Equity’s advocacy efforts focus on creating work opportunities for members and ensuring the needs and realities of artists working in live performance are always considered by the Canadian government.
Collective Advocacy
Our federal portfolio includes lobbying for:
Accessible live performance venues
Affordable housing for artists
EI expansion for artists
Guaranteed minimum income for artists
Income averaging tax policy
Increased charitable tax incentives
Live Performing Arts Accelerator
Creative Industries Coalition
Equity is a part of the Creative Industries Coalition, working with our partners across the live performance sector to advocate on behalf of artists and the industry.
Coalition members include Associated Designers of Canada (ADC), Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (Equity), Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT)
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The Coalition is currently advocating for the implementation of a Live Performing Arts Accelerator (LPAA) that will increase capacity, cultural sovereignty, and economic growth in the Canadian live performing arts industry. Read more about the LPAA here.
International Federation of Actors
Equity is a proud member of the International Federation of Actors (FIA), a global federation representing performers’ unions in more than 60 countries and hundreds of thousands of artists worldwide. FIA works to advance the social, economic, and moral rights of performers through international collaboration and collective action.
Through FIA, members benefit from:
- Access to international discussion on issues affecting artists, including AI technology, image rights, and streaming residuals
- Support from sister organizations on advocacy efforts related to Status of the Artist legislation in Canada
- Shared knowledge and global standards for safety in stunt work, on-camera intimacy, and working conditions
- International support during labour disputes with producers
- Reciprocal agreements with multiple affiliated unions
- Opportunities for collaboration with key global bodies such as World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and UNESCO
Participation in FIA strengthens Equity’s work at home by informing our advocacy, shaping policy priorities, and reinforcing the collective voice of performers.