Board FAQ
How many people serve on SOCAN’s Board of Directors?
The Board consists of 18 Directors. 9 Writer Members and 9 Publisher Members.
Do Directors have to be SOCAN Members?
Yes.
How often is a new Board elected?
Elections for the Board of Directors take place every three years per the SOCAN By-Laws.
How long is the term of a Board Member?
Elected Directors hold office for a term of three years.
How do members vote?
Any Writer Member who received performing right royalties from SOCAN in the 2023 calendar year and whose principal residence is in Canada (or in the case of a Writer Member who no longer has a principal residence in Canada, the place of the Writer member’s previous Canadian address) is eligible to run for the Board.
Any representative of a publishing company that has received performing right royalties from SOCAN in the 2023 calendar year is eligible if (1) the publishing company has a principal place within Canada where it carries on business and (2) the representative is a Canadian citizen or has his/her principal residence in Canada.
There are certain circumstances that will make Writer and Publisher Members not eligible to serve on the Board (e.g., representatives from affiliated publishers or if there has been an assignment of bankruptcy etc.). For more detailed information on these restrictions, consult Section V of the SOCAN By-Laws.
Are there representatives of the Board from across Canada?
The regional representation on the Board includes: three representatives from the West (i.e., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut); six representatives from Quebec; and nine representatives from the East (i.e., Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.)
For more detailed information on regional representation, consult Section V of the SOCAN By-Laws.
Are there Francophone representatives on the Board?
Six of the representatives on the Board must be Francophone.
Are meetings, documents and presentations facilitated in French?
SOCAN makes every effort to provide all communications regardless of type or platform in both French and English, including providing interpretation services for meetings where appropriate.
Are all genres of music represented on the Board?
The SOCAN By-laws ensure that a variety of music genres are represented on the Board. See section V for complete details SOCAN By-Laws.
What are the overall responsibilities of the Board of Directors?
As the representatives of SOCAN’s membership, the Board of Directors is responsible for setting and managing the strategic plan for SOCAN, approval of the budget, working with the CEO, and developing and setting policies in areas such as tariffs and distribution and membership. The Board makes decisions as a whole. You can read more about these responsibilities in the Governance Disclosure & Management Review.
What are the various roles within the Board?
The Board of Directors elects its Officers, including President and Chair of the Board, first Vice Chair of the Board, second Vice Chair of the Board, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President and Chair of the Board and other Officers, as the Board deems necessary. A member of the Board may hold more than one position, with the exception of the President and Chair of the Board who may not hold the office of Secretary.
Again, the SOCAN By-Laws contain much more detailed information about each of these positions.
How often does the Board of Directors meet?
The Board meets at least four times a year. Additional meetings may be called, as required, with a minimum of 14 days notice. Beyond meetings Directors are required to commit time to preparing for the meetings. There are several documents that are circulated prior to each meeting that will need to be read and understood in order to actively participate and make decisions during the meetings.
Do all Directors attend every meeting?
All Directors are required to attend the Board meetings, as well as an additional minimum of four meetings per year related to one of the three Board committees: Risk Identification and Management Committee; Tariff, Licensing and Distribution Committee; and Membership Committee. Committee meetings are generally held the day before or day after a Board meeting.
Is a position on the Board a paid position?
Directors are paid for their attendance at meetings of the Board and committees of the Board. Travel and other acceptable out-of-pocket expenses required to attend Board and committee meetings are reimbursed. Board members are also provided with a quarterly honorarium for their service to the Board.
How long can someone stay on the Board?
A SOCAN member can remain on the Board as long as they continue to be elected and meet eligibility requirements.