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Broadcasting - Procedural Letter addressed to Bev Kirshenblatt (CBC/Radio-Canada)

Ottawa, 23 August 2021

BY EMAIL

Bev Kirshenblatt
Executive Director, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs
CBC/Radio-Canada
181 Queen Street
Ottawa, ON, K1P 1K9

bevkirshenblatt.regaffairs@cbc.ca;
affaires.reglementaires@radio-canada.ca;
veronique.jeggo@cbc.ca

Subject: Part 1 Application - 2021-0396-9 - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) - CBAF-FM-12 Margaree, Nova Scotia - Application for a technical amendment to relocate its rebroadcasting transmitter

Dear Ms. Kirshenblatt,

This is in reference to the above-noted Part 1 application submitted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for a technical amendment to the authorized contours of CBAF-FM-12 Margaree, Nova Scotia, a rebroadcasting transmitter of CBAF-FM-5 Halifax, Nova Scotia. Specifically, CBC is requesting the Commission’s approval to relocate the rebroadcasting transmitter of ICI Première, CBAF-FM-12 Margaree, Nova Scotia, and combine it with the transmitter of the English service CBHF-FM Radio One, in North East Margaree, Nova Scotia. The applicant has noted the request is being made to ensure continuity of the service to the Margaree population in light of a storm that has caused the site to be inaccessible to restore its power and complete necessary repairs.

Commission staff would like to remind the applicant that it is the responsibility of an applicant to submit a complete application that includes all relevant information and provides the necessary supporting documentation. Further, it is important for an applicant to demonstrate the existence of a technical or economic need justifying the proposed amendments. Additionally, an applicant must clearly explain how the approval of the proposed solution(s) would resolve the technical issues described in the application.

Commission staff notes that the technical amendment proposed by CBC would result in a loss of 75% of the French-language population that is currently served by CBAF-FM-12. The requested amendment would result in the station having a service contour that reaches a different population than the current one. Commission staff notes that with this technical amendment, the proposed 0,5 mV/m contour of CBAF-FM-12 will only reach a small portion of the existing 0,3 mV/m contour, which defines the primary contour of Margaree, Nova Scotia.

In light of this, please explain how the proposed solution will continue to serve the original market, the francophone population of Margaree, Nova Scotia, as indicated in your response to an intervention received by Adrien Leblanc.

In addition, please indicate whether other potential solutions that would establish a primary service to the French-language population that is currently served in Margaree, Nova Scotia, have been explored. Specifically, identify the estimated costs that would be incurred to build a new transmitter, which would provide service directly to this community in a more accessible location.

The information requested above is to be submitted by no later than 31 August 2021.
In light of the above, the deadlines for this Part 1 application will be modified as follows:

The Commission requires the response or other documents to be submitted electronically by using the secured service “My CRTC Account” (Partner Log In or GCKey) and filling out the “Broadcasting and Telecom Cover page” or the “Broadcasting Cover Page” located on this web page. Also on this web page you will find information on the submission of applications to the Commission on the page titled “Filing Broadcasting and Canadian Program Certification documents with the CRTC: Privacy and Security.”

A copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be added to the public record of the proceeding.

Should you need further information concerning this application, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at isabelle.jacques@crtc.gc.ca or by telephone at 873-455-4137.

Sincerely,

Isabelle Jacques
Analyst, French-language Radio Policy and Applications
Broadcasting

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