Gym costs could be going up soon if a Toronto-based group that represents recording artists gets its way.

The group wants to start charging gyms a new copyright fee for blasting music during workout sessions.

Many people who use gyms claim that without the music, their spin classes simply wouldn't be the same.

The Neighbouring Rights Collective of Canada wants to capitalize on that.

Its goal is to ensure record companies and artists are compensated when their music is played in public spaces.

President Ian MacKay is targeting spin classes and aerobics sessions.

'Music is pretty important'

"Certainly studies that we've seen have shown that music is pretty important. And it goes without saying that a fitness class without music is going to be pretty flat," said MacKay.

Fitness centres already pay one tariff to the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada — SOCAN. The new fee would be on top of that and would go to performing artists and record companies.

Martin Dzatko, who runs the Quad Spin Studios in Toronto, estimates he pays about $600 per year to SOCAN. He says other gyms are skirting the rule.

"I found out this year that a lot of gyms aren't paying this fee. So I feel like a bit of an odd man out. You know it should be a level playing field," said Dzatko.

For Dzatko, yet another copyright fee is hard to accept.

The Copyright Board of Canada will determine whether a royalty can be charged — and how much — during hearings in the spring.