Supreme Court To Hear Five Appeals Concerning Copyright Tariffs

In an unprecedented cluster of cases focusing on copyright, the Supreme Court of Canada has recently granted leave to appeal in five separate cases involving tariffs approved by the Copyright Board. 

The cases, at least four of which will be heard on December 6 and 7, 2011, will consider tariffs dealing with online music, photocopying by teachers for instructional purposes and music in movie soundtracks.

Copies of educational material by schools

The first case concerns a revised tariff, with significantly increased fees for the reproduction of literary, dramatic and artistic works – including books, newspapers and magazines - by primary and secondary educational institutions outside Québec.