Envelope Administration
The Envelope Administration section provides broadcasters with information concerning the Performance Envelope Program and the Development Envelope Program. At the beginning of each fiscal year, Canadian broadcasters that participate in CMF’s Envelope programs receive allocations of funds known as Performance Envelopes and Development Envelopes.
Allocations
Performance Envelope Program and Development Envelope Program funds are allocated to broadcasters at the beginning of each fiscal year based on past performance in commissioning and airing convergent projects.
On April 2, 2020, 16 English and 10 French broadcasters received Performance Envelope (PE) allocations from the program budget for use in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. English broadcasters shared $153.9 million in envelope funds, while $76.3 million was shared among French broadcasters.
The allocated Flex Amount (of 50%), shown in the broadcaster allocations above, can be used for supporting productions of any eligible genre. Broadcasters with allocations under $5.0M and educational Broadcasters were granted 100% genre flexibility as well as exemption from the 25% In-house/Broadcaster-affiliated cap in order to enable them to better leverage their envelope allocations.
Alternative Access option: Broadcasters that have not generated a PE Allocation for 2020-2021 are eligible for Alternative Access to the Performance Envelope Program. Eligible Broadcasters may utilize this Alternative Access via the appropriate English or French Envelope on a first-come, first-served basis, by providing an Eligible Licence Fee and a BAF with a PE commitment to an Eligible Project, until the entire Alternative Access budget is spent. Eligible Broadcasters are limited to two applications using the Alternative Access portion of the PE Program or $100,000 in total PE commitments in 2020-2021, whichever is less.
Alternative Access option: Broadcasters that have not generated a Development Envelope Allocation for 2020-2021 are eligible for Alternative Access to the Development Envelope Program. Eligible Broadcasters may utilize this Alternative Access via the appropriate English or French Envelope on a first-come, first-served basis, by providing an Eligible Licence Fee and a BAF with a Development Envelope commitment to an Eligible Project, until the entire Alternative Access budget is spent. Eligible Broadcasters are limited to $20,000 in total Development Envelope commitments using the Alternative Access portion of the Development Envelope Program in 2020-2021.
- Gender Balance: Broadcasters will be required to direct at least fifty percent (50%) of their respective Performance Envelope allocation dollars to Eligible Projects where, of all the cumulative Producer, Director and Writer positions on a given Eligible Project, 40% of the total number of positions are held by women.
- In the English-language market, the Historic Performance Factor Weight was reduced to 5% and the Regional Production Licenses Factor Weight was increased to 30%. In the French-language market, the Historic Performance Factor Weight was reduced to 20% and the Regional Production Licences Factor Weight was increased to 15%.
- The Digital Media Investment Factor was replaced by the OTT First Run Licences Factor. Credit for the OTT First Run is based on Eligible Licence Fees for Eligible Projects that are made available to Canadian audiences first and exclusively for a period of at least 7 days on any of the non-traditional platforms in the CMF’s Canadian Broadcaster definition (see section 2.1.1 of the Performance Envelope Guidelines).
Calculations
The CMF allocates funds to a broadcaster’s envelope by calculating the broadcaster’s performance in each language and genre relative to all other broadcasters competing for those funds.
Audience success
Audience success calculations are based on the total hours tuned that a broadcaster generated for programs previously funded in a given broadcast year. Broadcasters submit their own total hours tuned calculations for review by the CMF and inclusion in audience success calculations.
Relevant documents for 2021-2022 audience success submissions:
Broadcaster Submissions
The CMF enables participating broadcasters to review all total hours tuned submissions. This is a password-protected section that is solely for the use of broadcasters who have submitted total hours tuned information to be reviewed by the CMF. Login information has been provided to participating broadcasters.
Historic Performance
This list is a companion to the review of Performance Envelope Historic Performance eligible licences and shows CMF funding eligible for Historic Performance factor credit.
The CMF allocates funds to a broadcaster’s development envelope by calculating its performance in each language relative to all others competing for those funds. Information on calculation and management can be found in the Development Manual.
Historic Performance
This list is a companion to the review of Development Historic Performance eligible licences and shows CMF funding eligible for Historic Performance factor credit.
Manuals & Forms
The Performance Envelope Manual explains the management and administration policies of the Performance Envelope Program for broadcasters. It outlines the methodology by which envelopes are calculated, as well as the policies which govern their management and usage. This manual is published as a companion to the Performance Envelope Program Guidelines, which include information largely geared towards project funding eligibility criteria.
The Development Manual provides broadcasters with a guide to the Development Program’s envelope system, details on the methodology by which the funding envelopes are calculated, as well as the policies which govern their management and usage. This manual is published as a companion to the Development Program Guidelines.