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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2021-176

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 18 March 2021

Ottawa, 18 May 2021

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Ottawa and Belleville, Ontario

Public record for this application: 2021-0158-3

CBO-FM Ottawa and its transmitter CBO-FM-1 Belleville – Technical changes

  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. Consistent with this authority, the Commission approves the application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to change the authorized contours of CBO-FM-1 Belleville, Ontario, a rebroadcasting transmitter of the English-language radio programming undertaking CBO-FM, Ottawa, which is part of the CBC Radio One network, by changing the frequency from 104.7 MHz (channel 284) to 90.3 MHz (channel 212), increasing the maximum effective radiated power (ERP) from 8,420 to 14,470 watts and increasing the average ERP from 2,543 to 7,970 watts. All other technical parameters will remain unchanged.
  3. The Commission received an intervention from an individual supporting the application provided that the proposed changes do not result in interference with the signal of CJMB-FM Peterborough. In reply, the CBC stated such interference would not occur.
  4. When a licensee files an application for technical changes, it is generally required to demonstrate a technical or economic need for the changes. The CBC stated that CBO-FM-1 Belleville is experiencing a considerable amount of interference from American co-channel station WBBS-FM in Fulton, New York. This interference affects the quality of the signal in the regions of Quinte West, Great Napanee and Prince Edward County. The Commission is satisfied that the use of channel 212 (frequency 90.3 MHz) would resolve interference issues with WBBS-FM. The Commission further considers that the proposed changes to the frequency and channel of CBO-FM-1 would not result in interference with CJMB-FM Peterborough.
  5. Pursuant to section 22(1) of the Act, this authority will only be effective when the Department of Industry notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.
  6. The licensee must implement the technical changes by no later than 18 May 2023. To request an extension, the licensee must submit a written request to the Commission at least 60 days before that date, using the form available on the Commission’s website.
  7. As set out in section 16 of the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations), licensees have obligations relating to the broadcast of emergency alert messages received from the National Alert Aggregation and Dissemination System. In regard to the changes to CBO-FM-1’s authorized contours resulting from the implementation of the technical changes approved in this decision, the Commission reminds the licensee that continued compliance with section 16 of the Regulations may require that any alert broadcast decoders (e.g., ENDEC) used for the purposes of broadcasting emergency alert messages on CBO-FM, or on any rebroadcasting transmitters that may appear on the broadcasting licence for that station, be reprogrammed to properly account for the new authorized contours.

Secretary General

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

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