Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-217

PDF version

Reference: 2016-20

Ottawa, 7 June 2016

Centre communautaire "Bon Courage" de Place Benoît
Montréal (borough of Saint-Laurent), Quebec

Application 2015-1220-3, received 21 October 2015
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
22 March 2016

Low-power community FM radio station in Montréal (borough of Saint-Laurent)

The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, French-language community FM radio station in Montréal (borough of Saint-Laurent).

Application

1. Centre communautaire "Bon Courage" de Place Benoît (Bon Courage) filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, French-language community FM radio station in Montréal (borough of Saint-Laurent). The Commission did not receive any interventions regarding this application.
2. Bon Courage is a not-for-profit organization controlled by its board of directors.
3. The station would operate at 90.7 MHz (channel 214LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 11.6 metres).^{Footnote 1}
4. During each broadcast week, the station would broadcast 70 hours of programming (all local), including 75 minutes of news (of which 50 minutes would be pure news). The applicant committed to dedicating at least 42% of its weekly programming to spoken-word programming. Programming would include programs on health and the environment, an intergenerational community show, a program with music from Canada and elsewhere, a sports program and a variety storytelling/game program. The station would broadcast popular, rock, dance, country, acoustic, easy listening, concert, folk, world beat and international, jazz and blues, non-classical religious and experimental music.
5. In addition to its French-language programming, the applicant proposed to devote four hours per broadcast week to English-language programs and six hours per broadcast week to programs in Arabic, Spanish and Creole (which would represent approximately 10% of total programming). It indicated that the station could broadcast up to 40% of its programming in third languages given that its station is located in a market that is not served by an ethnic station.
6. In regard to local talent development, Bon Courage committed to dedicating 25% of all musical selections broadcast each broadcast week to musical selections from new artists.
7. In regard to community engagement and volunteer participation, Bon Courage indicated that it was holding meetings in the community and had sent out a call to community organizations to recruit volunteers and involve community members in its radio proposal. It further set out its plans to train volunteers, including a protocol aimed at allowing volunteers to use production and broadcasting equipment, as well as training sessions to help volunteers acquire hosting skills.

Commission's analysis and decision

8. In regard to the broadcast of programming in third languages, the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations) sets out that community radio stations operating in markets not served by an ethnic radio station may broadcast up to 40% of their programming in third languages. This level is set at 15% in markets served by an ethnic radio station. Given that the borough of Saint-Laurent is part of the Montréal market, which is served by several ethnic radio stations, the proposed station may not broadcast more than 15% of its weekly programming in third languages.
9. The Commission expects community radio stations to provide programming differing in style and substance from that provided by other elements of the broadcasting system, particularly commercial radio stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Such programming should consist of music, especially Canadian music, not generally heard on commercial stations (including special interest music, as well as styles of popular music seldom broadcast), in-depth spoken word programming and programming targeted to specific groups within the community.
10. The Commission is satisfied that the application complies with the provisions for community radio stations set out in Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Centre communautaire "Bon Courage" de Place Benoît for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, French-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Montréal (borough of Saint-Laurent). The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.
11. The Commission encourages Bon Courage to eventually increase the number of hours of programming and of local programming offered by the station.

Reminder

12. Pursuant to section 16 of theRegulations, all licensees of campus, community and Native radio stations must participate in the National Public Alerting System.

Secretary General

* This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-217

Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement for the low-power, French-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Montréal (borough of Saint-Laurent), Quebec

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2022.

The station will operate at 90.7 MHz (channel 214LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 11.6 metres).

Pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, no licence may be issued until the Department of Industry (the Department) notifies the Commission that the technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.

Given that the technical parameters approved in this decision are for a low-power unprotected FM service, the applicant will have to select another frequency if the Department so requires.

Furthermore, the licence for this undertaking will be issued once the applicant has informed the Commission in writing that it is prepared to commence operations. The undertaking must be operational at the earliest possible date and in any event no later than 24 months from the date of this decision, unless a request for an extension of time is approved by the Commission before 7 June 2018. In order to ensure that such a request is processed in a timely manner, it should be submitted in writing at least 60 days before that date.

Conditions of licence

1. The licensee shall adhere to the conditions of licence set out in the conditions set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking and in Standard conditions of licence for campus and community radio stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2012-304, 22 May 2012.

Expectation

As set out in Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010, the Commission expects all community and campus radio station licensees to file yearly updates on the composition of their boards of directors. These annual updates can be submitted at the time of submission of annual returns, following annual board of directors' elections, or at any other time. As noted in Appendix 3 to that regulatory policy, licensees may submit such documentation via the Commission's website.

Encouragement

The Commission considers that community radio stations should be particularly sensitive to employment equity issues in order to reflect fully the communities they serve. It encourages the licensee to consider these issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

Date modified:

2016-06-07