In a press release entitled “Harper Government Says No to Fees on Memory Cards”, Minister of Industry Christian Paradis announced the government’s plans to exclude microSD cards from the application of a levy under Canada’s private copying regime.
In the press release and in his announcement this afternoon at an Ottawa Future Shop store, Minister Paradis stated:
“Our government worked hard to strike the right balance in the Copyright Modernization Act, which ensures world-leading consumer and user rights while giving creators the tools to protect their work and grow their businesses. […] An additional fee on removable memory cards is not only unwarranted but unfair to Canadian consumers.”
The Copyright Modernization Act received Royal Assent on June 29, 2012. It has not yet entered into force. Regulations to exclude microSD cards from the levy are expected this fall.
