TORONTO – Canadian performers and producers have reached a tentative agreement for the renewal of their Independent Production Agreement (IPA) governing English-language production in Canada.
The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and the Association Québécoise de la Production Médiatique (AQPM) concluded bargaining in the early morning hours of December 5 after beginning negotiations on October 19 in Toronto.
The new 2016-2018 IPA includes a 6% increase over its three-year term plus contains new provisions that address how performers will be compensated for digital distribution of theatrical and television productions, as well as for original productions commissioned by OTT services.
ACTRA added that the agreement also provides a number of improvements in working conditions, such as increased work opportunities for background performers, the establishment of minimum rest between day terms for stunt coordinators, and performer protections related to dignity and respect issues.
The current IPA expires December 31, 2015. Pending ratification by the parties, the renewed IPA will be effective as of January 1, 2016.
“This is a forward-thinking agreement that gives producers the clarity and certainty they need when licensing content for new media platforms, while ensuring fair compensation for performers,” said CMPA president and CEO Reynolds Mastin, in a statement late Tuesday.
“With already one of the best performer Agreements in the world, our goal is always to secure a fair deal with improved working conditions for our hard-working Members,” added ACTRA’s chief negotiator and national executive director Stephen Waddell, in a separate statement. “In the ever-evolving area of digital content exhibition, we achieved significant improvements for our Members in compensation for performances distributed on New Media platforms.”
