We work for you

Why and when to become a member

The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) represents more than 2,500 professional writers working in film, television, radio, and digital production in Canada. The main benefit of membership is protection under our collective agreement, where signatory producers have to pay minimum writing fees, insurance and retirement contributions, etc. The WGC does not read and register scripts, nor does it find work for our members. Our main mandate is to administer contracts that producers sign with our members and to negotiate a collective agreement with the producers’ association. You can read more about what we do and the benefits of membership below, including fair pay and benefits, advocacy, and more.

Please note that our members are not permitted to write for producers who are not signatory to the WGC, so the best time to join the WGC is when the majority of your screenwriting work comes from producers who are signatory to the Guild.
 

Eligibility and incentives

To qualify for membership, you must have one writing contract in our jurisdiction, which has been signed in the past two years with a producer who is “signatory”** to one of our agreements, or qualify under one of our membership incentives. Please click on the Incentives button below to find out if you can qualify without a signatory contract. We can’t confirm membership qualifications based on credits. A fully signed writing contract not older than two years, between the writer and producer, must be submitted (you can sign the contract both as a writer and producer if you are producing your own project).

Writers joining the Guild without an incentive will be required to pay the fees indicated below:

• If joining before July 1:  Initiation fee: $350 CAD + Annual dues: $175 CAD = TOTAL: $525 CAD
• If joining after July 1:  Initiation fee: $350 CAD + Annual dues: $87.50 CAD = TOTAL: $437.50 CAD

Annual basic dues of $175 CAD are billed for each subsequent year of membership.
 

**The easiest way to determine if your contract is signatory is to check whether there is a reference to the WGC in the contract. If there is, it generally means that the project is, or will be, signatory to the WGC. We will verify that any reference to the WGC in your contract is correct and that the contract is signatory when we are processing your application.

How to become a member

Our online form is now available by clicking on the link below. When you apply for membership with the WGC, you may also apply for membership with our sister organization, the Canadian Screenwriters Collection Society (CSCS) at no extra cost to you. Details about CSCS are provided on the application.

You must complete the entire application form before submitting. Please have all qualifying information ready before you apply, and be prepared to e-mail your contract(s) to Jasmina Ruzic at [email protected].

Fill out the online WGC membership application form

If you prefer, you can download the application form below, complete it, and e-mail it to Jasmina Ruzic at [email protected].  Please do not complete the date of birth section when e-mailing the form — we will collect that information from you over the phone.

Download the WGC membership application form

Collective bargaining

The WGC negotiates, administers, and enforces collective agreements with independent producers and broadcasters. These agreements set out the terms and conditions for work in all English-language production in Canada, including minimum fees and distribution payments. The WGC also pursues payments and resolves disputes on writing credits on behalf of its members.

Health and retirement benefits

The WGC offers its members access — through AFBS (Actra Fraternal Benefit Society) — to insurance and retirement benefits. Terms in our collective agreements require producers and broadcasters to contribute to members' insurance plans and RRSPs.

The WGC is a dedicated advocate for the profession of screenwriting in Canada. Through our appearances at the CRTC, and in our work with government and industry partners, the WGC advocates for policies and programs that support opportunities for Canadian creators. 

The WGC is the vocal champion of Canadian drama. We lobby to ensure that Canadian writers have a place of primacy in the Canadian broadcasting system, and in film and digital media. Canadian audiences want to be able to choose Canadian programs, and only Canadian writers have the voice, vision and experience to tell those stories. Learn more about our advocacy work here.

The WGC is a hub for professional screenwriters in Canada, bringing them together as a community to share ideas, address critical issues, and to connect with each other.

The WGC works with other screenwriter organizations around the world and is a member of the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG). The IAWG has established agreements making it easier to join sister guilds and work in other jurisdictions.

The WGC maintains the Member Directory, an easily accessible and popular resource for producers in search of screenwriters. Make sure to keep your profile up to date!

The WGC founded the Canadian Screenwriters Collection Society (CSCS), which collects and distributes foreign authors’ levies owed to screenwriters under the national copyright legislation of certain countries. WGC members can join at no additional cost. The CSCS currently has agreements with a number of countries, including France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. Click here to find out more.

As a member of the WGC, you get access to exclusive discounts for industry publications, events and more. Visit our Member Discounts page for our current deals, including discounts on IMDbPro, TIFF, and more.