TORONTO, Canada – The Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA), innovators in licensing and royalty administration, announced today the distribution of over 94 million dollars in royalties to its music publisher and self-published songwriter clients for the 2025 fiscal year, following its 50th anniversary year.
“As we build on our 50‑year legacy, CMRRA is focused on the future, investing in technology, data intelligence, and scalable services that support music publishers and self‑published songwriters,” said Paul Shaver, President of CMRRA. “The industry is evolving rapidly, and CMRRA is committed to leading that change by delivering smarter tools, building stronger relationships, and creating sustainable opportunities for our clients well into the future.”
The announcement follows CMRRA’s 50th anniversary year in 2025, marking five decades of leadership in navigating new ways to monetize and administer reproduction rights, from physical formats to digital streaming and emerging modern technologies. Throughout its milestone year, CMRRA highlighted the people, partnerships, and innovations that have shaped its growth, while reinforcing its commitment to supporting music publishers and self-published songwriters in an increasingly complex global landscape.
In 2025, CMRRA’s impact was recognized across the global music industry, with multiple honours awarded to both the organization and its team.
2025 CMRRA Highlights
- Welcomed 477 new client affiliations, including 137 for international collections, a 33% increase in client affiliations from last year.
- Broadcast mechanical distributions increased by 119%, reflecting increased efficiencies in distribution processing, including reprocessing of some prior periods
- Renewed multi-year licensing agreements with major online music platforms including Amazon, Meta, and TIDAL, with a focus of increasing revenue for clients
- Received multiple honours including the AIMP Indie Spirit Award, the Music Publishers Canada Industry Builder Award, and a special 50th Anniversary recognition from The Unison Fund.
- Multiple recognitions for CMRRA employees including Billboard Canada Power Players List (Veronica Syrtash, SVP Global Publishing Services, Business Affairs & Corporate Development), Billboard Canada Women in Music List (Andrea England, Associate Director, Publisher Engagement & Strategy and Elyssa Macri, Director, Industry Relations & Communications), Billboard Canada 40 Under 40 List (Karen Visser, Licensing & Distribution Operations Coordinator), and the Women in Music Canada Honours Career Achievement Award (Veronica Syrtash).
- Invited to join ICMP’s Friends Programme, expanding CMRRA’s international partnerships and industry engagement.
- Launched the inaugural CMRRA Certified Award, presented to Music Publishers Canada in recognition of its foundational role in the organization’s creation.
- Hosted multiple milestone anniversary events including two in collaboration with SOCAN in New York and Toronto.
- Celebrated 50th anniversary with a series of initiatives, including an open house mixer and a special anniversary themed monthly newsletter highlighting CMRRA’s legacy and impact on the music publishing community and spotlighting individuals who have played an instrumental role in CMRRA’s growth and success.
- Launched a refreshed website with improved navigation, updated content, and streamlined access to resources.
- Expanded client education with the launch of a new tutorial video series, starting with “How to Register Your Songs” to help clients navigate the process more efficiently.
- Celebrated 35-year anniversaries of longtime CMRRA staff members Judy Enns (Repertoire Administrator) and Sandra Nettleton (Sr. Director, Licensing & Distribution Operations).
- Welcomed industry veteran Craig “Big C” Mannix as Industry Relations Consultant – Community Engagement, strengthening relationships and expanding CMRRA’s reach across underrepresented music communities.
- Continued building strong industry partnerships by collaborating with new and returning partners such as Billboard Canada, CARAS/The JUNO Awards, CCMA, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, Women in Music Canada, Indigenous Music Summit, Honey Jam, and adding Folk Music Alliance International, AIMP, and more.
Looking ahead, CMRRA remains focused on supporting music publishers and self‑published songwriters while ensuring that AI and modern technology partners respect copyright and value songs as creative works. As the industry adapts to rapidly evolving technologies, CMRRA will continue to lead in music rights licensing and administration, advancing a modern licensing framework grounded in consent, transparency, and fair value for creators. This means consent before use, transparency about how works are used, and fair remuneration that flows back to creators and the communities they belong to, empowering and protecting creators at every stage.
