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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2024-70

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 23 October 2023

Ottawa, 5 April 2024

Vista Radio Ltd.
Lethbridge, Alberta

Public record: 2023-0478-1

CKBD-FM Lethbridge –Technical changes

  1. The Commission has the authority, pursuant to subsection 9(1) of the Broadcasting Act (the Act), to issue licences for the carrying on of broadcasting undertakings as well as to amend those licences.
  2. Consistent with this authority, the Commission approves the application by Vista Radio Ltd. (Vista) to change the authorized contours of the English-language commercial radio programming undertaking CKBD-FM Lethbridge, Alberta, by increasing the effective radiated power (ERP) from 20,000 to 99,000 watts, decreasing the effective height of the antenna above average terrain (EHAAT) from 184.5 to 162.7 metres, and amending the 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 a licensee of a radio station files an application for technical changes, the Commission generally requires the licensee to present compelling technical or economic evidence justifying the requested technical changes. Vista submitted that implementing the requested technical changes will increase the technical quality of CKBD-FM’s signal in Lethbridge to the benefit of local listeners and will help to ensure the on-going financial viability of the station. The licensee noted that it will co-site the transmission facilities of CKBD-FM with those of its radio station CJOC-FM Lethbridge, as well as those of CJWE-FM-1 Lethbridge, a rebroadcasting transmitter for the Indigenous (Type B Native) radio station CJWE-FM Calgary, Alberta, operated by the Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta. Vista added that implementing the requested technical changes will reduce maintenance costs since it will no longer be required to bear the cost of maintaining standalone transmission facilities at a separate site. The Commission is satisfied that the licensee has demonstrated an economic 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 (also known as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) 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 5 April 2026. 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 CKBD-FM’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 CKBD-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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