DIMA Brief Submitted to Quebec Committee on Culture and Education

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October 29, 2025

Public hearings on Bill 109 – An Act to affirm the cultural sovereignty of Québec and to enact the Act respecting the discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital environment

Dear Members,

On behalf of the Digital Media Association (DIMA) thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the study of Bill 109: An Act to affirm the cultural sovereignty of Québec and to enact the Act respecting the discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital environment.

DIMA shares the government’s goal of celebrating and promoting Québec’s unique cultural identity and the French language. Our members already play a vital role in advancing these cultural goals, as reflected in the double-digit annual growth in Francophone listening, millions of hours of monthly consumption of the music of Québec, and strong engagement particularly among younger audiences. Building on these successes through constructive collaboration between government and industry will yield the best results for artists, rightsholders, and audiences alike.

In this brief, we seek to present observations on the bill, its potential effects on the music ecosystem and offer concrete recommendations for the achievement of its objectives while preserving consumer freedom of choice, ongoing innovation, and sustained investment that have helped Québec’s culture flourish in the digital age.

We thank the Commission for considering our perspective and look forward to continuing dialogue on how best to support the enduring vitality of Québec’s cultural sovereignty and sustained creation and discoverability of French-language content.

Yours Faithfully,
Graham Davies
President & CEO
DIMA

About Us
The Digital Media Association (DIMA) is the trade association representing the leading music streaming services in Canada including Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube. Together, our members provide Quebecers with legal access to the music they want to hear, when they want to hear it. DIMA’s members offer fans personalized experiences that empower artists to reach new audiences at home and around the world.

Streaming has broken down barriers, providing creators with new opportunities to share their music, grow new fanbases, and connect with listeners. Today, streaming is the main revenue driver for the music industry and the primary source of reinvestment into new talent and new music productions in Québec.

DIMA members are at the forefront of innovation in the music industry. We advocate for flexible and innovative public policies that foster the growth of the digital music economy and allow all stakeholders, artists, creators, rightsholders, streaming services, and listeners, to fully benefit from the opportunities streaming provides.