TORONTO – Canadian screenwriters and producers have agreed to extend the current independent production agreement (IPA) governing English-language screenwriting in Canada.
The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), and the Association Québécoise de la Production Médiatique (AQPM) said Monday that all parties have ratified an eighteen-month extension to the IPA, which will come into effect January 1, 2018. This agreement maintains the current terms of engagement, with an increase of minimum script fees, and now expires on June 30, 2019.
According to the joint news release, all parties agreed that screenwriters and producers are best positioned to face a time of industry flux by continuing to work under the terms of the current IPA in order to focus on issues that impact the entire industry. The extension includes a one per cent script fee increase in 2018.
“From contentious CRTC decisions to the government’s Canadian Content in a Digital World policy review, there’s a lot of uncertainty in our industry, making it a less than ideal time for labour negotiations”, said WGC president Jill Golick, in the release. “For now, our top priority is ensuring a healthy future for Canadian screenwriters. We are hopeful that in 18 months the situation will have improved significantly.”
“Today’s announcement means Canada’s independent producers and the country’s talented writers can continue to focus on what they do best — bringing compelling stories to life on screen that entertain audiences here at home and around the world”, added CMPA senior counsel and vice-president of national industrial relations Warren Ross.
“The AQPM is confident that the agreement reached by the associations and the Guild will allow for the continued success of Canadian writers and producers”, said AQPM president and CEO Hélène Messier. “Canadian writers, with their remarkable ideas and distinct sensibilities, are an integral part of the Quebec television and film industry and the AQPM is glad to count on their continued services for the foreseeable future.”
