Important Points to Note
- Price Increase: Spotify is increasing its prices in Canada by $1 to $3 per month starting in July.
- Account Types: The price changes vary by account type, with student accounts remaining at $6.39 plus tax.
- Investment in Premium: Spotify states that the price increase will help them invest more in improving the Premium service.
- Historical Context: This is the first major price hike for Spotify Canada in nearly two years, influenced by regulatory changes.
Spotify is raising its prices in Canada once again.
Starting in July, most of the major streaming platform’s premium services will rise $1 to $3 per month.
According to an email sent to premium Spotify Canada users, the price increases vary on account type, with the student account remaining the same price ($6.39), plus tax.
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“This change means we can invest more in Premium. We are always working to improve Premium and deliver the best possible experience for you,” the email reads, linking to Canada’s premium offerings.
A Spotify spokesperson tells Billboard Canada: “Occasional updates to pricing across our markets reflect the value that Spotify delivers, enabling us to continue offering the best possible experience and benefit artists,” but doesn’t expand on what exactly triggered the increase.
In recent years, Spotify has often re-evaluated its prices and royalty models, notably making changes to its revenue share payouts, which have de-monetized songs receiving fewer than 1,000 plays per year. In 2026, Billboard Canada reported that Canadian artists earned $544 million in royalties on Spotify.
Recently, the DSP celebrated its 20th anniversary by opening the vault for listeners to see the first-ever song they’ve streamed, along with their most-played tracks and top-streamed artist.
This serves as the first major price hike for the Canadian arm of the streaming platform in nearly two years. During the last rise in 2024, it appeared to be partially inspired by the “streaming tax” implemented in the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)’s 2024 decision with the Online Streaming Act.
The Canadian tribunal stated that foreign-owned media companies that operate in Canada and generate over $25 million in revenue would be required to pay 5% of those revenues into Canadian content funds. In response, many streamers — including Spotify, Apple and Amazon — took action to challenge the now-paused legislation that has become a hot button topic in today’s Canadian music industry.
“As we continue to innovate and invest in providing our listeners with greater value than ever before, we occasionally update our prices,” a spokesperson for Spotify told Billboard Canada back in 2024. “We may also adjust our prices to reflect local macroeconomic factors and meet market demands while offering an unparalleled service,” noting that they would not publicly comment further on the “legal challenge against the CRTC streaming tax in Canada.”
Read more here. — Heather Taylor-Singh
Executive of the Week: FACTOR’s Meg Symsyk on Why Supporting Canadian Music Means Supporting Cultural Sovereignty
When it comes to supporting Canadian music, FACTOR’s influence is immeasurable. One of the most crucial funders of art in the country, the non-profit’s impact is seen with its logo across countless acclaimed records and its name shouted out at concerts and award shows. But for president & CEO Meg Symsyk, it’s not just about supporting Canadian music or even Canadian artists: it’s about the sovereignty and identity of the country itself.
“Buying locally is more important than ever because of that consumer awareness and structural support. Canadians need to be encouraged to be more intentional. This last year and a half with the tariffs and trade wars has put that on everyone’s front burner,” she explains.
The company recently announced $2 million in funding for live music. At a time when streaming has upended how artists can get paid, supporting live music is more important than ever. It’s part of FACTOR’s mission to support the Canadian-owned music sector and give companies a chance to compete both at home and on the world stage.
Symsyk has been a central voice during the implementation of The Online Streaming Act, also known as Bill C-11, which aims to modernize legislation around media for the first time in a generation. As major foreign-owned streaming services fight against Canadian content funding obligations, Symsyk has been there to ensure that rollout is fair and equitable and that homegrown artists are supported.
Billboard Canada Women In Music’s 2025 Champion Award winner has also made sure that FACTOR lives up to its mandate to champion diversity and inclusion and reflect the Canadian population in its programs and operations.
Alongside Music Publishers Canada (MPC), FACTOR is once again supporting Women in the Studio National Accelerator, which provides women and non-binary producer-songwriters with technical training, industry networking and career development. FACTOR is also a key Canadian supporter of the international Keychange program, which aims to empower underrepresented genders with training, mentoring and support along with opportunities at festivals and conferences. And Symsyk proudly supported The Beaches at Billboard Women in Music 2026 as they represented Canada and accepted the Global Force award on an international stage.
It’s all part of a career that began at Western University’s entertainment productions office through radio promotion at Universal Music and artist marketing for years with labels like Interscope and Geffen among others before joining Anthem where she became a protégé of late industry icon Pegi Cecconi. There she became part of “Rush family,” where she worked on Canadian power trio’s global tour marketing and PR until they stopped touring in 2015. She now plays an important role in their blockbuster reunion tour alongside her work at FACTOR. That experience culminates into her current philosophy leading with an understanding of music industry from an overview perspective using that vision to give Canadians an opportunity for success.
As this week’s Executive of the Week, Symsyk spoke to Billboard Canada about initiatives that FACTOR supports how they fund who they fund — maybe most importantly — why they do it.
Read our full interview here. — Richard Trapunski
Hear How Toronto Celebrated Drake’s ‘Iceman’ Release
After nearly a year of teasing, Drake’s latest album,Iceman, is finally here.
A known champion of his hometown, the rapper has spent much of his decades-spanning career boosting his city Toronto. The rollout for Iceman was no different.
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Last night Drizzy took over CN Tower projecting parts of his fourth livestream on symbol city turning it Iceman blue from triple album drop shoutout Mayor Olivia Chow spotlight Canadian brands Toronto Drake’s playground we’re just living it
