Eurovision director Martin Green said Wednesday that Canada could potentially join the Eurovision Song Contest in the future, though no official discussions or applications have taken place yet. Speaking to the BBC about rumours that Prime Minister Mark Carney supports the idea of Canada participating, Green acknowledged the speculation but said nothing formal has been presented to him so far.
“We know that Mark Carney wants to sort of embrace Europe,” Green said. “Nothing’s particularly come over my desk. But what I would say is we are an open place. For 70 years, our doors have been open, and we will welcome anyone through those doors who wants to share the values of this wonderful occasion and stand on our stage with friends.”
The Eurovision Song Contest, where countries compete by performing original songs, is organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Traditionally, only broadcasters that are full EBU members have been eligible to compete. However, there have been exceptions in recent years, including Australia, which first joined the contest as a special guest in 2015 and has continued participating under unique arrangements.
CBC/Radio-Canada has been an associate member of the EBU since 1950, but that status does not automatically allow Canada to compete. In a statement sent to CBC/Radio-Canada’s public affairs office, senior director of public affairs Leon Mar clarified the broadcaster’s position.
“Participation in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is for public broadcasters who are full members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU),” he said. “As an associate member, CBC/Radio-Canada is not eligible to participate in the ESC,” he wrote.
Even so, Mar confirmed that CBC/Radio-Canada remains involved with Eurovision in other ways. “I can confirm that we have three staff attending the ESC as observers and that we are talking with the EBU about how we can collaborate more closely and exchange more content, namely through the Eurovision News Exchange and the Euroradio Music Exchange,” he said.
Mar also stressed that CBC/Radio-Canada operates independently from the federal government, describing it as a “federal Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from government,” with its independence protected under the Broadcasting Act.
Interest in Canada joining Eurovision first gained attention during last year’s federal budget, when the government revealed it was exploring the possibility with CBC/Radio-Canada. At the time, government sources told CBC News that Carney had personally supported the initiative.
When asked about Australia’s participation despite being outside the EBU’s geographic region, Mar said questions about that arrangement should be directed to the EBU. He added that CBC/Radio-Canada has not sought a similar agreement and has not been invited to pursue one.
For now, Green’s comments suggest that while the idea of Canada joining Eurovision is not off the table, any future participation would depend on approval from the EBU and a formal proposal. No official plans or timeline have been announced.
Meanwhile, Eurovision 2026 continues Thursday with its second semi-final round, ahead of Saturday’s grand final.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. He holds CAVCO Personnel Number SINH0106. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
