ACTRA National joins ACTRA Toronto in applauding the Government of Ontario’s Strengthening Talent Agencies Regulation (STAR) Act, which will have a significant and positive impact on how performers working in Ontario’s screen-based industries are paid, protected and supported.

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.

 “ACTRA Toronto has long advocated for enforceable rules to protect all performers against wage theft, particularly for background performers, and to ensure that all performers receive fair and timely compensation for their work. We thank Minister Piccini for providing clear and enforceable standards that will do just that” said ACTRA Toronto President Kate Ziegler. Kate’s full President’s message to ACTRA Toronto members can be read here.

ACTRA National is pleased to see such protections being put into place in ACTRA’s largest jurisdiction and we hope it leads to similar safeguards introduced across Canada in the future and congratulate the ACTRA Toronto team for the many hours of public policy outreach it took to get to this point, alongside other provincial peer groups.