Canadian Program Certification

Application form for a Production Package

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

This application form is to be used for Canadian program certification of a "production package." A production package is defined as two or more co-productions or co-ventures undertaken by a Canadian production company, together with one or more non-Canadian production companies, where a production with minor foreign involvement that qualifies as a Canadian production is matched with a foreign production with minor Canadian involvement.

1.	FILING
	•	By electronic form
	•	By fax: Canadian Program Certification, (819) 994-0218; or
	•	By mail: Canadian Program Certification, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2; or
	•	By hand delivery: Canadian Program Certification CRTC, Les Terrasses de la Chaudière, 1 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Québec, J8X 4B1.
2.	INSTRUCTIONS
	•	The following questionnaire is in HTML format and may be downloaded to the word processing software of your choice. This enables you to complete the downloaded questionnaire by inserting your response in bold letters immediately following the question. You may add lines to the tables if necessary but do not alter or delete any text from the questionnaire.
	•	The Guide to the Canadian Program Certification Application Process provides important information on the filling process. The "Guide" is available on the Commission's web site.
	•	You must file the completed Application, which includes the questions and responses, and the Supporting Documents, identified as an Appendix in the application form.
3.	PROCESS
	•	Program certification is governed by Public Notice CRTC 2000-42 dated 17 March 2000, and Public Notice CRTC 1999-205 dated 23 December 1999, both of which are available on the Commission's website at www.crtc.gc.ca under: "Canadian Content"; "Canadian Program Certification".
	•	Only one application form, containing the required information for both the Canadian and foreign productions, is required to be submitted.
	•	The certification number being applied for in this application will only be valid for this specific production package. Subsequently produced production package using the same title will require that a new application be filed as a new certification number will need to be obtained.
	•	The Commission will only accept an application for consideration once all of the following criteria have been met:
		a)	both productions (principal photography) are underway;
		b)	all key creative personnel are under contract; and
		c)	the committed budgets are in place.
	•	Applicants are reminded that should any of the information provided in the application change subsequent to its filing with the Commission, the applicant must notify the Commission immediately as it may affect the continued certification of the production.
	•	Complete applications are normally processed in the order they are received*. To be considered complete, all sections of the application form must be completed in full. Where a particular section is not applicable, the notation N/A (not applicable) must be entered in the appropriate space to indicate this. Illegible or incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant. Allow a minimum of 6-8 weeks for your application to be processed when making arrangements with your broadcaster(s) for air dates.
		* Where an applicant provides a signed letter from a broadcaster committing to broadcast the program on a specified date, with the only condition being that the production be certified by the Commission, the application will be processed on a priority basis. In order to ensure that these applications are treated as a priority, the applicant must check "YES" at item 1.1 and attach the broadcaster's Letter of Commitment. Applications where "YES" is checked, but the Letter of Commitment is not attached, will be returned as incomplete.
	•	The Commission reserves the right to request such additional information as it considers necessary to make its determination on the certification, for example, a video tape of the program.
4.	CERTIFICATION CRITERIA
	•	The Commission will be prepared to accept a production package as Canadian, under the following conditions:
		a)	the Canadian copyright for both productions must be held by Canadians;
		b)	the budgets of both Canadian and foreign productions must be approximately equal, within 15%;
		c)	co-production agreements/contracts between the Canadian production company and foreign producers must be submitted to the Commission with the applications;
		d)	the Canadian production company must have financial participation and profit sharing (at least 20%) in the Canadian and foreign productions;
		e)	a broadcaster may receive credit for a production with fewer Canadian elements, if it broadcasts the production with more Canadian elements at an equitable time;
		f)	all productions in a production package must fall within the same program category;
		g)	production package programs are acceptable only in the categories of drama & comedy, variety, documentary and children's. Animated productions are excluded;
		h)	matched (or twinned) productions must be approximately equal in duration;
		i)	matched (or twinned) productions must receive equitable scheduling on the same Canadian station or network; and
		j)	ten-point productions in production packages will not qualify for the dramatic program credit of 150%.
	•	While there is no requirement that the production with major Canadian involvement receive exposure in the other country, the Commission expects that the Canadian co-producer would include such an arrangement in his agreement with the non-Canadian co-producer.

For Commission's use

File Number

MAD Number

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Canadian Program Certification

Application form for a Production Package

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1	Is the broadcaster's Letter of Commitment attached? (refer to General Instructions, at 3. Process, 6th bullet)
			YES ( )	NO ( )
1.2	IDENTIFICATION OF THE APPLICANT
	Producer ( ) Broadcaster ( ) Distributor ( )
	NAME: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: FAX: E-MAIL:
	Note:	The applicant may be the producer, the broadcast licensee or the distributor. Unless otherwise specifically requested, the Commission decision on the certification will be sent to the attention of the person identified in section 2.1 "Declaration of Applicant" at the address specified above.
1.3	CONTACT PERSON REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT
	NAME: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: FAX: E-MAIL:
1.4	FINAL TITLE
	a)	Canadian production: __________________________________________
	b)	Foreign production: ____________________________________________ (version broadcast in Canada)
	Note:	Enter the final title of both productions in the language that they will be broadcast in Canada. If the programs will be aired in more than one language, enter the title of each version.
1.5	Are both productions approximately equal in duration?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, indicate the total duration of each production: (if a Series, enter the total duration of each episode)
	a)	Canadian production: ___:___:___
	b)	Foreign production: ___:___:___
	Note:	The total running time, excluding commercial breaks, of both the Canadian and foreign productions must be approximately the same duration. In other words, both must fit within the same television time slot.

1.6	Is each production a Series?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, indicate for each production:
	a)	Cycle:
			Canadian: _____________	Foreign: _____________
	b)	No. of episodes:
			Canadian: _____________	Foreign: _____________
	c)	Episode Nos:
			Canadian: From:_____ To:_____	Foreign: From:_____ To:_____
	d)	Duration of each episode:
			Canadian: ___:___:___	Foreign: ___:___:___

	Note:	If one production is a series then both productions must be series. The number of episodes in each series for each production must be the same and the duration of each episode must be approximately equal. Also, see "Note" under item 1.5.
1.7	Did a Canadian broadcaster(s) commit to broadcast both the Canadian and foreign program?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, provide the name of the broadcaster(s) and specify the broadcast date(s) and the anticipated schedule time. Attach the broadcaster's Letter of Commitment as Appendix A.
		Name(s) of the broadcaster(s):
		Broadcast date(s) and schedule time(s):
		Canadian production:
		Foreign production:
1.8	Is the Canadian copyright for both the Canadian and foreign productions held by Canadians?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, provide as Appendix B, a signed copy of the contract(s) supporting this.
1.9	Is the total cost of each production (in $ Can.) within 15% of each other?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, provide as Appendix C and D respectively, using CRTC's Canadian Program Certification breakdown of costs (BOC) form, a completed BOC form for each production.
1.10	Does the Canadian production company have financial participation of at least 20% in both the Canadian and foreign productions?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, provide as Appendix E, documentary evidence detailing the participation.
1.11	Is the Canadian production company entitled to the equivalent of at least 20% of the worldwide profits of both the Canadian and foreign productions?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, provide as Appendix F, documentary evidence detailing the profit sharing arrangements.
1.12	Are both productions in the same program category and from one of the categories of variety, drama & comedy, documentary or children's programming?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
	If YES, provide as Appendix G, a detailed synopsis of each production.
1.13	Both productions are other than animated productions?
			YES ( )	NO ( )
1.14	If you have answered YES to each of items 1.5 and 1.7 through 1.13 inclusive, complete and attach as Appendix H for the Canadian production, the Live Action and Continuous Action Animation application form*.
	* Where the Canadian production has already been certified by the Commission, please the enter the certification number in the space below and DO NOT complete the application form.
	Certification No: _______________
	If you have answered NO to any of items 1.5 and 1.7 through 1.13 inclusive, the productions do not qualify as a Production Package.

2. DECLARATION OF APPLICANT

I certify that the information given herein is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief, and I understand that the Commission retains the right to require additional information to be filed in order to verify or substantiate any of the information filed in the application. I further understand that, subject to the provisions of the Access to Information Act, the financial information filed in the application is filed on a confidential basis but that it may be aggregated with other data and made available to the public in aggregate form for statistical analysis and research. Finally, I understand that should the final production be materially different from what is set out in the application, the certification may be revoked.

AND I HAVE SIGNED

Signature:
(must be signed by an authorized officer of the entity responsible for the production package)

Name (Printed):

Title:

Date:

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Production package		APPENDED (Yes or No)
Appendix A	Broadcaster's Letter of Commitment, as per item 1.7
Appendix B	Copyright contract(s), as per item 1.8
Appendix C	Breakdown of costs (BOC) - Canadian production, as per item 1.9
Appendix D	Breakdown of costs (BOC) - Foreign production, as per item 1.9
Appendix E	Document detailing financial participation, as per item 1.10
Appendix F	Document detailing profits sharing, as per item 1.11
Appendix G	Synopsis of each production, as per item 1.12
Appendix H	Application for the Canadian production, as per item 1.14

This document is available in alternative format upon request.
CRTC - 203 (2006-01-04) - Canadian Program Certification - Production package
version française disponible

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