Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-144

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 8 April 2022

Ottawa, 2 June 2022

2190015 Ontario Inc.
Hamilton, Ontario

Public record: 2022-0143-2

CHCH-DT Hamilton – Technical changes

  1. The Commission has the authority, pursuant to subsection 9(1) of the Broadcasting Act (Act), to issue licences for such terms not exceeding seven years and 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, as well as to amend those conditions on application of the licensee.
  2. Consistent with this authority, the Commission approves the application by the 2190015 Ontario Inc. to change the authorized contours of CHCH-DT Hamilton, Ontario, by increasing the maximum effective radiated power (ERP) from 132,000 to 456,500 watts, increasing the average ERP from 59,000 to 95,400 watts, increasing the effective height of the antenna above average terrain (EHAAT) from 324.8 to 337.3 metres and amending the existing coordinates of the transmitter site. All other technical parameters will remain unchanged.
  3. The Commission did not receive any interventions in regard to this application.
  4. When requesting technical changes, licensees are generally required to demonstrate a technical or economic need. The licensee stated that the current transmitter site is in an increasingly urban area, while the proposed site is in an area of agricultural, commercial and industrial use, in conformity with current federal and municipal guidelines. The licensee submitted that the new parameters will largely replicate CHCH-DT’s coverage area, allow it to maintain its current channel and class assignments, and not impact stations in neighbouring markets. The Commission is satisfied that the licensee has demonstrated a technical need for the requested technical changes.
  5. 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.
  6. The licensee must implement the technical changes by no later than 2 June 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.
  7. As set out in section 18 of the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987 (the Regulations), licensees have obligations regarding the broadcasting of emergency alert messages received from the National Alert Aggregation and Dissemination System. In regard to the changes to CHCH-DT’s authorized contours approved in this decision, the Commission reminds the licensee that continued compliance with section 18 of the Regulations may require that any alert broadcast decoders (e.g., ENDEC) used for the purposes of broadcasting emergency alert messages on CHCH-DT, or on any rebroadcasting transmitters that may appear on the broadcasting licence for this 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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