Will Canada actually join Eurovision? Not without some challenges, experts say

Abby Hughes · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 05, 2025 7:08 PM EST | Last Updated: November 6

Downsizing the government, upping defence spending and … getting Canada into Eurovision?

Alongside galore large enactment items, yesterday's national fund teased that the authorities is moving with CBC/Radio-Canada to research Canada's information successful the yearly Eurovision Song Contest, wherever planetary singers conflict it retired by performing archetypal songs, competing nether a country’s flag.

Two authorities sources accidental Prime Minister Mark Carney is personally progressive successful the push.

The contention mostly showcases European endowment and is enactment connected by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), but immoderate nationalist broadcasters that are EBU members tin participate, which includes immoderate extracurricular of Europe. Canada is lone an affiliate member, though Australia, different affiliate, has taken portion since 2015.

When reached for remark by CBC News past period astir the anticipation of Canada participating, Eurovision said the contention is constricted to EBU members.

While the quality retired of the fund whitethorn beryllium breathtaking fans of the competition, Canadian information mightiness not beryllium casual — particularly since immoderate person tried to get the state progressive before.

Introducing Eurovision Canada

In 2022, Toronto-based accumulation institution Insight Productions — which made the Canadian spinoffs of The Amazing Race and Big Brother — tried to commencement a Eurovision Canada, wherever Canadian artists would compete, with the victor past sent to Europe for the eventual contest.

At the time, organizers said the contention would premiere successful 2023, featuring artists and bands from each 13 provinces and territories, and that the big would beryllium announced wrong weeks. 

WATCH | Federal authorities puts Eurovision successful the budget:

But ultimately, the task didn’t marque it disconnected the ground. The squad realized aft the announcement that sending Canadians to the planetary contention would beryllium a analyzable effort, co-chief contented serviceman Lindsay Cox, told The Canadian Press earlier this year. But the institution is inactive trying to marque Eurovision Canada happen, she said.

There besides wasn’t buy-in from CBC/Radio-Canada, which would person to beryllium progressive fixed Eurovision is yet hosted by nationalist broadcasters. CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson antecedently told CBC News the broadcaster considered it and met with the institution astatine the time, but yet decided it would beryllium "prohibitively expensive."

Asked what CBC is presently doing to research Canada perchance competing successful Eurovision, Thompson told CBC News determination was “no accusation to stock astir Eurovision astatine this time.”

But Canada wouldn’t needfully person to tally a pricey, televised contention astatine location to prime a vocalist to nonstop to Eurovision — the competition's rules let countries to take however they prime their artists.

LISTEN | Eurovision's charged governmental history:

Still, Dean Vuletic, a historiographer specializing successful the past of Eurovision, says being successful the contention and doing it good is costly — there’s a information fee, positive the costs associated with sending radical to the show, fto unsocial what it takes to big it.

Culture and Canadian buy-in could beryllium tricky

Canadians person competed successful Eurovision successful the past nether different flags — namely Céline Dion, who won the contention for Switzerland successful 1988, arsenic good arsenic Natasha St-Pier, who repped France successful 2001 and Montreal’s La Zarra, again for France, successful 2023. But the contention isn’t hugely fashionable successful Canada, which could beryllium a hurdle successful its participation, says Karen Fricker, a Brock University prof and Eurovision expert.

France introduction La Zarra performs 'Évidemment' connected signifier during the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Grand Final astatine M&S Bank Arena successful England successful May 2023. (Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images)

“People who are funny successful civilization cognize astir it. Queer communities cognize astir it,” Fricker said. “Is it good capable known to truly get momentum, is my biggest question.”

For example, successful Australia, the opus contention was broadcast for decades and had go ingrained successful the country's civilization earlier it started competing, Fricker said. 

Plus, portion Eurovision has tried to globalize its marque successful caller years, the contention is inactive yet a European affair, said Vuletic, the historian. He says it's imaginable that the contention organizers mightiness not privation excessively galore non-European countries to articulation for fearfulness of globalizing the taste lawsuit excessively much.

That said, successful an interrogation with Global News, Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said the thought astir Canada competing came from “the radical who participate,” suggesting Europe mightiness not person galore hang-ups astir Canada joining.

There has besides been interior disagreement astir who should beryllium capable to instrumentality portion successful the contention — namely implicit Israel’s participation, fixed its warfare successful Gaza. Organizers had scheduled a ballot for this period connected whether Israel should beryllium allowed to vie adjacent year, though it has since been postponed.

Céline Dion performs astatine Eurovision successful 1988. (Bruno Torricelli)

“So close now, expanding Eurovision truly isn’t the large absorption of the European Broadcasting Union — it's trying to prevention the contention arsenic it is,” Vuletic said.

Despite the hurdles, Fricker says the national government’s backing makes this the astir existent speech Canada has ever had astir joining the contention — thing fans tin beryllium excited about.

“It's inactive speculative, but it's firmer than it has been successful the past.”