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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-314

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 19 February 2020

Ottawa, 27 August 2020

TELUS Communications Inc.
Red Deer, Alberta

Public record for this application: 2020-0102-2

Addition of the service area of Red Deer to TELUS’s regional licence for broadcasting distribution undertakings in Alberta

Background

  1. The Commission has the authority, pursuant to section 9(1) of the Broadcasting Act (the Act), to issue licences for such terms not exceeding seven years and subject to such conditions related to the circumstances of the licensee as it deems appropriate for the implementation of the broadcasting policy set out in section 3(1) of the Act, as well as to amend those conditions on application of the licensee.
  2. In Broadcasting Decision 2018-267, the Commission approved the application of TELUS Communications Inc. (TELUS) to renew the regional licences for terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) serving various locations in Alberta and British Columbia—including Red Deer, Alberta—from 1 September 2018 to 31 August 2023.
  3. In accordance with the appendix to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2017-319 and Broadcasting Order 2017-320 (the BDU Exemption Order), BDUs with fewer than 20,000 subscribers are exempt from Part II of the Act and any regulations made thereunder. Once exempt, the undertaking may not have more than 21,000 subscribers in any two consecutive broadcasting years.
  4. In a letter dated 10 September 2018, the Commission approved a subsequent application by TELUS to amend its regional licence for terrestrial BDUs in Alberta by deleting the undertaking serving Red Deer, Alberta. TELUS applied to delete this licensed service area on the grounds that it had fewer than 20,000 subscribers and that it distributed one or more unique priority television stations as part of its basic service that are not offered as part of the basic service in other areas.

Application

  1. TELUS filed an application to add the service area of Red Deer, Alberta, to its regional licence for BDUs in Alberta, which was last renewed in Broadcasting Decision 2018-267. The Commission did not receive any interventions in regard to this application.
  2. TELUS has been operating in the service area of Red Deer under the BDU Exemption Order since 2018. However, it has now completed two consecutive years serving over 21,000 subscribers in this service area. Accordingly, TELUS is no longer eligible for an exemption and is seeking to add the service area of Red Deer, Alberta, to its regional licence.
  3. Given that the same terms and conditions of licence as set out in Broadcasting Decision 2018-267 would apply to this undertaking, the Commission considers that this application does not raise any issues.

Conclusion

  1. In light of the above, the Commission approves the application by TELUS Communications Inc. to add Red Deer, Alberta, to its regional licence for broadcasting distribution undertakings in Alberta. The terms and conditions of licence for this undertaking are set out in appendices 1 and 2 to Broadcasting Decision 2018-267.

Secretary General

Related documents

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

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