Highlights

  • The Canada Revenue Agency is revoking the registration of several charities due to consolidation or mergers.
  • The CRTC has updated its website with various communications industry documents and is processing applications for broadcasting renewals and amendments.
  • The CRTC approved a new broadcasting distribution undertaking and amended broadcasting regulations.
  • Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s Order of Canada appointment has been terminated at her request.
  • The Minister of Transport issued interim orders affecting pilotage areas in Summerside and Placentia Bay.
  • ISED released a new radio standard specification for Intelligent Transportation Systems.
  • The Privy Council Office is offering diverse leadership role appointments.
  • The Canadian Transit Company announced its annual shareholder meeting.
  • The Canadian government proposes to repeal outdated lead smelter regulations due to redundancy with provincial and municipal laws.
  • Significant amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations are proposed to modernize food standards and safety frameworks.
  • SOCAN Tariff 13.A sets royalty rates for music played in aircraft for 2023-2025.
  • The Copyright Board has set tariffs for recorded music used on passenger ships and public conveyances for 2023-2025.

Regulatory Updates on Canadian Charities and CRTC Broadcasting Decisions

The Canada Revenue Agency has announced its intention to revoke the registration of several charities that have either consolidated or merged with other organizations. The affected charities include the Alzheimer Society of Huron County, Heaven Scent Wildlife Rehabilitation, various congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others. The revocation is effective upon the publication of the notice in the Canada Gazette.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has updated its website with detailed decisions, notices of consultation, regulatory policies, information bulletins, and orders. Documents related to proceedings, including applications and notices, are available for public viewing both online and at the Commission’s office.

Applications for renewal, amendment, or complaints have been posted on the CRTC’s website. These include applications from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for CKSB-5-FM in Thompson, Manitoba, and from Vista Radio Ltd. for CKBD-FM and CJOC-FM in Lethbridge, Alberta. Deadlines for public interventions, comments, or replies are specified for each application.

Recent decisions by the CRTC include the approval of a terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking for 2251723 Ontario Inc. in Montréal and surrounding areas. Additionally, the CRTC has published a regulatory policy amending the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, and the Discretionary Services Regulations. [Source]

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond Voluntarily Relinquishes Order of Canada Honour

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond’s appointment to the Order of Canada has been terminated at her own request, with the approval of the Governor General. The official termination was enacted by an Ordinance signed on September 26, 2023. [Source]

Canadian Transport Regulations and Leadership Appointment Opportunities

The Canadian Minister of Transport has issued Interim Order No. 2, which designates a specific area as the Summerside compulsory pilotage area within the Atlantic Pilotage Authority’s region. This order allows applicants for a pilotage certificate in this area to bypass additional sea experience qualifications if they have completed a recognized familiarization program by the Atlantic Pilotage Authority within the last two years.

Similarly, Interim Order No. 3 has been issued for the Placentia Bay compulsory pilotage area, which is now divided into two zones: Zone A (Placentia Bay) and Zone B (Argentia). The same conditions for pilotage certificate qualifications as in the Summerside area apply here.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has released Radio Standards Specification RSS-252, Issue 2, which pertains to certification requirements for Intelligent Transportation Systems’ (ITS) On-Board Units (OBUs) operating in the 5895-5925 MHz frequency band. Comments and suggestions on the document are welcomed through the Standard Change Request form.

The Privy Council Office announces various appointment opportunities reflecting Canada’s diversity in leadership roles across different organizations. These positions are open for applications and aim to create a respectful and harassment-free work environment. [Source]

Annual Shareholder Meeting for Canadian Transit Company at Detroit International Bridge Company Offices

The Canadian Transit Company is holding its annual meeting of shareholders at the Detroit International Bridge Company’s offices in Warren, Michigan, on November 22, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. The agenda includes electing the company’s directors and addressing any other business matters that require shareholder action. Dan Stamper, the President, has issued the notice. [Source]

Canada Proposes Repeal of Redundant Lead Smelter Emissions Regulations

The Canadian government is proposing to repeal the Secondary Lead Smelter Release Regulations (SLSRR) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The SLSRR, which set limits on particulate matter and lead emissions from secondary lead smelters, are considered outdated and redundant due to existing provincial and municipal regulations that are as stringent or more so. The number of lead smelters in Canada has significantly decreased, and the remaining six are all regulated by other jurisdictions’ laws that manage emissions effectively.

The review of the SLSRR found issues with enforcement, outdated technical elements, and regulatory duplication. The repeal is not expected to lead to opposition from stakeholders since the smelters are already complying with other regulations. The repeal will not have measurable impacts, and no significant costs or benefits are anticipated for Canadians or the government. The proposal is not expected to create regulatory gaps, as current provincial and municipal regulations are sufficient to manage lead emissions. The repeal will not impact small businesses and aligns with the government’s one-for-one rule, aiming to reduce regulatory burden.

The government has consulted with provinces, industry, Indigenous peoples, and non-governmental organizations, and no significant issues were raised. Indigenous engagement determined that the repeal would not have modern treaty implications. The proposed repeal is not expected to affect international agreements or obligations. A strategic environmental assessment concluded that a full assessment is not required, and no gender-based analysis plus impacts were identified. The repeal will come into force on the day it is registered. [Source]

Modernizing Canadian Food Regulations for Safety and Innovation

The Canadian government is proposing significant amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) to modernize the frameworks for food compositional standards, microbiological criteria, methods of analysis, and food additives. These changes aim to make the regulations more adaptable to scientific advancements, market innovations, and emerging health risks.

For food compositional standards, the amendments will remove these standards from the FDR and incorporate them into a new document called the Food Compositional Standards Document, which will be updated administratively by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). This will allow for more responsive updates to standards and separate health and safety provisions from compositional requirements.

Regarding microbiological criteria, the current criteria in the FDR will be repealed and included in a new Table of Microbiological Criteria for Food, which will be updated administratively. A new framework will include a declaration of adulteration and exemption model, and the use of modern microbiological reference methods or equivalent methods will be required to determine compliance with microbiological criteria.

For methods of analysis, the amendments will incorporate current official methods linked to health, safety, and compositional requirements into the FDR on an ambulatory basis, allowing for updates in response to new science and technology. This includes the addition of the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) method for measuring protein quality, alongside the existing protein efficiency ratio (PER) method.

The amendments related to food additives will consolidate most food additive rules in a new Division 16 of Part B of the FDR, remove duplications, and directly incorporate the Lists of Permitted Food Additives into the FDR. This will simplify the regulatory framework and clarify the rules for the use of food additives.

The proposed changes are not expected to introduce new regulatory requirements or additional costs for the industry. However, there will be a one-time cost to Health Canada and the CFIA to update online web pages to include documents incorporated by reference into the FDR. The amendments are intended to support innovation, provide clarity, and maintain a responsive regulatory system that protects consumers and facilitates trade. [Source]

SOCAN Tariff 13.A: Royalty Rates for Aircraft Music Entertainment (2023-2025)

The SOCAN Tariff 13.A sets the royalty rates for music played in aircraft, covering both on-ground and in-flight entertainment for the years 2023 to 2025. The annual royalty per aircraft is $2.69 per seat for ground music and $6.36 per seat for in-flight programming, adjusted based on the number of days the aircraft is in service. If royalties are paid for in-flight music, no additional ground music royalties are required. An aircraft is considered out of service if not used for 15 consecutive days or more, or if it’s no longer under the user’s control.

Airlines must estimate and pay the upcoming year’s royalties by January 31, based on the previous year’s total seating capacity. They must also submit a report detailing the number of aircraft, seating capacity, and service interruptions. Adjustments to the royalty based on actual seating capacity are made at this time, with overpayments credited by SOCAN.

SOCAN reserves the right to audit the airlines’ records to verify payments. Unpaid amounts will accrue interest at a rate of 1% above the Bank of Canada’s Bank Rate, calculated daily but not compounded. All royalty payments are exclusive of any taxes or governmental levies. [Source]

SOCAN Tariff for Recorded Music on Passenger Ships (2023-2025)

The Copyright Board has set a tariff for the use of recorded music on passenger ships, managed by SOCAN, for the years 2023 to 2025. The royalty fee is $1.32 per person per year, based on the ship’s authorized passenger capacity, with a minimum annual fee of $78.75. If a ship operates for less than 12 months in a year, the fee is reduced proportionally. Operators must report their passenger capacity and pay the royalty to SOCAN by January 31 of each year. SOCAN can audit the operator’s records to verify payments. Unpaid amounts will accrue interest at a rate of 1% above the Bank Rate, calculated daily and non-compounding. The tariff does not include any additional taxes or governmental levies. [Source]

The Copyright Board has set a tariff for the use of recorded music in public conveyances such as railroad trains, buses, and other vehicles, excluding aircraft and passenger ships, for the years 2023 to 2025. The tariff is $1.32 per person per year based on the vehicle’s authorized passenger capacity, with a minimum annual fee of $78.75. Operators must report their passenger capacity and pay the royalty to SOCAN by January 31 of each year. SOCAN reserves the right to audit operators’ records to verify payments. Unpaid amounts will accrue interest at a rate of 1% above the Bank Rate, calculated daily and non-compounding. The tariff does not include any additional taxes or government levies. [Source]

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