Bill C-59: Amendments to the Copyright Act of Canada

The Canadian Government recently amended the Copyright Act of Canada (the “Act”) to increase the term of protection for both published sound recordings and for performer’s performances fixed in published sound recordings by an additional 20 years (i.e., from 50 years to 70 years after the calendar year of first publication) to a maximum of 100 years from the date of first fixation, as described more particularly below.  The amendments were included in the Government’s 2015 budget bill, Bill C-59, and came into force when the bill received Royal Assent on June 23, 2015.