CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency)

CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency) is a non-profit music licensing organization based in Toronto that administers mechanical (reproduction) rights on behalf of music publishers in Canada. It issues licenses to record labels, digital distributors, and other users for the reproduction of copyrighted musical works, collects the resulting royalties, and distributes them to publisher clients.

How CMRRA Works

CMRRA operates differently from a performing rights organization like SOCAN. While SOCAN collects performance royalties (when music is played on radio, TV, or in public venues), CMRRA collects mechanical royalties (when music is reproduced on physical formats or downloaded).

The process works as follows:

1. Publisher representation: Music publishers sign with CMRRA to represent their catalog in Canada. CMRRA represents the vast majority of music publishers doing business in the Canadian market.
2. Licensing: CMRRA issues licenses to record labels, digital music services, and other entities that reproduce musical works. The primary licensing vehicle is the Mechanical Licensing Agreement (MLA), a standard contract between CMRRA and record labels selling physical products in Canada.
3. Royalty collection: Licensees report sales quarterly and pay royalties based on actual units sold. CMRRA processes these reports, matches them to the correct publisher catalogs, and distributes the funds.
4. Online and broadcast mechanicals: CMRRA handles online licensing and broadcast mechanical royalties through a joint venture with SOCAN. This partnership covers streaming services, downloads, and broadcast mechanical rights.

The current statutory mechanical rate in Canada is 8.3 cents per work per copy manufactured for musical works up to five minutes in length. For works longer than five minutes, an additional 1.66 cents per minute (or part thereof) is added. A small number of publishers may charge higher-than-standard rates.

Real-World Example: Mechanical Royalty Calculation

A Canadian record label presses 10,000 CDs containing a 12-song album. One of those songs is a cover written by a songwriter represented by a CMRRA-affiliated publisher. The song runs 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

The mechanical royalty for that one song is calculated as:

10,000 copies x 8.3 cents = $830.00 CAD

The label reports this to CMRRA quarterly. CMRRA identifies the publisher, deducts its administrative fee, and sends the remaining amount to the publisher. The publisher then pays the songwriter their share according to their publishing agreement.

If the song had been 7 minutes long, the rate would be 8.3 cents + (2 x 1.66 cents) = 11.62 cents per copy, yielding $1,162.00 for 10,000 units.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you write songs and someone else records them (a cover, a sample, or a compilation inclusion), you are owed a mechanical royalty in Canada. CMRRA is the primary mechanism for collecting that money.

For independent artists and songwriters:

• If you self-publish: You can affiliate with CMRRA directly as a publisher to collect mechanical royalties on your own catalog. This is separate from your SOCAN membership, which covers performance royalties.
• If you release cover songs: You need a mechanical license from CMRRA (or the publisher directly) before pressing CDs or distributing downloads in Canada. Without it, you risk copyright infringement.
• Register your works: Ensure your songs are registered with both CMRRA (for mechanicals) and SOCAN (for performance royalties). Missing registrations mean missing payments.
• Understand the rate: The 8.3 cents per copy rate applies to audio-only sound recordings. Licenses for other uses (toys, games, ringtones) are negotiated individually.

Use our Publishing Royalty Split Calculator to calculate how mechanical royalties divide between co-writers and publishers. Read our guide on mechanical royalties explained for a deeper breakdown of how these payments work.

Territory Covered

CMRRA administers mechanical (reproduction) rights exclusively within Canada. The organization licenses record labels, digital distributors, and other entities that reproduce musical works within Canadian borders. This includes physical manufacturing (CDs, vinyl), digital downloads, streaming services, and broadcast mechanical rights.

For royalties generated outside Canada, CMRRA collects through its international collections program. The organization partners with IMPEL (International Music Publishing Secondary and Mechanical Rights) for European territories and with The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) for US collections. These international royalties are distributed as part of CMRRA's regular quarterly payment cycles.

CMRRA also handles online and broadcast mechanicals through a joint venture with SOCAN. This partnership covers streaming services, downloads, and broadcast mechanical rights in Canada.

Membership and Fees

CMRRA represents music publishers and self-published songwriters. There are no upfront costs to affiliating with CMRRA.

For Publishers

Music publishers sign an affiliation agreement with CMRRA. The agreement authorizes CMRRA to issue mechanical licenses and collect royalties on the publisher's behalf in Canada. Publishers register their catalogs through the CMRRA Direct client portal.

For Self-Published Songwriters

Songwriters who act as their own publishers can affiliate directly with CMRRA. CMRRA considers self-published songwriters as their own publishers by default. The same affiliation process applies.

Administration Fees

CMRRA retains a commission from collected royalties as its administrative fee:

• Mechanical licenses (physical): 10% of monies collected
• Online and digital uses: 7% of monies collected
• International collections (IMPEL and MLC): 5% of monies collected

The commission rates may be changed by CMRRA's Board of Directors with 90 days written notice to publishers.

Overhead Rate

CMRRA operates on a commission model rather than a percentage overhead. The organization retains:

• 10% of mechanical royalties from physical product sales
• 7% of royalties from online and digital uses
• 5% of international collections from IMPEL and MLC

These rates are outlined in the affiliation agreement schedules. There are no additional administrative fees or hidden charges. CMRRA is a non-profit organization.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

CMRRA distributes royalties on a quarterly schedule:

• Mid-March: Q4 collections from the prior year
• Mid-June: Q1 collections
• Mid-September: Q2 collections
• Mid-December: Q3 collections

Revenue Types Distributed Quarterly

• Physical mechanical royalties (major labels, independent labels, small pressers)
• Online and digital royalties (streaming and download services)
• International collections (MLC and European territories via IMPEL)
• Audiovisual post-synchronization royalties (YouTube, Meta, TikTok)

Revenue Types Distributed Annually

• Broadcast mechanical royalties (commercial radio, CBC Radio, satellite radio, pay audio, background music services) are distributed once or twice per year.

Payment Threshold

The minimum payment threshold is $15 (gross CAD) per payee account. Earnings below this threshold are held and carried forward to the next quarter when accumulated earnings exceed $15.

Reciprocal Agreements

CMRRA maintains international collection agreements to ensure Canadian publishers receive royalties from foreign territories.

IMPEL (International Music Publishing Secondary and Mechanical Rights)

CMRRA partners with IMPEL for mechanical royalty collection in European territories. IMPEL represents the mechanical rights of music publishers across multiple European countries. The administration fee for IMPEL collections is 5% of royalties collected.

The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective)

CMRRA collects US mechanical royalties through The MLC, which administers blanket mechanical licenses for digital service providers under the Music Modernization Act. The administration fee for MLC collections is 5% of royalties collected.

SOCAN Joint Venture

CMRRA handles online licensing and broadcast mechanical royalties through a joint venture with SOCAN. This partnership covers streaming services, downloads, and broadcast mechanical rights in Canada. SOCAN handles performance royalties while CMRRA handles the mechanical (reproduction) side.

Notable Members

CMRRA does not publicly disclose its individual publisher clients. The organization states that it represents the vast majority of music publishers doing business in the Canadian market. Clients range from large multinational publishers to independent and self-published songwriters.

CMRRA was created over 50 years ago and has been involved in Canadian digital licensing since the launch of iTunes in Canada in 2004. The organization has processed royalties for streaming services since Spotify launched in Canada in 2014, Apple Music in 2015, and Amazon Music in 2017.

PRO Comparison Table

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Compare CMRRA with Other PROs

• SOCAN - Canada's performing rights organization (complementary to CMRRA)
• HFA - US mechanical rights organization
• The MLC - US mechanical licensing collective
• PRS for Music - UK performing and mechanical rights organization
• GEMA - Germany's performing and mechanical rights organization
• Full PRO Directory - Browse all performing rights organizations

Related Terms

• Mechanical Royalties - The royalty type CMRRA collects, generated when music is reproduced
• Mechanical License - The legal permission CMRRA grants to record labels and distributors
• Statutory Rate - The government-set rate that forms the basis for CMRRA's pricing
• PRO (Performance Rights Organization) - SOCAN is Canada's PRO, complementary to CMRRA's mechanical role
• Publishing Administration - How publishers manage their catalogs through agencies like CMRRA

Learn more about all the royalties you should be collecting and how to register your music with a PRO.

Visit the CMRRA website for licensing details, rate schedules, and publisher affiliation information.