Defending Value, Delivering the Future: Turning Strategy into Momentum
Annual Report 2025
our voice
Leadership Messages
Chair Report“Access Copyright has been part of my professional life for many years, including previous service on the Board from 2006 to 2012 and again since 2020.”Linda McCollumRead more
CEO Report“In everything Access Copyright does, partnership and collaboration with our members and affiliates remains essential.”Kate EdwardsRead more
what happened
Year in Review
Learn about the work we did in 2025 to build our renewed foundation.Understanding Our Market
“It's the right thing to do. You have to put a face to the work, these are actual creators making all this and it's their job.”
“It's the right thing to do. You have to put a face to the work, these are actual creators making all this and it's their job.”
Responding to Technological Change
“We collaborated with our members and affiliates to begin exploring how our repertoire can provide additional value to our customers and generate revenue for the rightsholders we serve.”
“We collaborated with our members and affiliates to begin exploring how our repertoire can provide additional value to our customers and generate revenue for the rightsholders we serve.”
BUSINESS SYSTEMS UPGRADE
“The end of 2025 saw the culmination of a two-and-a-half-year project to upgrade our business systems and reduce our operating expenses.”
“The end of 2025 saw the culmination of a two-and-a-half-year project to upgrade our business systems and reduce our operating expenses.”
ADVOCACY“We affirm the importance of human ingenuity and creativity to society, and stress the need for technology companies to comply with the Copyright Act as they develop and refine AI systems.”
what they said“An Access Copyright licence means creators are compensated but it also protects institutions because it means they’re operating now in a legal and ethical framework.”
peter darbyshire
“An Access Copyright licence means creators are compensated but it also protects institutions because it means they’re operating now in a legal and ethical framework.”
peter darbyshire
what they said
Access Copyright’s Legal Counsel;
October 22, 2025
“Access Copyright supports the development of a strategy that fosters a fair, safe and ethical AI ecosystem, one that recognizes the importance of human ingenuity to our society and our Canadian culture. Like organizations across creative industries, we believe AI uses must be authorized, remunerated and transparent.”
Erin Finlay,Access Copyright’s Legal Counsel;
October 22, 2025
The Wins
Our Story in Numbers
14,847
Royalty payments distributed as part of Access Copyright's annual distribution plan.
+13,000
Creators received a Payback payment
700
Published received a Publisher Repertoire payment
Our story in numbers Distributions at a Glance
2025 Domestic Distributions (millions)*
*This chart predicts the 2025 split in domestic distributions based on the results of the 2023 publisher royalty survey.
Distributions & Financials
RevenuesIn 2024, Access Copyright realized $14.148 million in revenue. Notably, corporate-licensing revenue increased by $379K, an uptick primarily realized through work undertaken to expand our business licensee base.
DistributionsDistributions to rights holders in 2024 came in at $7.691 million, a continuing reflection of how the education fair-dealing exception has contributed to the economic harm felt by Canadian creators and publishers. With the conclusion of the K-12 litigation action combined with Access Copyright transitioning to a supporting role in advocacy, the Board made the decision, as of 2024, to cease the 5% withholding of revenues directed toward tariff, litigation, and advocacy costs. This move is poised to result in modestly higher distributions to rights holders in 2025 and for the foreseeable future.
ExpensesOverall, Access Copyright ended 2024 in a favourable financial position with a surplus of $1.884 million. Throughout the year, the organization carefully managed its expenses following the completion of an organizational restructuring at the end of 2023, the winding down of Imprimo, a past innovation project, as well as a transition to a remote-first work environment that included sub-leasing a smaller physical office from the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency. For 2024, total expenses came in at $3.430 million.
*This chart predicts the 2025 split in domestic distributions based on the results of the 2023 publisher royalty survey.
celebrating our grant recipients
Access Copyright Foundation
In 2025, Access Copyright Foundation, an arm’s length foundation of Access Copyright, completed its 15th full year of supporting Canada’s creative sector through its granting programs centered on research, professional development and events.
In total, $300,000 in grant funding was awarded to 76 recipients.
In total, $300,000 in grant funding was awarded to 76 recipients.
"Access Copyright Foundation's generous support made it possible for me to learn from celebrated artists in my field and connect with new audiences in Ireland this summer. I am deeply grateful to the Foundation for supporting my work through their incredible Professional Development Grant program."– author Taylor Graham
Listings
2025 Access Copyright Board of Directors
Linda McCollum, Chair
Lara Caplan, Vice-Chair
Neil Harris, Treasurer
Arjun Basu
Diane Davy
Katherine Gordon
Sonya Lalli
Marcia Lea
Cara Yarzab
Janette Yates
Kate Edwards, CEO
Linda McCollum, Chair
Lara Caplan, Vice-Chair
Neil Harris, Treasurer
Arjun Basu
Diane Davy
Katherine Gordon
Sonya Lalli
Marcia Lea
Cara Yarzab
Janette Yates
Kate Edwards, CEO
Creator Member Organizations
Canadian Artists’ Representation
Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators
Canadian Association of University Teachers
Canadian Authors Association
Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers
Crime Writers of Canada
Federation of BC Writers
League of Canadian Poets
Manitoba Writers’ Guild
Playwrights Guild of Canada
Professional Outdoor Media Association of Canada
Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild
The Writers’ Union of Canada
WritersNL
Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick
Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia
Writers’ Guild of Alberta
Canadian Artists’ Representation
Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators
Canadian Association of University Teachers
Canadian Authors Association
Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers
Crime Writers of Canada
Federation of BC Writers
League of Canadian Poets
Manitoba Writers’ Guild
Playwrights Guild of Canada
Professional Outdoor Media Association of Canada
Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild
The Writers’ Union of Canada
WritersNL
Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick
Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia
Writers’ Guild of Alberta
Access Copyright Team
Kate Edwards, CEO
Michael Andrews, Chief Financial Officer
Bil Antoniou, Royalties and Client Services Associate
Rino Falcioni, Head, Technology Services
Erin Finlay, Legal Counsel
Dale Gallea, Royalties and Client Services
Xin Ge, Manager, Accounting
Robert Gilbert, Manager, Communications and Marketing
Silvia Grunberg, Head, Royalties and Client Services
Joan Lewis-Milne, Head, Business Development
Ivana Morelli, Royalties and Client Services Associate
Christina Ransom, Senior Information & Business Process Specialist
Irma Rebelo, Intermediate Accountant
Sean Ross, Accounts Payable Associate
Stephen Sawyer, Manager, Business Systems
Annmarie Uleryk, Senior Information & Business Process Specialist
Kate Edwards, CEO
Michael Andrews, Chief Financial Officer
Bil Antoniou, Royalties and Client Services Associate
Rino Falcioni, Head, Technology Services
Erin Finlay, Legal Counsel
Dale Gallea, Royalties and Client Services
Xin Ge, Manager, Accounting
Robert Gilbert, Manager, Communications and Marketing
Silvia Grunberg, Head, Royalties and Client Services
Joan Lewis-Milne, Head, Business Development
Ivana Morelli, Royalties and Client Services Associate
Christina Ransom, Senior Information & Business Process Specialist
Irma Rebelo, Intermediate Accountant
Sean Ross, Accounts Payable Associate
Stephen Sawyer, Manager, Business Systems
Annmarie Uleryk, Senior Information & Business Process Specialist
Publisher Member Organizations
Alberta Magazine Publishers Association
Association of Canadian Publishers
Association of Canadian University Presses
Association of Manitoba Book Publishers
Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association
Book Publishers Association of Alberta
Books BC
Canadian Association of Learned Journals
Canadian Publishers’ Council
Literary Press Group
Magazine Association of BC
Magazines Canada
Music Publishers Canada
News Media Canada
Ontario Book Publishers Organization
SaskBooks
Alberta Magazine Publishers Association
Association of Canadian Publishers
Association of Canadian University Presses
Association of Manitoba Book Publishers
Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association
Book Publishers Association of Alberta
Books BC
Canadian Association of Learned Journals
Canadian Publishers’ Council
Literary Press Group
Magazine Association of BC
Magazines Canada
Music Publishers Canada
News Media Canada
Ontario Book Publishers Organization
SaskBooks