Jim Waters, the former head of the CHUM empire, has passed away unexpectedly at age 73.
Waters’ Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team, the Erie Otters, announced the news on the team’s website Friday.
“The Erie Otters are devastated to report the sudden and unexpected passing of Jim Waters, team owner, OHL governor, and avid team supporter. Jim passed away this morning, leaving a profound void in the lives of his family, friends and the Canadian hockey and broadcasting communities.”
The team went on to say that the Waters family “is just beginning to absorb this shocking loss.”
The son of CHUM co-founder Allan Waters, Jim served on the CHUM board of directors, alongside his brother Ron, taking over as head of the company shortly before his father’s death in late 2005. In July 2006, CHUM agreed to merge with CTVglobemedia. After working in the company for 35 years, Jim stepped away from broadcasting for the most part at age 55, at the end of that summer.
“I wasn’t in favour of selling the company, but I knew, given the circumstances and the options we had, it was the right decision,” Waters told Dave Charles in a rare interview in 2023. “CTV had never owned any radio so I offered to stay and help with the transition. [CTV president and CEO] Ivan Fecan said ‘No thanks.’”
Waters continued to maintain some connections to the media business, helping fund the application for student operated radio station, CHOP-FM, which launched at Pickering College in Newmarket, ON in 2007. He also sat on the board of Starboard Communications in Belleville, ON.
Ross Davies, who worked alongside Waters at CHUM Radio for 22 years, told Broadcast Dialogue he was “gutted” by news of his passing.
“I am gutted by the news of Jimmy’s passing today, as are our colleagues who worked with Jim at CHUM radio in Toronto and across the country,” said Davies. “Jimmy and I shared a kinship from the beginning of our careers at CHUM and our friendship spanned many decades. Our time together was full of hard work and fun, and a complete commitment to succeed with the best people around us. Jimmy loved his team and his team loved him. My thoughts are with Sheila, his daughters and the entire Waters family.”
Rob Farina, who served as Program Director of CHUM-FM, wrote in a post to LinkedIn that Waters “was the epitome of a benevolent leader.”
“He treated everyone with dignity and respect, no matter their role or title, and in doing so, earned the love and admiration of all who had the privilege to work alongside him,” said Farina. “Jim had a rare and remarkable gift for building not just teams, but communities. He had an eye for spotting talent and a generous spirit that allowed him to trust his team fully, giving them the freedom and support to thrive. His leadership style wasn’t about control—it was about empowerment. With Jim, you always felt seen, heard, and deeply valued. His belief in others was transformative, inspiring confidence and a sense of purpose that stayed with you long after you left the office.”
“Jim Waters was more than a boss—he was a builder of dreams, a champion of people, and a friend to all. He will be deeply missed, but his influence and the lessons he taught us will endure forever.”
Waters was named Broadcasting Executive of the Year at Canadian Music Week (CMW) in 2001 and was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2007. He had been a member of the OHL’s Executive Council of the Board of Governors since 2001.
