Independent radio and TV broadcasters from coast-to-coast have signed an open letter urging the Canadian Government to stand firm in its commitment to Canadian sovereignty and culture.

Released Monday morning, among the letter’s signatories – representing more than 600 individual stations – are members of the Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB), Western Association of Broadcasters (WAB), and B.C. Association of Broadcasters (BCAB), alongside dozens of independent TV and radio groups, including Quebec’s Arsenal Media, RNC Media and Leclerc Communications; APTN; OUTtv; Super Channel; Channel Zero; CHEK-TV; Newfoundland Broadcasting; and the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA/ANREC).

It asks Ottawa to reconsider its intention to redirect the CRTC away from a policy decision that would require large non-Canadian streaming services to support Canadian programming.

Unveiled in May, the commission’s proposed policy around CPE (Canadian Programming Expenditures) for online streaming services, would apply to those earning more than $25 million in annual Canadian revenue, upping their contribution to 15% – including the 5% base contribution requirement set in 2024 (which is still before the courts). At the same time, the changes reduced CPE requirements for broadcasters.

The promised alternative, $600 million in annual federal investments “to provide stability and immediate support” will provide neither, the letter argues.

“Three months later, despite severe revenue losses caused by unfair competition from streamers, no funding has been forthcoming. In addition, a decision on a streamer court appeal of the contributions to funds imposed by the CRTC two years ago is being held up pending the government’s anticipated CRTC redirection,” the signatories said in a release.

“We appreciate the government’s promise to provide support to the broadcasting sector and to Canadian programming. With the ongoing impacts of audience and advertising fragmentation, news providing local radio and television stations have seen advertising revenue declines of 30% in the last decade. They have been counting on promised news funding, established by the CRTC two years ago but held up in court appeals brought by U.S. streamers. Often the only local news source serving their communities, they have had to run deficits, cut back on news programming, or a combination of both to keep operating in a gamble that funds are forthcoming,” the letter states.

“Independent commercial radio has particularly suffered, as it is the only news medium that currently receives no significant news funding,” it continues. “Similarly, due to structural changes in the industry and the increasing presence of foreign, unregulated platforms, Canadian discretionary services, including those deemed by the CRTC to be of exceptional importance, have seen their subscription revenues decline by almost 30% over the last decade. Those services had been looking to the SEIF [Services of Exceptional Importance Fund] and other contribution requirements to restore their viability.” 

The signatories say the intended funding is needed urgently “to avoid lasting, irreparable damage.” They’re asking the government to immediately release a portion of the promised $600 million for priority funds, including to the ILNF [Independent Local News Fund] and CRNF [Commercial Radio News Fund], and as soon as possible to the SEIF. 

The group says only by reversing the decision to overturn the CRTC’s contribution regime can Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Aug. 21 promise in the face of a trade negotiation breakdown, not to “compromise on our sovereignty, the protection of the French language, and our culture” be realized.

It also has concerns about the long-term reliability of direct government funding and whether it can be a “true substitute for equitable streamer contributions” to the broadcast system.

“Removing or significantly reducing the contribution regime for non-Canadian streaming services will not only eliminate a stable source of funding for Canadian programs, it would leave Canadian radio and TV at an increasing competitive disadvantage,” the group stated. “Non-Canadian streaming services extract billions of dollars from the Canadian marketplace and yet would, apparently, have no or minimal expenditure obligations. Canadian services, on the other hand, would continue to have substantial obligations to support and exhibit Canadian programming. This is not a sustainable model.”  

Find the full list of signatories below:

Local Independent Television Stations group

• Newfoundland Broadcasting (CJON-DT, St. John’s, NL)
• RNC Media (CHOT-DT and CFGS-DT, Gatineau, QC; CFEM-DT, Rouyn-Noranda; CFVS-DT, Val-d’Or, QC)
• Télé Inter-Rives (CIMT-DT and CFTF-DT, Rivière du Loup, QC; CHAU-DT, Carleton, QC)
• Channel Zero (CHCH-DT, Hamilton, ON)
• Thunder Bay Electronics (CKPR-TV and CHFD-TV, Thunder Bay, ON)
• Miracle Channel (CJIL-DT, Lethbridge, AB)
• Pattison Media (CFJC-TV Kamloops, BC; CKPG-TV, Prince George, BC)
• CHEK (CHEK-TV, Victoria, BC)

Independent Broadcast Group/Le groupe de diffuseurs indépendants

• APTN (APTN, national)
• Channel Zero (Rewind and Silver Screen Classics, national)
• Ethnic Channels Group (65 exempt discretionary services, including: 5 Channel Canada, Bein Sport Canada, Teleritmo and Asia TV)
• Hollywood Suite (Hollywood Suite 70s+, Hollywood Suite 80s & 90s, Hollywood Suite 2000s and Hollywood Suite 2010s+, national)
• OUTtv Network (OUTtv, national)
• Pelmorex (The Weather Network/MétéoMédia, national)
• Sportsman Channel Canada (Sportsman Canada, national)
• Stingray Group (PalmarèsADISQ, Stingray Country, Stingray Hits, Stingray Loud, Stingray POP, Stingray Retro, Stingray Vibe, Stingray Now 4K, Stingray Naturescape, national)
• Super Channel (Super Channel, national)
• TFO (TFO, Toronto, ON)
• TLN Media Group (EuroWorld Sport, Mediaset Italia, Telelatino and Univision Canada, national)
• TV5 Québec Canada (TV5/UNIS TV, national)
• Wild TV (Wild TV, national)
• Zoomer Media (Television Division: VisionTV and OneTV, national; CHNU-DT, Fraser Valley, BC; CIIT-DT, Winnipeg, MB)

Ontario Association of Broadcasters

• Acadia Broadcasting (CJRL-FM, Kenora, ON; CKQV-FM, Vermillion Bay, ON; CKDR-FM, Dryden, ON; CJUK-FM and CKTG-FM, Thunder Bay, ON; CFOB-FM, Fort Frances, ON)
• Bayshore Broadcasting (CJMU-FM, Bracebridge, ON; CFOS-FM, CKYC-FM and CIXK-FM, Owen Sound, ON; CFPS-FM, Port Elgin, ON; CHGB-FM, Wasaga Beach, ON; CHWC-FM, Goderich, ON; CISO-FM, Orillia, ON; CFDC-FM, Shelburne, ON)
• Blackburn Media (13 radio stations in Ontario, including: CHKS-FM, CHOK, and CFGX-FM, Sarnia, ON; CKUE-FM, Chatham, ON; CJWF-FM, Windsor)
• Byrnes Communications Inc. (CJED-FM, Niagara Falls, ON; CIHR-FM, Woodstock, ON; CFLZ-FM, Fort Erie, ON)
• Central Ontario Broadcasting (CKMB-FM and CFJB-FM, Barrie, ON)
• South Asian Broadcasting Corporation Inc. (CIRV-FM, Toronto, ON)
• Dougall Media (CKPR-FM, CJSD-FM, CKPR-TV and CHFD-TV, Thunder Bay, ON; CFNO-FM, Marathon, ON; CFQK-FM, Kaministiquia, ON)
• Durham Radio Inc. (CKLY-FM, Lindsay, ON; CHKX-FM, Hamilton, ON; CHTG-FM, Haldimand County, ON; CKLK-FM, Grimsby, ON; CKDO and CKGE-FM, Oshawa, ON; CJKX-FM, Ajax, ON; CKPT-FM and CKXP-FM, Peterborough, ON)
• Evanov Communications (CFWC-FM and CKPC-FM, Brantford, ON; CHLO-AM, Brampton, ON; CIDC-FM, Orangeville, ON; CJGB-FM, Meaford, ON; CKDX-FM, Newmarket, ON)
• Centre Wellington Community Radio Inc. (CICW-FM, Elora, ON)
• Five Amigos Broadcasting Inc. (CKXS-FM, Wallaceburg, ON; CJBB-FM, Englehart, ON)
• Jazz.FM91 Inc. (CJRT-FM, Toronto, ON)
• Local Radio Lab (CJFB-FM, Bolton, ON; CIND-FM, Toronto, ON; CIMA-FM, Alliston, ON; CKMO-FM, Orangeville, ON; CJML-FM, Milton, ON)
• Zoomer Media (CFZM and CFMZ-FM, Toronto ON; CFMX-FM, Cobourg, ON; CJOS-FM, Owen Sound, ON; CFMO-FM, Collingwood, ON)
• Points Eagle Radio Inc. (CKTI-FM, Kettle Point, ON)
• Quinte Broadcasting (CJTN-FM, Quinte West, ON; CJBQ and CIGJ-FM, Belleville, ON)
• Starboard Communications Ltd. (CHCQ-FM and CJOJ-FM, Belleville, ON)
• Torres Media (CKOU-FM, Georgina, ON; CITM-FM and CIDG-FM, Ottawa/Gatineau, ON; CIUX-FM, Uxbridge, ON)
• Vista Radio (19 radio stations in Ontario, including: CJCS, Stratford, ON; North Bay, ON)
• Whiteoaks (CJYE, Oakville, ON; CKLH-FM, Hamilton, ON; CKTB, CHRE-FM and CHTZ-FM, St. Catharines, ON)
• NCRA/ANREC (national network of over 120 campus, community and Indigenous radio stations)

British Columbia Association of Broadcasters

• Vista Radio (40 radio stations in BC, including: CKRX-FM, Fort Nelson, BC; CHSU-FM, Kelowna, BC; CJOR-AM, Osoyoos, BC; CJMG-FM, Penticton, BC)
• Pattison Media (25 stations in BC, including CHWK-FM, Chilliwack, BC; CHWF-FM, Nanaimo, BC; CKKN-FM, Prince George, BC; CFJC-TV, Kamloops, BC; CKPG-TV, Prince George, BC)
• Stingray (CHNL-AM, CJKC-FM and CKRV-FM, Kamloops, BC; CKKO-FM, Kelowna, BC; CIGV-FM, Penticton, BC; CKZZ-FM and CHLG-FM, Vancouver BC)
• Corus Entertainment (CFMI-FM, CFOX-FM, CKNW-AM and CHAN-DT, Vancouver, BC; CHBC-DT, Kelowna, BC)
• CHEK (CHEK-DT, Victoria, BC)
• Mainstream Broadcasting Inc. (CHMB-AM, Vancouver, BC)
• I.T. Productions Ltd. (CJRJ-AM, Vancouver, BC)
• South Asian Broadcasting Corporation (CKYE-FM, Vancouver, BC)
• Akash Broadcasting (CJCN-FM, Surrey, BC)

WAB

• CKUA (CKUA-FM, Edmonton, AB)
• Corus Entertainment (13 stations in Western Canada, including: CICT-TV, Calgary, AB; CITV-TV, Edmonton, AB; CISA-DT, Lethbridge, AB; CKND-TV, Winnipeg, MB; CFRE-TV, Regina, SK; CFSK-TV, Saskatoon, SK)
• Jim Pattison Broadcast Group (28 stations in Western Canada, including CKLF-FM and CKLQ, Brandon, MB; CFQX-FM, Selkirk, MB; CHIQ-FM, Winnipeg, MB; CHWD-FM, Calgary, AB; CIKT-FM, Grande Prairie, AB)
• Miracle Channel (CJIL-DT, Lethbridge, AB)
• Golden West Broadcasting (33 stations in Western Canada, including: CFIT-FM, Airdrie, AB; CHSM, Steinbach, MB; CKCL-FM, Winnipeg, MB; CHBO-FM, Humboldt, SK; CIMG-FM, Swift Current, SK)
• Harvard Broadcasting (13 stations in Western Canada, including: CFVR-FM, Fort McMurray; CKEA-FM, Edmonton, AB; CFWD-FM, Saskatoon, SK; CHMX-FM, Regina, SK)
• Stingray (30 stations in Western Canada, including: CFCW, Camrose, AB; CFXL-FM, Calgary, AB; CIZZ-FM, Red Deer, AB; CKBA-FM, Athabasca, AB)
• Multicultural Broadcasting Corporation (CKYR-FM, Calgary, AB)
• Peace River Broadcasting (CKKX-FM and CKYL, Peace River, AB; CKHL-FM, High Level, AB)
• Rawlco Radio (CJME, CKCK-FM and CIZL-FM, Regina, SK; CFMC-FM, CJDJ-FM and CKOM, Saskatoon, SK)
• Vista Radio (CFNA-FM, Bonnyville, AB; CFRI-FM and CJGY-FM, Grande Prairie, AB; CJOC-FM and CKBD-FM, Lethbridge, AB; CKJX-FM and CKLJ-FM, Olds, AB; CKLM-FM, Lloydminster, AB; CKVG-FM, Vegreville, AB)
• CJNE Radio Inc. (CJNE-FM and CITJ-FM, Nipawin, SK)
• Saskatoon Media Group (CJMK-FM and CJWW, Saskatoon, SK)
• Huber Radio (CKHD-FM, Assiniboia, SK)
• Arctic Radio (CHTM, Thompson, MB; CFAR, Flin Flon, MB; CJAR, The Pas, MB)
• Dauphin Broadcasting (CKDM, Dauphin, MB)
• Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN Winnipeg)
• Evanov Communications (CHWE-FM, CFJL-FM and CKJS-FM, Winnipeg, MB)

Radios francophones indépendantes

• Arsenal Media (30 radio stations across QC, including: CHRD-FM, Drummondville, QC; CJOI-FM, Rimouski, QC; CJIT-FM, Lac-Mégantic, QC; CJOL-FM, Joliette, QC)
• Leclerc Communication (CJPX-FM Montreal, QC; CFEL-FM et CJEC-FM, Québec, QC)
• RNC Media (CHOI-FM Québec, QC; CHLX-FM, Gatineau, QC)