Music Publishers Canada

What Music Publishers Canada does

Music Publishers Canada (MPC) is a Toronto-based nonprofit trade association founded in 1949 that represents Canadian music publishers and advocates for the interests of songwriters and composers. The organization, previously known as the Canadian Music Publishers Association, delivers a portfolio of programs including the Women in the Studio National Accelerator (launched 2019, with 48 alumni to date), the CREATE export program connecting Canadian publishers to international markets through trade missions and B2B matchmaking, and the NXTGen membership tier for emerging industry professionals. Additional offerings include industry research (e.g., the Sound of Support caregiver needs study released April 2026 with Women in Music Canada), songwriter camps with international counterparts, and the IMPF Global Music Summit attended in 2025.

MPC generates revenue through annual membership dues from music publishers (Standard and NXTGen tiers, billed annually) and program grants from government and quasi-government bodies including FACTOR, Ontario Creates, Creative BC, and the Government of Canada via Global Affairs and the Trade Commissioner Service. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products but operates a Wild Apricot-powered member portal and delivers programs through in-person and virtual formats. Distribution channels include curated trade missions (CREATE UK, Berlin, Amsterdam, Miami, Nashville, NY, Mexico, Abu Dhabi), songwriter camps, and B2B meetings with international music supervisors.

MPC's primary strategic focus has shifted decisively toward copyright advocacy against unauthorized AI training on music. CEO Margaret McGuffin testified before the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications on April 22, 2026, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in October 2025, and filed a submission to the federal AI consultation in September 2025. The organization is governed by a board of directors representing member companies and does not have external investors or venture capital backing.

Name

Music Publishers Canada

Legal name

Music Publishers Canada

Website

https://musicpublishing.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Music Publishers Canada is a Toronto-based nonprofit trade association representing Canadian music publishers through membership services, the CREATE international export program, the Women in the Studio National Accelerator, and copyright advocacy including AI policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Publishing Trade Association

NAICS

Music Publishers (512230)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Publishing Administration (Catalog Admin, Global Subpublishing) (MPAIABAB)

Keywords

• Music publishing advocacy
• Trade association services
• Copyright policy advocacy
• Music export programs
• Industry professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Music Publishers Canada generates revenue through annual membership dues paid by music publishing companies that join the association. Members gain access to advocacy, programming, export support, and networking opportunities.
2. Government Grants and Program Funding: MPC receives funding support from government bodies including FACTOR, Ontario Creates, Creative BC, the Government of Canada, and Global Affairs Canada to operate programs such as the CREATE trade missions and Women in the Studio National Accelerator.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Music Publishers Canada is a nonprofit trade association that represents Canadian music publishers through membership-based services. It delivers advocacy on copyright and AI policy, operates the CREATE export program with international trade missions and B2B matchmaking, and runs the Women in the Studio National Accelerator for songwriter/producer development. Its core outputs are industry programs, research studies, policy advocacy, and member services rather than physical or software products.

Product overview

Music Publishers Canada is a national trade association representing Canadian music publishers. Rather than offering a unified software product, the organization provides a portfolio of member programs including the Women in the Studio National Accelerator for advancing gender equality in music production, the CREATE Program for international trade development through missions and b2b matchmaking, and NXTGen Membership for emerging industry professionals. Additional offerings include advocacy services, industry events, news publications, and a member portal for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Women in the Studio National Accelerator A career development accelerator providing women and non-binary producer-songwriters with technical training in production and songwriting, industry networking, mentorship, branding, and financial literacy. The program includes virtual sessions and an in-person residency in Toronto and has produced 48 alumni since launch.
• CREATE Program (Export Trade Missions) An international export initiative that connects Canadian music publishers and songwriters with key business and creative contacts in global markets through curated trade missions, one-to-one B2B meetings with international music supervisors, and co-writing song camps across territories including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, the US, Mexico, and the UAE.
• NXTGen Membership
• Standard Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• The IMPF Global Music Summit attracted 650 delegates from the global music publishing community in 2025.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IMPF (Independent Music Publishers International Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2022MPC partnered with IMPF to host CREATE Nordic Bridges, a co-writing camp bringing together Canadian and Nordic (Estonia, Finland, Sweden) songwriters, producers, and publishers in Toronto. The partnership continues with annual co-programming including song camps and trade missions. IMPF is the global trade and advocacy body for independent music publishers.
• Women in Music CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPC and Women in Music Canada jointly released 'The Sound of Support: Exploring the Music Community's Caregiver Needs' study in April 2026, co-authored by consultant Diane Davy, supported by Ontario Creates, Creative BC, and the Province of British Columbia. The organizations also partnered on the Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct.
• SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSOCAN is a key Canadian music industry partner referenced as part of MPC's CREATE UK delegation and is a sponsor of the CREATE Berlin Opening Night Mixer. SOCAN also partnered on MPC's Equity x Production program and supports the Women in Music Canada caregiver study.
• CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCMRRA is a Canadian collective society representing music publishers for reproduction rights. CMRRA representatives participated in the CREATE UK trade mission and sponsored the Opening Night Mixer. MPC's NXTGen members and MPC board members engage with CMRRA for collective licensing.
• Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLPminorOthersCassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is a legal sponsor of the Women in the Studio National Accelerator 2026.
• Compass Rose GroupminorOthersCompass Rose Group is a sponsor of the Women in the Studio National Accelerator 2026.
• Association des professionnels de l'édition musicale (APEM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEM (France) co-hosted the Berlin edition of MPC's Meet the Music Supervisors event at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, alongside the Screen Composers Guild of Canada and Verband Deutscher Musikverlage (DMV, German music publisher association).
• Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCGC collaborated with MPC on the CREATE Berlin trade mission, sending screen composers who participated in the JETS Initiative (Junior Entertainment Talent Slate) alongside MPC Women in the Studio alumnae.
• PopArabiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPC partnered with PopArabia to organize the CREATE Abu Dhabi song camp and B2B mission, bringing together Canadian songwriters and producers with creators from the MENA region and Europe.
• Unison Benevolent FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnison Benevolent Fund partnered with the Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct coalition (which MPC signed) to host educational and training resources for safe workspaces through its website.
• The Hill TimesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMPC CEO Margaret McGuffin published an op-ed in The Hill Times on how the federal government can unlock the creative industries' potential, serving as a policy advocacy and earned media partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PRS for Music: UK performing rights organization serving songwriters, composers, and publishers — an established incumbent in the rights administration space that MPC members interact with through CREATE UK and IMPF. Comparable in scale and stakeholder base though distinct in mandate (collective licensing vs. trade association).
• FACTOR (Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings): Canadian government-funded foundation that is the primary funder of MPC's CREATE and Women in the Studio programs. While not a direct trade association peer, FACTOR functions as a broader industry funder and program partner with overlapping mandate to support Canadian music export and creator development.

Regional players

• SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada): Canadian performing rights organization (PRO) — a domestic partner of MPC on CREATE UK delegations and the Women in the Studio program. Operates in the same Canadian music rights ecosystem as MPC but functions as a collective rights manager rather than a trade association.
• CMRRA (Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency): Canadian collective society representing music publishers for reproduction rights — directly engaged with MPC's NXTGen and CREATE UK delegation. Operates in the adjacent rights-administration layer of the Canadian music publishing value chain.
• Australian Music Publishers Association (AMPAL): Australian trade body for music publishers — comparable mandate to MPC (advocacy, member services, export support) and a useful regional peer given MPC's growing Asia-Pacific engagement through CREATE events and IMPF programming.

Direct peers

• National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA): The US trade association representing music publishers — the closest direct peer to Music Publishers Canada in mandate (advocacy, government relations, member services for music publishers) and operational model. NMPA is the North American counterpart MPC interacts with on cross-border policy issues.
• Independent Music Publishers International Forum (IMPF): Global trade and advocacy body for independent music publishers; an active strategic partner of MPC for co-writing camps (CREATE Nordic Bridges), the IMPF Global Music Summit, and joint advocacy. Operates as a peer trade association at the international level.
• APEM (Association des professionnels de l'édition musicale): French trade association for music publishers — co-hosted MPC's Meet the Music Supervisors event at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin. Comparable function and member base (independent publishers) with overlapping mandate on advocacy and export support.
• Verband Deutscher Musikverleger (DMV): German music publisher trade association — co-hosted MPC's CREATE Berlin events at the Canadian Embassy. Comparable mandate of representing publishers' rights, export facilitation, and government advocacy in a major music market.
• Music Publishers Association (UK): UK trade association for music publishers — directly comparable mandate to MPC, representing publishers on policy, licensing, and international trade. A natural peer given MPC's CREATE UK mission activity and shared interests in sync rights and AI policy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MusicPublishersCanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-music-publishers-association
• Xx.com/canmuspub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Music Publishers Canada