Our History

The Unison Fund is the brainchild of Mr. Jodie Ferneyhough and Catharine Saxberg, both of whom have been touched by the loss and illness of friends within the music community. Recognizing the existence of similar relief programs in other industries, Catharine realized it was time to unite the music industry to create a support system that would enable the community to help each other during times of need.

“The idea of Unison started shortly after a tragic accident to a well-known musician. It occurred to me that although benefit concerts and fundraisers, in the short-term, were a great thing and brought the community together, there was no organized support system in the music business for people when they fell on hard times. Musicians, roadies, riggers, sound technicians, managers, indie publishers, labels and a myriad of others might not have access to money if there was ever an emergency… We felt it was time for the industry to have a way of taking care of itself.” – Ferneyhough.

With unanimous support from friends and colleagues, Catharine and Jodie established the Unison Benevolent Fund, and in 2010, a Board of Directors was formed, representing a cross-section of the Canadian music industry.

“Creating a financial emergency fund was our priority,” Catharine Saxberg explains. “As music workers are mostly self-employed, it’s often more difficult for us to secure bank loans or other types of emergency financing when needed. Unison’s long-term goal is to provide access to additional assistance programs and insurance options. We want to use our strength in numbers.”

In July 2011, The Unison Fund received initial commitments of $250,000 from Music Canada and Slaight Music, followed by a $100,000 commitment from a collective of music publishers in 2012.

In 2012, Unison first launched the Counselling & Health Solutions Program, and after reaching a fundraising target of nearly $1 million, the Financial Assistance Program was launched in 2015. Since launching the Financial Assistance Program, Unison has financially supported over 10,000 music professionals facing hardship.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Unison saw a 3,000% increase in applications for its emergency financial assistance arm in 2020 and disbursed more than $3.5 million in financial assistance while offering mental health support. From 2020 to the end of 2021, the organization helped more than 3,500 Canadians, demonstrating a high demand of need in the music industry brought on by the pandemic. While many in the music industry are now aware of Unison and its services, the demand for Unison’s financial safety net and mental health services is higher than ever. Over $24 million in funds have been distributed since 2015, with the majority distributed between 2020 and 2023.

In 2022 and 2023, Unison programs provided counselling to over 400 people and life-saving risk intervention services to nearly 100 people experiencing urgent mental health issues. Over 1,700 people have used Unison’s counselling services to date.