ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 95-180

Decision

Ottawa, 26 April 1995

Decision CRTC 95-180

Manitoba Model Forest Inc.

Grand Beach Provincial Park, Manitoba - 941321200

New low-power FM radio undertaking

Following a Public Hearing in the National Capital Region, held on 21 February 1995, the Commission approves the application for a broadcasting licence to carry on an English-language FM radio programming undertaking at Grand Beach Provincial Park, on the frequency 92.9 MHz, channel 225 VLP, with an effective radiated power of 10 watts, to broadcast non-
commercial information to park visitors.

The Commission will issue a licence expiring 31 August 2001, subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.

The licence term granted herein, while less than the maximum of seven years permitted under the Broadcasting Act, will enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence in accordance with the Commission's regional plan and to better distribute the workload within the Commission.

The program material will consist of pre-recorded messages providing information relating to events of interest to tourists. The information will be repeated several times each hour and updated regularly. The service will operate 24 hours-a-day all year round. The Commission notes that no commercial messages will be broadcast.

In Public Notice CRTC 1993-95 dated 28 June 1993 and entitled "A Licensing Policy for Low-Power Radio Broadcasting", the Commission stated that the licensees of low-power radio undertakings should be subject to a condition of licence that would define their programming in such a way as to ensure that they do not change their programming and begin to offer the same service as conventional licensees, without Commission approval. Accordingly, it is a condition of licence that this station be used solely to broadcast public service information targeted particularly to visitors of Grand Beach Provincial Park. It is also a condition of licence that the service broadcast no advertising material.

This approval is subject to the requirement that construction of the undertaking be completed and that it be in operation within twelve months of the date of this decision, or where the applicant applies to the Commission within this period and satisfies the Commission that it cannot complete construction and commence operations before the expiry of this period and that an extension is in the public interest, within such further periods of time as are approved in writing by the Commission.

Should construction not be completed within the period stipulated in this decision or, should the Commission refuse to approve an extension of time requested by the applicant, the authority granted shall lapse and become null and void upon expiry of the period of time granted herein or upon the termination of the last approved extension period.

The Department of Industry, Science and Technology (DIST) has advised the Commission that this application is conditionally technically acceptable, and that a Broadcasting Certificate will only be issued once it has been determined that the proposed technical parameters will not create any unacceptable interference with aeronautical NAV/COM services.

In accordance with subsection 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, the Commission will only issue the licence and the authority granted herein may only be implemented at such time as written notification is received from the DIST that its technical requirements have been met, and that a Broadcasting Certificate will be issued.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General