FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sundeep Chauhan Completes Mandate at CONNECT Music Licensing, Patrick Rogers and Janet Turner to take organization into next chapter

Toronto, ON – 11.28.25 – After successfully delivering on his mandate to transform CONNECT Music Licensing, President Sundeep Chauhan will be stepping down, having completed a mission that has reshaped the organization’s operations, governance, and strategic partnerships.

Since joining CONNECT, Chauhan has led a comprehensive restructuring that included transitioning independent labels to Panorama (formerly SOPROQ) and streamlining internal processes. The organization is now fully focused on licensing on behalf of its major record label members.

“Over the past two and a half years, we’ve overhauled CONNECT’s operations, reimagined its governance, forged a game-changing partnership with Panorama, and will be putting more money in the hands of Canadian creators. I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished and even more proud of the committed team that made it happen,” said Chauhan.

“Sundeep’s negotiation of the Panorama partnership redefined the Canadian collective licensing landscape — creating an innovative, streamlined, and future-ready framework for members and licensees alike,” said CONNECT Chair Marcel Deluca.

CONNECT Board Member Steve Teixeira stated, “Sundeep brought fresh thinking to CONNECT — restructuring governance, modernizing operations, and accelerating payments through smarter data and process improvements.”

Chauhan will remain involved through the remainder of the year to ensure a seamless handoff. With both CONNECT and Music Canada now representing the same major label membership, Patrick Rogers, CEO of Music Canada, will take on the leadership of the streamlined governance structure supporting CONNECT.

CONNECT’s day-to-day operations and delivery of licensing services will be led by newly appointed Executive Director Janet Turner, who has been with CONNECT for over 18 years and has played a central role throughout the transformation work.

“Janet has been a cornerstone of CONNECT for a long time. Her deep relationships, steady judgment, and commitment to our members have been instrumental in the organization’s evolution, and we have every confidence in her ability to continue CONNECT’s transformation in this next chapter,” said Rogers.

About CONNECT

CONNECT Music Licensing (CONNECT) represents Canada’s major record labels and their affiliates as a non-exclusive agent, administering licenses on their behalf for the reproduction and use of sound recordings and music videos in Canada.

Updated October 29, 2025

Toronto, ON, September 26, 2024 – CONNECT Music Licensing and PANORAMA (formerly SOPROQ), in conjunction with the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), are pleased to announce a strategic partnership designed to improve rights management and revenue collection for owners of sound recordings and music videos. This partnership brings together two of Canada’s leading music licensing and collective management organizations to streamline operations, reduce costs, and maximize the potential for rights holders. Under the partnership, CONNECT will continue to represent Canada’s major record labels, and will negotiate licensing on behalf of the entire Canadian record label industry, while PANORAMA will represent independent rights owners, overseeing the collective management of rights and providing comprehensive support for its members. CONNECT and PANORAMA’s licenses will be offered jointly on behalf of all of their members.

This partnership will yield several key benefits for CONNECT and PANORAMA’s members:

• Cost Reduction: Streamlining operations to reduce overall costs and fees.
• Enhanced Efficiency: Increasing efficiencies in repertoire matching, comprehensive data management and conflict resolution to accelerate accurate and timely payments.
• Increased Revenue Opportunities: Members will see improved revenue through expanded licensing coverage, leading to better monetization of their repertoire.

In addition, the partnership will benefit commercial music users by offering one-stop, cross industry licenses for recorded music.

“Since joining CONNECT, my mission has been to drive meaningful change for our members and the Canadian music landscape,” said Sundeep Chauhan, President of CONNECT Music Licensing. “This alliance with PANORAMA represents a bold step forward in that endeavour. By combining our strengths, we are not only enhancing our service offerings but also ensuring Canadian rights holders receive the dedicated support and fair remuneration they deserve. All makers will continue to benefit from CONNECT’s dynamic licensing teams and entrepreneurial vision, which are key to maximising revenue and exploring new opportunities for growth.”

Andrew Cash, President of CIMA, added, “This new arrangement between CONNECT and PANORAMA will undoubtedly benefit the members of CIMA. By leveraging the strengths of both organisations, our members will receive unparalleled support and services, allowing them to focus on what they do best – creating music.”

Mark Lazare, President of PANORAMA’s Board of Directors, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “PANORAMA is excited to be the go-to collective for indie music in Canada. This partnership with CONNECT will enable us to better serve all members, providing them with robust support and opportunities to thrive in an ever-evolving music industry. With ADISQ and CIMA by our side, we now have all the assets to make a greater contribution to the independent music production sector in Canada and, most importantly, to keep administration fees as low as possible.”

The strategic partnership will begin on January 1, 2025 with PANORAMA taking over the management of new repertoire submissions. In the meantime, CONNECT will continue to fully serve all of its current members, including continuing to oversee the completion of distribution of royalties for past years post-transition. Detailed information will be shared directly with CONNECT members in the coming weeks about the transition which will take place throughout 2025. The alliance will take full effect in 2026 when PANORAMA will issue the first payments for broadcasts occurring in 2025.

About CONNECT Music Licensing

CONNECT Music Licensing (CONNECT), representing the Major Record Labels and their affiliates, acts as a non-exclusive agent to administer licenses to third parties in Canada for the reproduction of sound recordings, and the reproduction and broadcast of music videos on behalf of its members.

About PANORAMA

PANORAMA (formerly SOPROQ) is a not-for-profit Collective Management Organization for makers of sound recordings and music videos administered by independent Canadian companies and artists. A leading figure in independent production, PANORAMA’s repertoire already includes more than 2.5 million titles belonging to 8,000 rights holders from across Canada and several other countries: The organization collects and distributes royalties from public performances, reproductions and from the private copying regime.

About CIMA

CIMA is the national not-for-profit trade association representing Canadian-owned and controlled music businesses. CIMA’s membership includes labels, artists, managers, publishers, and other professionals involved in every aspect of the music and music-related industries.Its 400 companies are connected to over 6,000 Canadian artists including: TALK, Aysanabee, Haviah Mighty, Serena Ryder, Cadence Weapon, Tegan and Sara, Pierre Kwenders, Shad, Rich Aucoin, and The Sheepdogs.

For more information, please contact:
info@connectmusic.ca

The Ontario government is supporting businesses that are required to shut down or significantly restrict services due to provincial public health measures. Businesses can apply for the new Ontario Small Business Support Grant and the property tax and energy cost rebates to help offset their costs.

Applications for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant opened on January 15. Small businesses facing challenges due to the necessary Provincewide Shutdown can apply for the grant on the Transfer Payment Ontario portal. Starting at $10,000 for all eligible businesses, the grant will provide businesses with a maximum of $20,000 to help cover decreased revenue as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown.

Businesses can also apply for the property tax and energy cost rebates provided in the form of grants on the Transfer Payment Ontario portal. The rebates include municipal and education property taxes, and energy costs, including electricity and natural gas (or where natural gas is not available, propane and heating oil).
Most businesses can expect to receive their grant payments within a few weeks of submitting a complete application. A detailed list of eligible businesses can be found at Ontario.ca/covidsupport.

The property tax and energy cost rebates will cover the entire length of time that businesses are required to temporarily close or significantly restrict services as a result of the Provincewide Shutdown or previously under Control, Lockdown, or modified Stage 2 public health restrictions. Property tax rebates for extended public health restriction periods will be automatically processed. That means eligible businesses will not have to re-apply for the property tax rebate grant if public health restrictions are extended by the Province.

To apply for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant, businesses will need a business number and will have to attest to information on revenue decline and the number of employees. For the property tax and energy cost rebates, businesses will have to submit proof of costs. For property tax rebates, this includes property tax bills (or proof of costs associated with property taxes). For energy cost rebates, this includes a digital copy of the first energy bill (including electricity, natural gas, propane or other) they received on or after the day new restrictions were put in place in their region. They can also submit other energy bills if their business is heated by propane or heating oil.
Applying is simple via an online application for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and a single online form to apply for any – or all – of the programs, including property tax rebates, energy cost rebates and the PPE grant on the Transfer Payment Ontario portal.

Questions? Please contact Transfer Payment Ontario Client Care at: Tel: 416-325-6691 or Toll-free: 1-855-216-3090.

Music Canada has partnered with Abacus Data to get a renewed understanding of how artists’ perspectives continue to be impacted, ten months into the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey will hear directly from artists on the financial implications they are experiencing, how the pandemic is impacting their ability to create music, and how they are building or evolving skill sets to help them get by.
Canadian artists are encouraged to add their voice by completing the survey linked at https://musiccanada.com/artist-survey-2021. The survey is available in English and French.

Music Canada has partnered with Abacus Data to get artists’ perspectives on returning to work during the COVID-19 recovery phase. We believe that it is important for governments and the industry as a whole to understand how you feel about returning to venues and festivals while COVID-19 remains a health concern.

Data from this study will be added to consumer data that Music Canada is gathering to give all decision makers a complete picture of the recovery phase.
Music Canada has partnered with Abacus Data to get artists’ perspectives on returning to work during the COVID-19 recovery phase. We believe that it is important for governments and the industry as a whole to understand how you feel about returning to venues and festivals while COVID-19 remains a health concern.
Data from this study will be added to consumer data that Music Canada is gathering to give all decision makers a complete picture of the recovery phase.

Music Canada & Abacus Data – Return to Work Survey
English | Français

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented impact on the music community. As a passionate advocate for music and those who create it, Music Canada has been in contact with all levels of government regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the music community and created a resource page to support artists and other industry members in obtaining credible information about government programs and other music-specific resources.The resource page will be updated regularly as more information and support programs become available. Click here to access the page.

We’re proud to join our allies in the music community in signing the Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct. On Saturday, March 16 at the Allies in Action event hosted by CARAS, it was announced that 42 music community groups had signed on to the Code, acknowledging their responsibility to build safe, respectful workplaces, and committing to improving and implementing policies to keep the music community safe.
It was also announced that Unison Benevolent Fund has committed to hosting education and training resources on its website at no cost. The resources are intended to enable community members to identify, confront and prevent harassment, bullying and violence in any workplace.
Music community groups who have not yet signed the Code are encouraged to join. More information and instructions to sign on can be found here.