Envelope Administration
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.