Why Join the Writers Guild of Canada?

The WGC is committed to:

Creating a Community of Professional Screenwriters
The WGC brings Canada’s professional screenwriters together as a community to share ideas, address critical issues, improve working conditions, and increase the profile of their profession.

The WGC works with other screenwriters’ organizations around the world and is a member of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG). Agreements are in place that allow members of the WGC working in other Guilds’ jurisdictions to have initiation fees waived when joining other Guilds, including the Writers Guild of America.

Helping Screenwriters Earn a Living
The WGC helps ensure screenwriters are paid fairly for the work they do by negotiating, administering and enforcing collective agreements with independent producers and broadcasters such as the CBC, NFB, TVOntario, CTV, Global and Access.

These agreements set out the minimum fees for screenwriting services, as well as distribution payments and terms and conditions for work in all English-language production in Canada.

In addition to providing producers and broadcasters with industry-standard screenwriting contracts that comply with collective agreements, the WGC pursues payments and resolves disputes on writing credits.

The WGC also offers an Intellectual Property Registration Service to members and non-members. This service helps establish the identity and date of completion of literary materials, including film, television and radio scripts, book manuscripts, poems, and periodical articles. Materials can be registered online, or by mail or in person. Please note that this is not a copyrighting service.  

Providing Security for Screenwriters
The WGC offers its members the security and protection that Canadian artists rarely have access to through the ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society. This not-for-profit, member-owned, federally incorporated insurance company has been providing a wide range of insurance and retirement benefits to WGC and ACTRA members for over 25 years.

Based on their earnings in the WGC’s jurisdiction, members receive life and health insurance, supplementary health care coverage, and contributions to a registered retirement savings plan. Members also benefit from terms in our collective agreements that require producers and broadcasters to contribute to members’ insurance plans and RRSPs.

Giving Screenwriters a Voice
The WGC works closely with government agencies to increase the support available to professional screenwriters, and was a main force in the creation of the Screenwriting Assistance Program, which was set up to develop a pool of experienced screenwriters and create a bank of feature film screenplays. The WGC also appears before the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) to input on broadcasting issues that affect our members.

To strengthen the voice of screenwriters further, the WGC became a founding member of the Coalition of Canadian Audio-visual Unions (CCAU). The CCAU brings a united group of cultural unions together to focus on issues affecting its members – such as strengthening CRTC regulations so broadcasters have to increase spending on dramas that are written, directed and performed by Canadians, and provide better promotion and scheduling of these programs.

Increasing the Profile of Screenwriters
The WGC promotes screenwriters by holding an annual awards gala to celebrate our members’ creative achievements. All members also receive a subscription to Canadian Screenwriter magazine – a national retail magazine which profiles WGC members.

All members receive a free listing in the online Directory of Members. The directory is easily accessed from our website at www.wgc.ca, and is a popular resource for producers and broadcasters.

Collecting for Screenwriters – Canadian Screenwriters Collection Society (CSCS)
WGC members can join the CSCS at no additional cost. The CSCS was established by the WGC to collect and distribute foreign authors’ levies owed to screenwriters under the national copyright legislation of certain countries. The CSCS currently has agreements with a number of countries, including France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland.

How much is membership?
The initiation fee is $350 and annual dues are $150. Members only pay working dues of two per cent on each writing fee received, compared with five per cent for non-members working in the WGC’s jurisdiction.

How do I sign up?
Screenwriters can join the WGC as soon as they sign a writing contract under one of our collective agreements. Information on how you can join, as well as details on benefits, rules and guidelines, can be found on our website at www.wgc.ca/members/howto.html. You can also download an application form directly from the site.

Need more information?
Our Member Services Department will be happy to provide you with any additional information you require.

Writers Guild of Canada
366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 401
Toronto, ON   M5V 1R9
Tel: 416-979-7907/ 1-800-567-9974
www.wgc.ca
info@wgc.ca