQ about prior exchanges with SOCAN on this issue. In an emailed statement, they declined to comment. How common is this? SOCAN enforcing copyright laws is nothing new. The organization often does so for smaller venues, including restaurants and theatres, says Madeleine Lamothe-Samson, a lawyer specializing in copyright law. "What's new is that SOCAN is now suing some very well known festival," she said. Compared to those who run local restaurants, and who might be unaware of the intricacies of licensing and royalty fees, she says music festivals ought to know their obligations. In 2022, SOCAN successfully sued a local restaurant in Alberta for copyright infringement and was entitled to nearly $150,000. In 2019, it sued another restaurant for just under $25,000. What is the FEQ's claim? In a statement sent to Radio-Canada on Friday, the festival has denied any wrongdoing. It maintains it was well within its right as a registered charity. The festival, also known as the Festival d'Été International de Québec (FEIQ), has been a registered charity since 1974. By virtue of its mission and legal status, the festival claims it is exempt under the Copyright Act from the payment of royalties to authors, composers and publishers. Copyright lawyer, Madeleine Lamothe-Samson, says this claim has no merit. "It's irrelevant. You still pay your electricity bill if you're a charity, you've got to pay," she said. "They know they don't have any argument," said Ysolde Gendreau, professor of law at the Université de Montréal (UdeM) specializing in copyright law. She added that the festival is likely using a common tactic: "They probably say 'I won't bother [to pay] and eventually if they really mean something, they'll sue me,'" she said. What's next? Lamothe-Samson sees a straightforward resolution to this case, suspecting it will not proceed to trial and will instead be settled before the next edition of the festival. Gendreau agrees with this outcome, but also sees the lawsuit as a potential "warning" to other venues who aren't paying SOCAN. "If the user does not want to pay, then it cannot play the music," she said.
TVA Nouvelles
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- TVA Nouvelles
Service de vélopartage populaire durant le FEQ: une hausse de 56% de déplacements comparativement à l'an dernier
Le service àVélo s'est fait aller les pédales durant le Festival d'été de Québec – et en pleine grève du Réseau de transport de la Capitale - avec plus de 160 000 déplacements et une nouvelle journée record enregistrant plus de 19 000 déplacements. Il s'agit d'une augmentation de déplacements de 56% par rapport à l'année dernière, où le service de transport en commun était également à la disposition des festivaliers. Seule la première journée du FEQ, le jeudi 3 juillet, a été couverte par les services réguliers et les navettes du RTC, permettant alors près de 12 000 déplacements en autobus dans le cadre des festivités. « Le Festival d'été de Québec s'est tenu cette année dans un contexte exceptionnel, et nous savons que l'interruption des services d'autobus a causé des défis importants pour plusieurs clients. Dans ces circonstances, àVélo a représenté une solution de mobilité précieuse pour des milliers de citoyens, qui l'ont adopté en nombre record» a souligné Maude Mercier Larouche, présidente du RTC. Plus de détails à venir... .wrapper_bandeau_scoop { width: 100%; margin: 40px auto; opacity: 0; transform: translateY(20vh); visibility: hidden; transition: opacity 1200ms ease-out, transform 600ms ease-out, visibility 1200ms ease-out; will-change: opacity, transform, visibility; } .wrapper_bandeau_scoop.visible { opacity: 1; transform: none; visibility: visible; } .wrapper_bandeau_scoop .espace_bandeau_scoop { position: relative; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } .wrapper_bandeau_scoop .espace_bandeau_scoop .header_wrapper .header_scoop { display: inline-block; background-color: #e32402; padding: 4px 8px; font-family: "Heading Now Variable", "Barlow"; font-size: 26px; font-weight: 600; font-stretch: 400%; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.25px; line-height: 28.6px; text-align: center; color: white; transform: translateY(50%); } @media (max-width: 1759px ) { .wrapper_bandeau_scoop .espace_bandeau_scoop .header_wrapper .header_scoop { font-family: "Heading Now Variable", "Barlow"; 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Montreal Gazette
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Montreal Gazette
SOCAN sues Quebec City music festival over licensing fees
OTTAWA — As Avril Lavigne was about to take the stage at the Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) last week, many other Canadian artists were no doubt wondering why the organizers of Canada's largest outdoor music festival had to go make things so complicated for them. The FEQ began on July 3 — just as it was being hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), National Post has learned. The not-for-profit group, which is responsible for granting licences and collecting royalties on licensed music in Canada, claims in the lawsuit filed in Federal Court that since at least July 2022 the festival's organizers 'have failed to obtain a license from SOCAN and have not paid any royalties or submitted any report forms to SOCAN.' The Festival International d'été de Québec Inc. and Bleufeu, another organizer, are named as the defendants. The festival is still ongoing and will conclude on Sunday. Many Canadian and international artists are there this year, including Rod Stewart and Shania Twain. It attracts over a million visitors each year, and receives public funding, while earning millions in revenue. SOCAN represents more than 200,000 Canadian songwriters, composers, and music publishers, as well as millions of rights holders through a network of over 100 collective societies in over 200 countries. One of them is the Montreal-based rock band Half Moon Run. Its members said they were thrilled to be the final act of the FEQ in 2022. In fact, they thought it was going to be 'the show of (their) lives.' While the show was a success, the aftermath may have been less thrilling: The group is one of 11 artists named in the SOCAN lawsuit as those allegedly impacted by the festival's nonpayment. Other artists named include Walk Off the Earth, pianist Alexandra Stréliski, Beyries, Tokyo Police Club, Les Trois Accords and Karkwa. 'The full extent of the defendants' wrongful acts and infringements is not known by SOCAN but is within the knowledge of the defendants. SOCAN will seek relief in respect of all such activities,' reads the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, despite SOCAN's notice, both organizations have 'persisted in organizing, producing and promoting the FEQ festival, and have, by their actions, sanctioned, approved and countenanced the performances of SOCAN musical works' contrary to the Copyright Act. The FEQ festival organizers did not respond to National Post's request for comment. The lawsuit alleges the organizers have relied on their tax status as charities to exempt them from paying royalties to music creators and their publishers when their music is performed at the FEQ. In an email to the Post, SOCAN's legal adviser Julia Werneburg wrote that her organization is 'deeply concerned' with that justification. 'Although the Festival d'été de Québec is a registered charity, the performances it presents are virtually identical to those of its for-profit competitors, and Canadian law requires the payment of licensing fees for these performances,' she said. 'Failing to pay royalties to music creators and their publishers weakens the foundations of the music industry.' The FEQ is considered an institution in Quebec. Each year, it presents an impressive program of international artists on the famous Plains of Abraham, a historic space in Quebec City's Battlefields Park. On Friday, the federal government announced a total of $1.75 million in financial support to the organizers, including a non-repayable contribution of $1.2 million to 'engage in promotional activities internationally, to renew its brand image and to develop new products to enhance festivalgoers' experience' for this year and next year's editions. 'Our government is proud to support this artistic effervescence and to contribute to the success of an event that really brings people together,' said Heritage minister Steven Guilbeault in a statement announcing the funding. Ottawa also granted the FEQ $550,000 through Canadian Heritage's Canada Arts Presentation Fund for its program. Guilbeault's office declined to comment on the lawsuit as the matter is before the court.
Vancouver Sun
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Canada's largest outdoor festival hit with lawsuit over music licensing fees
OTTAWA – As Avril Lavigne was about to take the stage at the Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) last week, many other Canadian artists were no doubt wondering why the organizers of Canada's largest outdoor music festival had to go make things so complicated for them. The FEQ began on July 3 — just as it was being hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), National Post has learned. The not-for-profit group, which is responsible for granting licences and collecting royalties on licensed music in Canada, claims in the lawsuit filed in Federal Court that since at least July 2022 the festival's organizers 'have failed to obtain a license from SOCAN and have not paid any royalties or submitted any report forms to SOCAN.' The Festival International d'été de Québec Inc. and Bleufeu, another organizer, are named as the defendants. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The festival is still ongoing and will conclude on Sunday. Many Canadian and international artists are there this year, including Rod Stewart and Shania Twain. It attracts over a million visitors each year, and receives public funding, while earning millions in revenue. SOCAN represents more than 200,000 Canadian songwriters, composers, and music publishers, as well as millions of rights holders through a network of over 100 collective societies in over 200 countries. One of them is the Montreal-based rock band Half Moon Run. Its members said they were thrilled to be the final act of the FEQ in 2022. In fact, they thought it was going to be 'the show of (their) lives.' While the show was a success, the aftermath may have been less thrilling: The group is one of 11 artists named in the SOCAN lawsuit as those allegedly impacted by the festival's non-payment. Other artists named include Walk Off the Earth, pianist Alexandra Streliski, Beyries, Tokyo Police Club and Quebec's Les Trois Accords and Karwa. 'The full extent of the Defendants' wrongful acts and infringements is not known by SOCAN but is within the knowledge of the Defendants. SOCAN will seek relief in respect of all such activities,' reads the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, despite SOCAN's notice, both organizations have 'persisted in organizing, producing and promoting the FEQ Festival, and have, by their actions, sanctioned, approved and countenanced the performances of SOCAN Musical Works' contrary to the Copyright Act. The FEQ festival organizers did not respond to National Post's request for comment. The lawsuit alleges the organizers have relied on their tax status as charities to exempt them from paying royalties to music creators and their publishers when their music is performed at the FEQ. In an email to the Post, SOCAN's legal advisor Julia Werneburg wrote that her organization is 'deeply concerned' with that justification. 'Although the Festival d'été de Québec is a registered charity, the performances it presents are virtually identical to those of its for-profit competitors, and Canadian law requires the payment of licensing fees for these performances,' she said. 'Failing to pay royalties to music creators and their publishers weakens the foundations of the music industry.' The FEQ is considered an institution in Quebec. Each year, it presents an impressive program of international artists on the famous Plains of Abraham, a historic space in Quebec City's Battlefields Park. On Friday, the federal government announced a total of $1.75 million in financial support to the organizers, including a non-repayable contribution of $1.2 million to 'engage in promotional activities internationally, to renew its brand image and to develop new products to enhance festivalgoers' experience' for this year and next year's editions. 'Our government is proud to support this artistic effervescence and to contribute to the success of an event that really brings people together,' said Heritage minister Steven Guilbeault in a statement announcing the funding. Ottawa also granted the FEQ $550,000 through Canadian Heritage's Canada Arts Presentation Fund for its program. Guilbeault's office did not provide comment on the lawsuit for this story by deadline. National Post atrepanier@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Canada's largest outdoor festival hit with lawsuit over music licensing fees
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The FEQ started on July 3, just as they were hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) A crowd waits for an act to come on the main stage at the Festival d'été de Québec in 2023. Photo by Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press/File OTTAWA – As Avril Lavigne was about to take the stage at the Festival d'été de Québec (FEQ) last week, many other Canadian artists were no doubt wondering why the organizers of Canada's largest outdoor music festival had to go make things so complicated for them. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The FEQ began on July 3 — just as it was being hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit from the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), National Post has learned. The not-for-profit group, which is responsible for granting licences and collecting royalties on licensed music in Canada, claims in the lawsuit filed in Federal Court that since at least July 2022 the festival's organizers 'have failed to obtain a license from SOCAN and have not paid any royalties or submitted any report forms to SOCAN.' The Festival International d'été de Québec Inc. and Bleufeu, another organizer, are named as the defendants. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again The festival is still ongoing and will conclude on Sunday. Many Canadian and international artists are there this year, including Rod Stewart and Shania Twain. It attracts over a million visitors each year, and receives public funding, while earning millions in revenue. SOCAN represents more than 200,000 Canadian songwriters, composers, and music publishers, as well as millions of rights holders through a network of over 100 collective societies in over 200 countries. One of them is the Montreal-based rock band Half Moon Run. Its members said they were thrilled to be the final act of the FEQ in 2022. In fact, they thought it was going to be 'the show of (their) lives.' While the show was a success, the aftermath may have been less thrilling: The group is one of 11 artists named in the SOCAN lawsuit as those allegedly impacted by the festival's non-payment. Other artists named include Walk Off the Earth, pianist Alexandra Streliski, Beyries, Tokyo Police Club and Quebec's Les Trois Accords and Karwa. 'The full extent of the Defendants' wrongful acts and infringements is not known by SOCAN but is within the knowledge of the Defendants. SOCAN will seek relief in respect of all such activities,' reads the lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, despite SOCAN's notice, both organizations have 'persisted in organizing, producing and promoting the FEQ Festival, and have, by their actions, sanctioned, approved and countenanced the performances of SOCAN Musical Works' contrary to the Copyright Act. This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The FEQ festival organizers did not respond to National Post's request for comment. The lawsuit alleges the organizers have relied on their tax status as charities to exempt them from paying royalties to music creators and their publishers when their music is performed at the FEQ. In an email to the Post, SOCAN's legal advisor Julia Werneburg wrote that her organization is 'deeply concerned' with that justification. 'Although the Festival d'été de Québec is a registered charity, the performances it presents are virtually identical to those of its for-profit competitors, and Canadian law requires the payment of licensing fees for these performances,' she said. 'Failing to pay royalties to music creators and their publishers weakens the foundations of the music industry.' The FEQ is considered an institution in Quebec. Each year, it presents an impressive program of international artists on the famous Plains of Abraham, a historic space in Quebec City's Battlefields Park. On Friday, the federal government announced a total of $1.75 million in financial support to the organizers, including a non-repayable contribution of $1.2 million to 'engage in promotional activities internationally, to renew its brand image and to develop new products to enhance festivalgoers' experience' for this year and next year's editions. 'Our government is proud to support this artistic effervescence and to contribute to the success of an event that really brings people together,' said Heritage minister Steven Guilbeault in a statement announcing the funding. Ottawa also granted the FEQ $550,000 through Canadian Heritage's Canada Arts Presentation Fund for its program. Guilbeault's office did not provide comment on the lawsuit for this story by deadline. National Post atrepanier@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
