In 1986, music gains new energy through the creation of the Ontario Pop contest, a Société Radio-Canada initiative. Local radio stations are responsible for auditions, and the winners are crowned at the Festival franco-ontarien in Ottawa in June. This annual competition showcases a great deal of talent over the years. But above all, it raises awareness of the need to provide ourselves with the means to make music in Ontario.
The Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique (APCM) is founded in 1990 to respond to the need. In 1992, the Association creates its own label and establishes its own distribution service. It expands to Western Canada in 1997, and, 20 years after its inception, counts over 180 members. Even today, the Ottawa-based APCM remains the only distributor of Francophone music west of Quebec.
The APCM develops various projects to support both emerging and professional artists. It creates the Rond Point experience, an artistic creation residency program which, according to the organization, seeks to “nurture the artistic chain.” The fourth season, in 2017, takes place on three stages: first at the Nouvelle Scène in Ottawa in March, then at the Festival franco-ontarien in Ottawa in June, and finally at the Collège Boréal in Sudbury in August. During these four- to five-day residencies, participants are supervised by professional artists as well as by members of the APCM team, who function as both trainers and mentors.
The Association also hosts the Trille Or week. The 2017 program includes musical showcases, roundtables, workshops, conferences, networking cocktails, an industry night and the grand finale, the must-see Trille Or gala, once again offered at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orléans. At this ninth annual event, Ottawan Mehdi Cayenne garners the most coveted prizes: best male performer, best album for Aube and award-winning song. At the first edition of the gala in 2001, two groups from Ottawa, Deux Saisons and Swing, win the highest honours.