Protecting performers through Talent Agent Regulation

Dear ACTRA Toronto members,

I’m pleased to provide you with an update from the Ontario government about proposed legislation aimed at protecting performers by strengthening transparency and oversight of payments handled by talent agencies.
 
If passed, the Strengthening Talent Agency Regulation (STAR) Act, which was announced at a press conference (watch here) this morning by Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister David Piccini, would:

• Commission Caps: Set maximum allowable rates talent agencies can charge performers.
• Fee Restrictions: Ban fees beyond authorized commissions.
• Prompt Payment: Ensure performers receive their wages in a timely manner.
• Financial Safeguards: Require talent agencies to use dedicated bank accounts to hold earnings owed to performers.

I was honoured to attend the press conference and speak on behalf of the 15,000 ACTRA Toronto members working in Ontario’s screen-based industry to highlight the active role ACTRA Toronto has taken over the past few years advocating for greater protections for performers where their physical and economic safety are concerned.

As artists, the nature of our work is precarious, but the relationships we have with our union, under collective agreements and with our agents help to mitigate the risks associated with this precarity.

Still, we must acknowledge that no matter how successful a performer becomes, we are never completely safe where our wages are concerned. In 2022, shock waves were felt across the industry when Compass Artist Management abruptly shut down amid allegations of unpaid wages. The impact of its closure was devastating to the members represented by that agency.

After learning that dozens of our members had been victim of a tragic case of wage theft, ACTRA Toronto immediately raised the alarm with the government and asked them to support Ontario’s performers by instituting guardrails and protections that would complement the work of our union – where protecting performers is paramount.

I also want to acknowledge the agents who have always done right by their clients. Any regulatory changes put in place will be a reflection of the standards these agents have always held.

As performers, everything is based on relationships – ones where trust, care and respect are essential. When the bond between a performer and their agent is broken, it is incumbent on us at ACTRA Toronto and the government to step in and say – not again, not on our watch.

Today’s announcement of the STAR Act is an important step in this process. My hope is that very soon everyone – from our world-class background performers to those gracing the top of the call sheet – will look to the ACTRA Toronto members who courageously spoke up, to their union, and to the Government of Ontario and recognize that, through collaboration and goodwill, we have made change.

Please visit ACTRA Toronto’s dedicated Talent Agencies Regulation webpage for updates. We’ll include more information about the proposed legislation on this webpage once available as well as outline actions members can take if they are interested in supporting it.

Before signing off (for now), I would like to extend my deep thanks to Minister Piccini and his staff, Minister of Red Tape Reduction Andrea Khanjin and the Government of Ontario for their commitment and support to see this through. More importantly, I would like to acknowledge and thank the members who were victims of Compass Artist Management who bravely stepped up to share their story. Without your courage and conviction, we would not be where we are today.

In solidarity,
Kate Ziegler
ACTRA Toronto President