Government of Canada appoints Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Board of Canada

OTTAWA, ON, July 16, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the appointment of Drew Olsen as Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Board of Canada, for a five-year term, starting August 26, 2024. In this role, Mr. Olsen will lead the work of the Board as well as supervise and direct Board staff.

Mr. Olsen is currently Associate Director General of the Audiovisual Branch at Canadian Heritage. While at the department, he held other leadership positions, including Deputy Director General of the Cultural Industries Branch; Senior Director of Marketplace and Legislative Policy, Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Branch; and Director of Policy and Legislation, Copyright and International Trade Policy Branch. He also worked as Director of Ownership and Acquisitions, Consumer Affairs and Strategic Policy Sector, at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Mr. Olsen holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia.

As a public institution, the Board plays a significant role in the Canadian copyright ecosystem by balancing market power between rights holders and users. Through its tariffs and individual licences, it ensures that creators and rights holders receive fair compensation, content providers and end-users pay fair prices, and Canadians have broad access to copyright-protected content.

The Government of Canada is committed to appointing highly qualified candidates to best serve the interests of Canadians and is committed to open, transparent and merit-based processes for selecting Governor-in-Council appointees.

Quotes

"The Copyright Board of Canada plays a key role in Canada's creative economy and requires strong and innovative leadership to ensure a well-functioning copyright market. I want to offer my sincere congratulations to Drew Olsen for his appointment as Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Board of Canada. His robust leadership experience and extensive knowledge in Canadian broadcasting, telecommunications and Internet policy development are valuable assets to the Board and to Canadians."
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"I would like to warmly congratulate Drew Olsen on his recent appointment as Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Board of Canada. At a time when Canadian artists are exploring and questioning the complex issues of copyright, visionary and experienced leadership is crucial. Drew Olsen's extensive expertise will be an invaluable asset in ensuring a fair and dynamic copyright market that supports the country's creative economy."
– The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

Quick facts

• The Copyright Board of Canada is an economic regulator and administrative tribunal that operates at arm's length from the Government of Canada and reports on its corporate activities to Parliament through the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
• The Board establishes fair and equitable tariffs and individual licences for the use of collectively managed copyrights.
• The Board's tariffs affect a very wide range of industries and businesses, and they cover activities in which all Canadians engage. The Board's economic footprint is significant and growing: in 2022, royalties generated by tariffs approved by the Board were estimated at approximately $683 million.
• The Board is in the second phase of its modernization initiative, which aims to consolidate achievements of the first phase over two full tariff filing cycles and to accelerate case processing using newly implemented tools and processes, as outlined in the Modernizing the Copyright Board: Status Update.
• Phase 2 will include a review of other ways the Board can best play its role as a marketplace facilitator, such as the individual cases regime and the licensing system for the use of works when the owner of copyrights cannot be located.

Associated links

• Copyright Board of Canada
• Modernizing the Copyright Board: Status Update

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Contacts: Audrey Milette, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]