As the review of the Copyright Act approaches, CASA strongly believes that fair dealing has proven crucial to reducing barriers, improving access and enhancing innovation and quality in Canadian post-secondary education. The exceptions granted by fair dealing have permitted educators and students to access and circulate information and content more easily, using the newest technologies available. The ability to fairly use and distribute content for educational purposes is a vital component of a modern and innovative education.
Access to information and post-secondary education affordability are interrelated:
- Fair dealing allows students to access a wider breadth of information, which is essential to a higher quality education
- Fair dealing makes educational materials more affordable, which also allows students to access more information, further enhancing the quality of education
Fair dealing in education offers a fair balance between creators and users of copyrighted material:
- Post-secondary students continue to pay for learning materials
- Post-secondary students now have access to an even greater scope of information
CASA’s recommendations:
- Preserve education as a component of fair dealing under the Copyright Act
- Preserve the existing exceptions to copyright infringement for educational institutions
To find out more on this topic, read our full report.
