Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the appointment of Drew Olsen as Vice-Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Copyright Board of Canada, for a five-year term, starting August 26, 2024. In this role, Mr. Olsen will lead the work of the Board as well as supervise and direct Board staff.
Mr. Olsen is currently Associate Director General of the Audiovisual Branch at Canadian Heritage. While at the department, he held other leadership positions, including Deputy Director General of the Cultural Industries Branch; Senior Director of Marketplace and Legislative Policy, Broadcasting, Copyright and Creative Branch; and Director of Policy and Legislation, Copyright and International Trade Policy Branch. He also worked as Director of Ownership and Acquisitions, Consumer Affairs and Strategic Policy Sector, at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Mr. Olsen holds a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of British Columbia.
As a public institution, the Board plays a significant role in the Canadian copyright ecosystem by balancing market power between rights holders and users. Through its tariffs and individual licences, it ensures that creators and rights holders receive fair compensation, content providers and end-users pay fair prices, and Canadians have broad access to copyright-protected content.
The Government of Canada is committed to appointing highly qualified candidates to best serve the interests of Canadians and is committed to open, transparent and merit-based processes for selecting Governor-in-Council appointees.
