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?
In the past, elections for the SOCAN Board of Directors took place every three years per the SOCAN By-Laws.
In December 2023, SOCAN members approved changes to SOCAN’s By-laws to implement a staggered election system.
As a result of these changes, six new directors will be elected every year for a three-year term. There are three Writer Directors and three Publisher Directors elected each year.
How long is the term of a Board Member?
Elected Directors hold office for a term of three years.
Who is eligible to run for a Board position?
Any Writer Member who received at least $300 in performing right royalties from SOCAN in the previous three calendar years 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 the Writer Member declares as a previous Canadian address) is eligible to run for the Board.
Any Publisher Member representative where the publishing company has received at least $3,000 in performing right royalties from SOCAN in the the previous three calendar years is eligible if (1) the Publisher Member has a principal place within Canada where it carries out business and (2) the representative is a Canadian citizen and 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.
Is Audiovisual music represented on the Board?
The SOCAN By-laws ensure that at least two Writer Directors are creators of Audiovisual Music on the Board. See Section V of the SOCAN By-Laws for complete details.
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 other executives, 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 & Board of Directors Roles.
What are the various roles within the Board?
The Board of Directors appoints a Chair and elects Officers as the Board deems necessary. A member of the Board may hold more than one position.
Please refer to Section VIII and X of the SOCAN By-Laws for more detailed information.
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 48 hours’ 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 Committee meetings per year related to one of the three Board committees: Risk and Audit Committee; Tariff, Licensing and Distribution Committee; and Membership Committee.
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. The Board of Directors is considering implementing term limits that would set out the maximum number of consecutive terms a Director can serve.