Renewal agreement provides stability for commercial sector
ACTRA and the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) agreed to a one-year (June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023) renewal of the National Commercial Agreement (NCA) to provide stability for the industry over which time the parties will jointly work towards modernizing and simplifying the agreement. On June 1, the Association des agences de communication créative (A2C) joined ACA and ACTRA in the renewal of the NCA to ensure Quebec advertising agencies will continue to have access to ACTRA’s professional performers.
The NCA establishes the terms and conditions for on- and off-camera performers engaged in English commercial production and ensures reasonable pay, benefits and retirement contributions.

Negotiations Timeline
August 2020: ACTRA and the Joint Broadcasting Committee of the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) and the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) agree to extend the terms and conditions of the current NCA, including the Local and Regional (L&R) Commercial Addendum, for a one-year term without any changes or concessions to support the commercial industry in its pandemic recovery.
April 2021: ACTRA and the Joint Broadcasting Committee of the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) and the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) commence negotiations to renew the NCA, including the L&R Commercial Addendum.
March 2022: The ICA triggers a lockout of ACTRA Performers, initially as of midnight ET on April 2, 2022, but later extended to 12:01 a.m. ET on April 26, 2022.
April 2022: The ICA seeks terms unacceptable to ACTRA and the ACA only to leave the bargaining table and subsequently deem the contract has expired.
April 2022: ACTRA and the ACA reach a tentative agreement to renew the NCA for a one-year term (June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023) with a 2% increase to rates and fees over which time the parties will work together to simplify and modernize the agreement.
May 2022: The ACA’s Board of Directors and ACTRA Members ratify the renewal agreement.
May 2022: ACTRA files 14 grievances in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver seeking full compensation for performers who had their union contracts pulled out from under them and to cease-and-desist engaging in non-union operations in violation of the NCA.
May 2022: ACTRA files a complaint with the Ontario Labour Relations Board that the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA), and the nine ad agencies it represented in negotiations, bargained in bad faith over the past year as ACTRA sought to reach an agreement on the renewal of the National Commercial Agreement (NCA). ACTRA is also seeking damages in the form of wages, benefits, and retirement contributions lost as a result of Engagers unlawfully making non-union commercials.
June 2022: The Association des agences de communication creative (A2C) joined ACA and ACTRA in the renewal NCA, ensuring that Quebec advertising agencies will continue to have access to ACTRA’s professional performers.
June 2022: The renewal NCA, including new rates and fees, takes effect on June 1.
July 2022: Mediation session between ACTRA and ICA.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the renewed collective agreement
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The Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) represents Canadian advertisers. Advertisers hire ad agencies to produce their commercials. |
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The Association des agences de communication créative (A2C) represents over 85 advertising agencies with diverse profiles throughout the province of Quebec. |
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The Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) historically negotiated the NCA on behalf of advertising agencies. Not all ICA agencies are signatory to the NCA. Not all NCA signatories are members of the ICA. |