The Canada Media Producers Association (CMPA) and the Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) have ratified their first-ever Independent Production Agreement (IPA).

The three-year IPA was first announced Dec. 20, 2024 and establishes terms, conditions and rates for English-language musicians involved in Canadian independent productions. The agreement went into effect on Jan. 1 and expires Dec. 31, 2027.

CFM represents 15,000 musicians living and working in Canada and is part of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. The organization represents the interests of Canadian musicians in various rights agreements to protect copyright ownership.

“This agreement will not only bring more work to our members but also streamline the contracting process for independent producers, fostering a more collaborative and productive environment for the Canadian film and television industry,” said Allistair Elliott, AFM VP from Canada, in a statement.

Canadian producers previously contracted with CFM on films, TV movies and episodic series through the Canadian Content Production Rules (CCPR). The IPA allows the current version of the CCPR to remain available for adherence by producers until Feb. 15 so productions that have already been budgeted under that version can continue under the same rates.

The IPA has established base rates for music sessions and overtime, live music and episodic rates for theme music, among others. Those rates will increase by 3% in 2026 and 2027. For example, the rate for a three-hour session with less than 10 musicians in 2025 is $397.58. By 2027, that rate will grow to $421.79.

The rates are applicable to all budgets except for a low-budget independent production incentive, which allows for a 15% discount on minimum rates.

For those rates, work time is calculated in 15-minute increments, although the minimum session for musicians is three hours. The agreement states there is no minimum staffing requirement unless stated otherwise.

The minimum call for sideline musicians – those who recreate a piece of music through mime or actually record it on camera – is eight hours.

The agreement also lays out some key terms. For instance, series are defined as a single production, so producers are not required to pay on a per-episode basis. However, musicians that record theme music are entitled to per-episode payments provided the music used is consistent with current CCPR terms.

The terms of the agreement can be modified depending on a treaty coproduction or a digital coproduction with treaty countries.

“I thank the individuals on both sides of the table for their commitment to singing from the same song sheet and reaching a fair agreement through the collective bargaining process,” said Sean Porter, CMPA’s VP of national industrial relations and counsel. “The CMPA also thanks the late Alan Willaert [former AFM VP from Canada], who led the CFM negotiation team for much of these negotiations and who was a valued bargaining partner and unwavering advocate for Canadian musicians.”

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