THE Eurovision Song Contest is expanding its reach in a historic move, with Canada now set to join the competition starting in 2027.
The move comes after CBC/Radio-Canada was admitted last week as a full member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Canada will become the first new entrant to join the competition since Australia in 2015, with the country set to send an artist to the next edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria.
Canadian door to Eurovision opens thanks to CBC
Since its launch in 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest has become one of the largest live televised music competitions in the world. Organized by the European Broadcasting Union, the annual competition brings together public broadcasters from Europe and other eligible participating countries.
Canada is now ready to join the competition after CBC/Radio-Canada became the latest full member of the EBU after more than seven decades as an associate member.
The decision to grant the broadcaster full membership status was approved last Thursday in a vote at the EBU General Assembly in Prague, according to CBC.
With the addition of CBC/Radio-Canada, the EBU’s membership expanded to 115 organizations representing 57 countries.
Canada is too late for this year’s Eurovision
Since this year’s Eurovision Song Contest has already taken place in Vienna, Austria, in May, CBC/Radio-Canada will only be able to submit an entry for the next edition, which will be hosted by Bulgaria.
The competition application process varies from year to year, but the deadline is usually several months before the competition begins in May.
For now, Canada is set to join countries like Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece and Luxembourg, whose broadcasters have already expressed interest in participating. CBC/Radio-Canada has confirmed that Canada will send an entry to the 2027 competition, with details on how the country’s entry will be selected to be announced later this year.
CBC president Marie-Philippe Bouchard said the participation “will allow Canadian talent to be showcased on one of the most renowned music stages in the world.”
CBC Membership Opens Wider Media Access
In addition to becoming eligible to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, CBC/Radio-Canada will also benefit from several additional benefits as a newly admitted full member of the EBU.
According to a joint statement, the public broadcaster will now have access to “investigative journalism, verification, news and digital data networks, as well as the Eurovision News Exchange and Euroradio Music Exchange services”.
The exchange also allows members to share live and edited reports, allowing CBC to offer even more coverage to its viewers at home.
“This new chapter in our relationship with the EBU and its members will deepen our cooperation at a time when the collective impact of public service media is essential,” said Marie-Philippe Bouchard, president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, in a press release.
“This is an important step that will benefit people on both sides of the Atlantic by helping to combat misinformation and support cultural expression,” the executive added.
EBU says Canada makes Eurovision ‘stronger’
Bouchard’s remarks were echoed by EBU Director General Noel Curran, who also praised CBC/Radio-Canada for its contribution to journalism and public service broadcasting.
“As one of the world’s leading public broadcasters, he has already contributed enormously to our union, helping us establish and maintain the standards of public service journalism that matter most today,” Curran said of the public broadcaster.
“Full membership means we can now do even more together…Canada’s voice in this community makes us stronger,” he added in his statement.
Director Martin Green also described Canada’s membership as a signal that, regardless of its European origins, the competition “continues to welcome the world.”
Why Canada insisted on a place at Eurovision
Interest in Canada’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest first emerged last year, when Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned the possibility in the federal government’s 2025 budget, presented in November.
Canadians have also competed in Eurovision under different flags, including Celine Dion, who won the 1988 contest while representing Switzerland.
Later that month, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne explained the reasons for this decision.
“I think it’s a platform for Canada to shine,” Champagne said, according to The Guardian. “It’s about protecting our identity – yes, we want to protect our sovereignty, but you also want to help people in the arts and the film industry to ensure that they can shine around the world. And we have a lot to offer as Canadians.”