ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 96-311

Decision

Ottawa, 2 August 1996

Decision CRTC 96-311

Cogeco Câble Canada inc.

Sept-Iles and Port-Cartier, Quebec - 952211100

Licence renewal

Following Public Notice CRTC 1996-13 dated 19 January 1996, the Commission renews the Class 1 licence held by Cogeco Câble Canada inc., for the cable distribution undertaking serving the above-noted localities, from 1 September 1996 to 31 August 2003. À la suite de l'avis public CRTC 1996-13 du 19 janvier 1996, le Conseil renouvelle la licence de classe 1 de l'entreprise de distribution par câble qui dessert les collectivités susmentionnées, détenue par la Cogeco Câble Canada inc., du 1er septembre 1996 au 31 août 2003.

The operation of this undertaking is regulated pursuant to Parts I, II and IV of the Cable Television Regulations, 1986 (the regulations) and the licence will be subject to the conditions in effect under the current licence, as well as to those conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.

In addition to the services required or authorized to be distributed pursuant to the applicable sections of the regulations, the licensee is authorized, by condition of licence, to continue to distribute, at its option, WXYZ-TV (ABC), WDIV (NBC) and WTVS (PBS) Detroit, Michigan and WTOL-TV (CBS) Toledo, Ohio, received via satellite from CANCOM, as part of the basic service.

The Commission approves the licensee's request for authority to distribute the programs of CFTU-TV (IND) Montréal, a distant Canadian signal, as part of the undertaking's discretionary tier. The licensee indicated that the programs would be broadcast locally using video cassettes provided by CANAL-CFTU-TV, according to a previously determined schedule.

Consistent with Decision CRTC 95-591 dated 24 August 1995, the licensee is authorized to originate a video games service as a special programming service, offered on a discretionary basis, subject to the conditions listed in that decision.

Consistent with Decision CRTC 95-744 dated 11 October 1995, the licensee is also authorized, by condition of licence, to insert, at its option, certain promotional material as a substitute for the "local availabilities" (i.e. non-Canadian advertising material) of non-Canadian satellite services. At least 75% of these local availabilities must be made available for use by licensed Canadian programming services for the promotion of their respective services, for the promotion of the community channel and for unpaid Canadian public service announcements. A maximum of 25% of the local availabilities may be made available for the promotion of discretionary programming services and packages, customer service information, channel realignments, cable FM service and additional cable outlets.

The Commission reaffirms the particular importance it attaches to the development of community programming and has taken note of the annual budgets that will be allocated for this purpose during the new licence term. The Commission encourages the licensee to continue its efforts to develop programs that reflect community interests and concerns.

In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Imple-mentation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. In this regard, the Commission encourages the licensee to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General