eFlash! 2026-09

2026 AGM — Annual General Meeting / AGA 2026 — Assemblée générale annuelle

Minutes of the 2026 AGM / Procès-verbal de L’AGA 2026

Present (in-person or online) were:

The meeting began at 17:00 EDT on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. CEC President James Andean chaired the meeting; CEC Secretary Simon Chioini acted as Minutes-Taker; Yves Gigon monitored the in-person gathering.

1. Adoption of the Agenda / Adoption de l’ordre du jour

[17:07] JA presented the Agenda for approval.

[17:08] SP moved to accept the Agenda as is; SC seconded. The Agenda of the CEC’s 2026 AGM was adopted by general consent.

2. Minutes of the Previous AGM / Adoption du procès-verbal de la dernière AGA

[17:09] The minutes of the 2025 AGM were read by all in attendance.

LOD moved to accept the minutes of the 2025 AGM; KA seconded. The minutes of the CEC’s 2025 AGM were adopted by general consent.

3. Business Arising from the Minutes of the Previous AGM / Sujets touchant le procès-verbal de la dernière AGA

[17:10] No business arose from the minutes of the 2025 AGM.

4. Board of Directors for 2026-27 / Conseil d’administration pour 2026-27

[17:10] JA presented the new Board of Directors extended thanks to outgoing members Ana Dall’Ara-Majek, Darsha Hewitt, Étienne Mason, Michael Palumbo and Pauline Patie for their years of service, with a special thank to Pauline for her help with the renewal of the Board vision statement and projects. The proposed Board is as follows:

1. Remaining in the position of President: James Andean (ON/UK, 2023-27)
2. Starting in the position of Vice-President: Louis-Olivier Desmarais (QC, 2026-28)
3. Remaining in the position of Secretary: Simon Chioini (QC, 2024-27)
4. Remaining in the position of Treasurer: Shawn Pinchbeck (AB, 2013-28)
5. Remaining in the position of members-at-large: Rick Nance (US/UK, 2023-27), Alyssa Ryvers (2025-27), Stephanie Moore (2025-27), Antoine Lussier (2025-27)

JA also thanked the admin team…

[17:13] SC moved to accept the Board as presented; CD seconded. The CEC’s Board of Directors was adopted by general consent.

5. President’s Report / Rapport du président

[17:13] JA presented his President’s Report, providing updates on the CEC’s core activities and long-term orientations:

Saskatoon, Edmonton, Montréal,

Workshop with ____ Pulsework Audio Art Saskatoon

Akousma 2025 presented Vivian Lee

Works from 2026 will be presented at Akousma and will be played on a number of stations.

JTTP Bandcamp page: now the winning works will be released as compilations on Bandcamp.

1. Jeu de temps / Times Play (JTTP): JA announced the 2025 winners and thematic award recipients. Several were present at the AGM and received congratulatory applause. He also gave an overview of activities supported by international partners for JTTP 2024, including CMMAS (Morelia, Mexico), Akademie der Künste (Berlin, Germany), Akousma (Montréal, Canada), and international radio broadcasts.
2. eContact!: [17:18] Relauch in 2027, with new online presence. Launch issue will be a compilation of previously received proposals.
3. NASO status: the board proposes to move the CEC as a … Allow CEC to receive donations… Will be presented at a further point.
4. Thanks to the UdeM and the admins, on behalf of the CEC.

[17:20] The President’s Report was adopted by general consent.

6. Treasurer’s Report / Rapport du trésorier

[17:20] SP presented his Treasurer’s Report, covering:

1. The current financial situation of the CEC.
2. SOCAN Foundation is ending program. 30k, then 20k, and 10k. We move this to have 20k each year.
3. Other revenue sources: prizes and cash are coming from private donations.
4. Funding outlook for upcoming activities.

SP thanked also Kevin Austin for his donations, and the donors. The CEC extended its thanks for his support, which will diversify and strengthen the organization’s programming.

Gentle reminder to members to pay their membership.

Stable outlook, and transition. Financial report slightly in the red, after last years surplus. SOCAN gives us stability for the next 3 years, but the board will need to find more sources of revenue to keep track in the next years… Forge a stable future with new directions…

[17:27] The Treasurer’s Report was adopted by general consent.

JA mentions that a change to the PayPal account has made it easier to have automatic renewals of the membership.

7. Other Reports from the Board and Administration / Autres rapports du conseil d’administration

[17:28] JA presented the Board’s plan to apply for a NASO status:

1. The CEC is considering applying to the Department of Canadian Heritage for designation as a National Arts Service Organization (NASO). If approved, this would then allow us to apply to the Canada Revenu Agency for status as a Registered NASO. This would offer significant potential benefits, primarily allowing the CEC to issue official receipts for gifts or donations received with the same benefits as registered charitable organizations, which in turn provides the donor with a tax credit. This is potentially of enormous value to the CEC, as the SOCAN foundation funding that has allowed us to operate for many years will soon be coming to an end. Any members with questions or views about this proposal are welcome to raise them at this year’s AGM.
2. 2 steps: Heritage Canada, then Canada Revenue Agency?
3. Members meeting as soon as possible so we can vote on that.

BT discussed this with the Board before. There was a question of whether there would be legal costs. Would that require a lawyer? Other routes would, but not for NASO. What was the update from the Board on the question?

JA explains the application stage is surprisingly straightforward. No need for a lawyer–no costs. CRA might not be much more complicated, but we won’t know until we are there.

YG says that it seems to be a very simple/automatic process.

BT is very interested in supporting a fundraising campaign if necessary. Also mentions his interest in funding with a substantial donation himself. We also have a big international presence. A campaign would also raise our profile, by emphasizing all the history and the support that CEC gave to young composers. We have a high profile in terms of accomplishment and how long it’s been going, and this might be a good point to advertise, while requesting donations.

As a patron, not prepared to see this organisation jeopardized on the long wrong, because it is too valuable.

It might not even be impossible to find corporate donations.

Reiterates that he is seriously supportive of this initiative, and ready to back it financially.

JA thanks BT on behalf of the entire organization, for being proactive and supportive.

MGD when you change status to charitable, you also change your taxe report status. You can ask for an exception, because we do not want to pay taxes.

JA confirms that it is different for a NASO status. Registration exempts organization from… If we understand correctly, we would not have to pay income taxes.

In Canada a NASO holds a unique status…

MGD will follow up on that with his experience working for another organization.

CD is also offering to connect us to another NASO (Professional Association of Canadian Theatres), so we can have help with this question.

17:45 JA encourages the members to take a look at that, and to be present at the members’ meeting that will occur soon on the subject of changing our status to NASO.

YG the members need to be advised 21 days in advance, so the meeting won’t be before a few weeks. We will send a message to members tomorrow. We could plan the meeting for Thursday September 24th, time TBD. To be confirmed.

8. Other Business / Autres points

17:48 SM mentions matching funds…

JA says that it would require a status. Now the focus is on getting the NASO status, which seems like the best option…

9. Adjournment / Levée de l’assemblée

[17:50] The Chair of the 2026 AGM (JA) suggested to adjourn. The CEC’s 2026 AGM was consensually adjourned at 17:50 on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. YG proposed — SP seconded.

Minutes for the CEC’s 2026 AGM submitted by CEC Secretary Simon Chioini on Wednesday, 2 September 2026.