Envelope Administration

Due to high demand for the English Alternative Access Envelope, the CMF will no longer be accepting any applications.

The Envelope Administration sections provides broadcasters with information concerning the Broadcaster Envelope Program. At the beginning of each fiscal year, Canadian broadcasters that participate in CMF’s Envelope Program receive allocations of funds known as Broadcaster Envelope Allocations. Allocations are distributed by language to English-language and French-language broadcasters. Broadcasters of programming in languages other than English, French and Indigenous receive Diverse Languages allocations.

Allocations

Broadcaster Envelope Program funds are allocated to broadcasters at the beginning of each fiscal year based on past performance in commissioning and airing linear content projects.

On March 28, 2024, 21 English, 11 French, and 5 Diverse Languages broadcasters received Broadcaster Envelope (BE) allocations from the program budget for use in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. English broadcasters shared $144.4 million in envelope funds, $75.2 million was shared among French broadcasters and $4.0 million was shared by Diverse Languages broadcasters.

Alternative Access option:

Broadcasters that have not generated a BE Allocation for 2024-2025 are eligible for Alternative Access to the Broadcaster Envelope Program. Eligible Broadcasters may utilize this Alternative Access on a first-come, first-served basis, by providing an Eligible Licence Fee and a Broadcaster Agreement Form with a BE commitment to an Eligible Project, until the entire Alternative Access budget is spent. Eligible English and French Broadcasters are limited to $150,000 in total BE commitments in 2024-2025. Eligible Diverse Language Broadcasters are limited to $110,000 in total BE commitments in 2024-2025.  $1.5 million has been allocated to English broadcasters through Alternative Access, $500 thousand has been allocated to French broadcasters, and $220 thousand for Diverse Languages broadcasters.

Changes for the 2024-2025 Broadcaster Envelope Allocations:

  • English and French Broadcaster Envelope allocations can be used for both Development and Production Linear Content Eligible Projects (see the Broadcaster Envelope Program Guidelines – English and French).
  • Diverse Language Broadcaster Envelope allocations have been allotted to Diverse Languages Broadcasters for Diverse Languages Linear Content Productions (see the Broadcaster Envelope Program – Diverse Languages Guidelines).
  • Broadcaster Envelope Allocations can be used for any eligible genre of Linear content (see Appendix A).
  • The Documentary genre allocation calculation has been divided into portions for one-off documentaries and series documentaries (see section E.6.1 of the Broadcaster Envelope Manual).
  • New genre allocations were approved for the 2024-2025 English and French BE allocation calculations:
Genre Allocations 2024-2025
English French
Drama 56% 51%
Documentary Series 13% 13%
Documentary One-offs 6% 7%
Children & Youth 22% 22%
Variety & Performing Arts 3% 7%
Total 100% 100%
  • The COVID-19 Flexibility Measures have been discontinued (with the exception of the 100% flex allowance -– which allows Canadian Broadcasters to license projects in any of the CMF’s four programming genres – which will be maintained for 2024-2025).
  • New Performance Factors will be in effect for the 2025-2026 BE Allocation calculations (see section F of the Broadcaster Envelope Manual).

Details on the Broadcaster Envelope allocations can be found in the Broadcaster Envelope Manual.

Manual

The Broadcaster Envelope Manual explains the management and administration policies of the Broadcaster 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 Broadcaster Envelope Program Guidelines, which include information largely geared towards project funding eligibility criteria.

Broadcaster Envelope Manual

Submit financial statements

  • Max. file size: 512 MB.
  • By submitting your financial statements, you, the authorized representative of the broadcaster, acknowledge and agree as follows:

    • The financial statements are the most recent statements available and are to your knowledge, complete and accurate;
    • The CMF will review the financial statements to assess the broadcaster’s financial state; and
    • The CMF is authorized to share the financial statements with its program file administrator, Telefilm Canada, but will otherwise treat the financial statements as confidential and will not share them with any other party.