Access Copyright

Congratulations to this year's winners of the Crime Writers of Canada Awards, including affiliates Charis Cotter, Writer & Sylvia Maultash Warsh as well as affiliated publishers Breakwater Books Ltd., Nimbus Publishing and Vagrant Press & Tundra Books - Penguin Random House Canada.

The Crime Writers of Canada awards, presented in nine categories, recognize the best in mystery, crime, suspense fiction, and crime nonfiction by Canadian authors. Read the full list here: https://bit.ly/3Qad6Oj

The deadline for eligible creator affiliates to make or revise their Payback claim for 2026 is May 31.
Ensure you are maximizing your 2026 Payback payment, to be distributed in November.
More information here: https://accesscopyright.ca/creators/payback-for-writers-and-payback-for-visual-artists/

Congratulations to all those shortlisted for this year's Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards, including our affiliates Jennifer Maruno, Miki Sato, Monique Gray Smith, Ellie Arscott, Kenneth Oppel, Cary Fagan & Kate Blair.

Congratulations to affiliated publishers Pajama Press, Orca Book Publishers, Inhabit Media Inc., Annick Press, Second Story Press, Penguin Teen Canada & Cormorant Books.

Our 2025 Annual Report is out.

Read all about the work we did last year to build our renewed foundation.

Check it out here: ac-annual-reports.accesscopyright.ca

On this , we celebrate the enduring magic of books and the creators and publishers who invest their creativity, talent, time and passion to the enjoyment and benefit of readers around the world. We also celebrate the importance of copyright as a public good that ensures creators and publishers can be fairly compensated for the use of their work.

Today, we highlight the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s recent study on the Effects of Technological Advances in Artificial Intelligence on the Creative Industries. Their report is a strong endorsement of the ART principles: authorization, renumeration and transparency. Together, these will serve as a guide for government policy that will build a fair and equitable framework for AI that protects creators and publishers, and their copyright in their creations.

A link to the report is here:https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/451/CHPC/Reports/RP13983768/chpcrp04/chpcrp04-e.pdf

Coalition Diversité Expressions Culturelles-Diversity Cultural Expressions Marc Miller Mélanie Joly

www.ourcommons.ca

The claim period for the 2026 Payback payment is now open.

All creators affiliated with Access Copyright as of December 31, 2025 are eligible for the 2026 Payback payment.

More information on this year's claim period can be found by clicking below.

Payback is open for 2026 All creators affiliated with Access Copyright as of December 31, 2025 are eligible for the 2026 Payback payment which will be distributed at the end of November.

There's still a week to get in applications for this year's round of funding for Access Copyright Foundation's Professional Development Grants program. All the details on applying are available by clicking below.

Call for Applications: Access Copyright Foundation Professional Development Grants. Deadline: April 1, 2026 Are you a Canadian professional in the literary or visual arts looking for financial support to sharpen your expertise?

We deeply appreciate Björn Ulvaeus of Abba's address to attendees of last week's AI and Culture Summit in Banff. An important rallying cry for the importance of ensuring creators are protected in the age of AI.

CISAC President Björn Ulvaeus's opening keynote speech for Canada's National Summit on AI & Culture CISAC President and ABBA songwriter Björn Ulvaeus delivers a keynote speech on AI, copyright and creators’ rights for Canada’s National Summit on Artificial ...

Congratulations to this year's longlisted authors, including AC affiliate Anna Swanson.

ArtsNL is pleased to announce the 2025 BMO Winterset Award longlist. This award celebrates excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador writing.

The six-title longlist includes:

📚 Angela Antle, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘹 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 (Breakwater Books), NL
📚 Leahdawn Helena, 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 (Breakwater Books), NL
📚 Debbie McGee, 𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 (Breakwater Books), NL
📚 Mackenzie Nolan, 𝘝𝘦𝘢𝘭 (ECW Press), ON
📚 Anna Swanson, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘦𝘮𝘴 (Brick Books), ON
📚 Karl Wells, 𝘖𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘭 (Breakwater Books), NL

🔗 Read the full news release: https://artsnl.ca/release-longlist-announced-for-2025-bmo-winterset-award

BMO Financial Group

This week is Freedom to Read Week in Canada. We stand with other organizations to champion intellectual freedom, and to protect our freedom to read. Learn how you can get involved: freedomtoread.ca/freedom-to-r...