Note that each country has its own mechanical licensing collective. The Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) carries on business in the United Kingdom and issues licences for its territory, just as CMRRA does for Canada. Similarly, The Harry Fox Agency licenses for the territory of the United States. This is repeated throughout the world. If you plan to import products from another country, it is critical that you obtain mechanical licences from CMRRA as it is impossible for a foreign manufacturer to “clear” Canadian royalties unless it has entered into direct worldwide deals with the publishers involved. While possible, this is extremely rare.
The rule is simple: if you sell or distribute recordings in Canada, whether they were made here or elsewhere, they must be licensed in Canada and royalties must be paid in Canada.
