Unifor is decrying a move by Pattison Media to shutter CHAT-TV this week, its Medicine Hat television station, resulting in the layoff of 16 unionized media workers.
After serving the community for 68 years with local news, weather, and sports, the union says the loss of this station is not just a blow to workers, but is “a significant step backward for democratic accountability and media diversity in Canada.”
“The shuttering of CHAT-TV is not just the end of a station—it’s the loss of a legacy in Canadian news,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne, in a release. “At a time when disinformation spreads faster than facts and our sovereignty is challenged by foreign media dominance, we must act now. Canadian journalism is worth saving. We need immediate investment in local newsrooms—not more cuts.”
In an announcement Tuesday, Pattison Media cited insurmountable financial pressures and the erosion of local TV advertising revenue as key factors in the decision. The union calls the decision “the latest blow to Canadian journalism,” underscoring “a crisis that continues to deepen in communities across the country.”
“This is about more than job loss—it’s about the disappearance of our local voice and the stories that bind our communities,” said Unifor Local 1010 President Andrew Parry. “For generations, CHAT-TV told the stories of Medicine Hat. The closure leaves a dangerous void and risks turning our city into another news desert where critical local coverage is simply no longer available.”
Unifor, which represents more than 10,000 media workers across the country, says it’s continuing to advocate for structural reforms to ensure the survival of Canadian journalism, including stronger provisions in the Online Streaming Act requiring foreign streamers operating in Canada to contribute to local news production, in line with the obligations of domestic broadcasters.
“The closure of CHAT-TV is heartbreaking, but it’s not an isolated case. This is happening in community after community,” added Payne. “If we continue to lose local news, we lose a cornerstone of democracy.”
