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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-115

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 3 March 2022

Ottawa, 3 May 2022

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Thunder Bay and Ear Falls, Ontario

Public record for this application: 2022-0104-4

CBQT-FM Thunder Bay – New transmitter in Ear Falls

  1. The Commission has the authority, pursuant to subsection 9(1) of the Broadcasting Act (the Act), to issue licences subject to such conditions related to the circumstances of the licensee as the Commission deems appropriate for the implementation of the broadcasting policy set out in subsection 3(1) of the Act and to amend any condition on application of the licensee.
  2. Pursuant to this authority, the Commission approves the application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language radio programming undertaking CBQT-FM Thunder Bay, Ontario, in order to operate a new transmitter in Ear Falls, Ontario, to rebroadcast the programming of its national English-language network service Radio One. The Commission did not receive any interventions in regard to this application.
  3. The new transmitter (CBOI-FM Ear Falls) will operate at 95.5 MHz (channel 238A1) with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 130 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of the antenna above average terrain [EHAAT] of 12.6 metres).
  4. When requesting technical changes, licensees are generally required to demonstrate a technical or economic need. In regard to the present application, the CBC stated that the new FM transmitter will allow it to replace the current timeworn low-power AM antenna and transmitter tower (CBOI Ear Falls) and provide an improved signal in the region of Ear Falls. The Commission is satisfied that the licensee has demonstrated a technical need for the requested technical changes.
  5. In CBQT-FM Thunder Bay – New transmitter in Ear Falls, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2018-45, 5 February 2018, the Commission approved a similar request by the CBC.Footnote 1 The CBC noted that due to unforeseen delays, it was unable to implement the transmitter approved in that decision.
  6. Pursuant to subsection 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.
  7. The transmitter must be in operation by no later than 3 May 2024. 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.
  8. 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 authorized contours of the new FM transmitter (CBOI-FM) resulting from the implementation of the technical parameters 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 CBQT-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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