OTTAWA,
ON, July 16, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the
Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry,
announced the appointment of Drew
Olsen as Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the
Copyright Board of Canada, for a
five-year term, starting August 26, 2024. In this role, Mr.
Olsen will lead the work of the Board as well as supervise and
direct Board staff.
Mr. Olsen is currently Associate Director General of the
Audiovisual Branch at Canadian Heritage. While at the department,
he held other leadership positions, including Deputy Director
General of the Cultural Industries Branch; Senior Director of
Marketplace and Legislative Policy, Broadcasting, Copyright and
Creative Branch; and Director of Policy and Legislation, Copyright
and International Trade Policy Branch. He also worked as Director
of Ownership and Acquisitions, Consumer Affairs and Strategic
Policy Sector, at the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission. Mr. Olsen holds a Master of Arts in
Economics from the University of
Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia.
As a public institution, the Board plays a significant role in
the Canadian copyright ecosystem by balancing market power between
rights holders and users. Through its tariffs and individual
licences, it ensures that creators and rights holders receive fair
compensation, content providers and end-users pay fair prices, and
Canadians have broad access to copyright-protected content.
The Government of Canada is
committed to appointing highly qualified candidates to best serve
the interests of Canadians and is committed to open, transparent
and merit-based processes for selecting Governor-in-Council
appointees.
Quotes
"The Copyright Board of Canada
plays a key role in Canada's
creative economy and requires strong and innovative leadership to
ensure a well-functioning copyright market. I want to offer my
sincere congratulations to Drew
Olsen for his appointment as Vice-Chair and Chief Executive
Officer of the Copyright Board of Canada. His robust leadership experience and
extensive knowledge in Canadian broadcasting, telecommunications
and Internet policy development are valuable assets to the Board
and to Canadians."
– The Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
"I would like to warmly congratulate Drew Olsen on his recent appointment as
Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Board of
Canada. At a time when Canadian
artists are exploring and questioning the complex issues of
copyright, visionary and experienced leadership is crucial.
Drew Olsen's extensive expertise
will be an invaluable asset in ensuring a fair and dynamic
copyright market that supports the country's creative economy."
– The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Quick facts
- The Copyright Board of Canada
is an economic regulator and administrative tribunal that operates
at arm's length from the Government of Canada and reports on its corporate activities
to Parliament through the Minister of Innovation, Science and
Industry.
- The Board establishes fair and equitable tariffs and individual
licences for the use of collectively managed copyrights.
- The Board's tariffs affect a very wide range of industries and
businesses, and they cover activities in which all Canadians
engage. The Board's economic footprint is significant and growing:
in 2022, royalties generated by tariffs approved by the Board were
estimated at approximately $683
million.
- The Board is in the second phase of its modernization
initiative, which aims to consolidate achievements of the first
phase over two full tariff filing cycles and to accelerate case
processing using newly implemented tools and processes, as outlined
in the Modernizing the Copyright Board: Status Update.
- Phase 2 will include a review of other ways the Board can best
play its role as a marketplace facilitator, such as the individual
cases regime and the licensing system for the use of works when the
owner of copyrights cannot be located.
Associated links
- Copyright Board of Canada
- Modernizing the Copyright Board: Status Update
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