Canada explores participation in the Eurovision Song Contest
Canada’s 2025 budget mentions plans to explore Eurovision participation through CBC/Radio-Canada. The EBU confirms early talks are underway, but no decision has been made. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne calls it a platform for Canada to shine
Canada is officially in the early discussion phase about joining the Eurovision Song Contest, according to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Canadian government documents.
On 4 November 2025, the Government of Canada released its 2025 federal budget, in which a paragraph states that national broadcaster Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC/Radio-Canada) will be supported to explore participation in Eurovision. The budget includes a $150 million funding increase for CBC/Radio-Canada. The budget also allocates $400 million to various cultural organizations and funds, aiming to support Canada’s creative industries and talent.
Following that, the EBU’s Director for the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Green, confirmed to ESCToday that the EBU is in very early talks with CBC. No decision has yet been made, and the discussions remain in an exploratory stage:
– We’re always excited to know that broadcasters want to be part of the world’s largest live music show. The Canadian conversation with CBC is in its very early stages, and we look forward to continuing our discussions with them.
Canada's EBU membership
The EBU statement emphasises that while CBC is an Associate Member of the EBU, any participation by Canada would require a special invite from the EBU Reference Group.
Finance Minister François‑Philippe Champagne was interviewed by Global News about the budget document and said:
– This was something that was asked by the people who participate, and I think it’s a platform for Canada to shine.
What if Canada wins Eurovision?
If Canada joins the contest it would follow the example of Australia, which entered Eurovision in 2015 after receiving a special invitation from the EBU despite being outside the European Broadcasting Area.
At that time it was agreed that if Australia won Eurovision the following contest would not be held in Australia but hosted in a European country instead.
If Canada were to win the same arrangement would apply: the contest would take place in Europe in cooperation with Canadian broadcaster CBC.
Eurovision Canada
Back in 2022 the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced plans for a new competition called Eurovision Canada.
The show was expected to begin in 2023 featuring artists from each of Canada’s 10 provinces and 3 territories. The project was to be produced by the Canadian company Insight Productions, which also produces Canadian Idol.
At the time the EBU described the planned format as follows:
– The format will position artists head-to-head against other provincial and territorial representatives in a series of televised-qualifier competitions, leading to semi-finals and a primetime Grand Finale.
However, Eurovision Canada never materialized, and no further updates were given by the EBU or Insight Productions.
