Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203 and Broadcasting Order CRTC 2026-204

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Gatineau, 10 August 2026

Various licensees
Across Canada

Various television programming undertakings, networks, and broadcasting distribution undertakings – Administrative renewals

1. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (the Commission) renews the broadcasting licences and, where applicable, the mandatory distribution orders for the television programming undertakings, networks, and broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) set out in the appendices to this decision from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2027.
2. These administrative renewals are necessary to allow the undertakings to continue to operate while the Commission works to implement the modernized Broadcasting Act (the Act). These renewals will also allow the Commission to consider the appropriateness of introducing indefinite broadcasting licences for these services, similar to determinations recently made for radio stations in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2025-265.
3. The services to be renewed offer a variety of widely consumed news, entertainment, and educational content. The Commission considers that there is a clear public interest in the continued operation of these services while it completes its modernization of the regulatory framework under the Act. As such, the Commission finds that a public hearing is not required in respect of these licence renewals at this time.
4. Previously, the Commission imposed conditions on broadcasting undertakings as conditions of licence. Further to the Online Streaming Act, these conditions of licence were deemed to be conditions made under an order further to section 9.1 or subsection 11.1(2) of the Broadcasting Act and are now known as conditions of service. These conditions of service now exist independently from the licences and will continue to apply to the licensees.
5. It is important to note that the renewals only apply in respect of the licences and their terms, pursuant to paragraph 9(1)(e) of the Act, as well as the continued operation of the distribution orders which have set expiry dates, pursuant to paragraph 9.1(1)(h) of the Act. They have no impact on the licensees’ conditions of service imposed pursuant to subsections 9.1(1) or 11.1(2) of the Act.
6. These renewals also do not address any issues relating to the licensees’ compliance with their conditions of service or other regulatory obligations. Compliance will be assessed separately at a later date and interested parties will have the opportunity to comment on such matters as appropriate.
7. In the interim, should interested parties believe that there are matters of public interest that require more immediate regulatory intervention, they may submit an application or complaint raising the issue with the Commission.
8. Further, in Broadcasting Decision 2026-66, the Commission approved the application by Cable Public Affairs Channel Inc. to increase the mandatory per subscriber monthly wholesale rate for the national, English- and French-language discretionary services known as the Cable Public Affairs Channel from $0.13 to $0.16 (an increase of $0.03 over the current rate). This increase was to come into effect on 1 September 2026 if the order was renewed. Accordingly, in addition to renewing the mandatory distribution order and broadcasting licence for these services, the Commission is also amending the order to give effect to that increase. The amended order is set out in Appendix 8 to this decision.
9. This decision and the appropriate appendix are to be appended to each licence.

Secretary General

Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Discretionary services benefitting from mandatory distribution under paragraph 9.1(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act for which the broadcasting licences and distribution orders are administratively renewed until 31 August 2027

Appendix 2 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Discretionary service benefitting from mandatory distribution under paragraph 9.1(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act for which the distribution order is administratively renewed until 31 August 2027

Appendix 3 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Various independent television programming undertakings, networks and broadcasting distribution undertakings for which the licences are administratively renewed until 31 August 2027

Conventional television stations

Discretionary services

On-demand service (terrestrial pay-per-view)

Terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings

Appendix 4 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Television programming undertakings, networks, and broadcasting distribution undertakings operated by the Bell Group for which the licences are administratively renewed until 31 August 2027

Conventional television stations

French-language television network

Satellite-to-cable television services

Discretionary services

On-demand services

Terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings

Direct-to-home satellite distribution undertaking

Appendix 5 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Television programming undertakings operated by the Corus Group for which the licences are administratively renewed until 31 August 2027

Conventional television stations

Discretionary services

Appendix 6 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Television programming undertakings and broadcasting distribution undertakings operated by the Rogers Group for which the licences are administratively renewed until 31 August 2027

OMNI television stations

English-language conventional television stations

Satellite-to-cable educational television service

Discretionary services

Terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings

Direct-to-home satellite distribution undertaking

On-demand services

Appendix 7 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Television programming undertakings, networks, and broadcasting distribution undertakings operated by the Quebecor Group^{Footnote 11} for which the licences are administratively renewed until 31 August 2027

French-language conventional television stations

French-language television network

Discretionary services

On-demand services

Terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs)

Appendix 8 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-203

Broadcasting Order CRTC 2026-204

Distribution of the programming services of Cable Public Affairs Channel Inc. (CPAC Inc.) known as Cable Public Affairs Channel and of the exempt services operated by CPAC Inc. by licensed broadcasting distribution undertakings

Pursuant to paragraph 9.1(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (the Commission) orders licensees of broadcasting distribution undertakings to distribute the licensed public affairs programming services of Cable Public Affairs Channel Inc. (CPAC Inc.) and the exempt services operated by CPAC Inc. pursuant to Amendments to the Parliamentary and Provincial or Territorial Legislature Proceedings Exemption Order – new provision relating to emergencies, Broadcasting Order CRTC 2012-349, 26 June 2012, as amended from time to time (collectively, the CPAC services), under the following terms and conditions:

(a) This order applies to all licensed distribution undertakings, including terrestrial and direct to home (DTH) distribution undertakings. The licensees of these undertakings are collectively referred to in this order as distribution licensees.

(b) Distribution licensees shall distribute the CPAC services in the manner specified below:

(i) Subject to subparagraph (iv) below, and except as otherwise provided under a condition of service,

• each terrestrial distribution undertaking operating in a francophone market shall distribute as part of its basic service the CPAC services, including the main audio channel of those services in the French language and an auxiliary audio channel of those services in the English language; and
• each terrestrial distribution undertaking operating in an anglophone market shall distribute as part of its basic service the CPAC services, including the main audio channel of those services in the English language and an auxiliary audio channel of those services in the French language.

(ii) Each terrestrial distribution undertaking operating in a francophone market shall distribute a second version of the CPAC services, including the main audio channel of those services in the English language. This second version may be distributed as part of the basic service or on a discretionary basis.

(iii) Each terrestrial distribution undertaking operating in an anglophone market shall distribute a second version of the CPAC services, including the main audio channel of those services in the French language. This second version may be distributed as part of the basic service or on a discretionary basis.

(iv) If a terrestrial distribution undertaking elects to distribute as part of its basic service both an English-language and a French-language version of the CPAC services, it is relieved of the requirements in (i) above to distribute an auxiliary audio channel for any of these services.

(v) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of service, a DTH distribution undertaking shall distribute as part of its basic service the English- and French-language versions of the CPAC services.

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, distribution licensees shall not be required to distribute the CPAC services unless CPAC Inc. or a third party:

(i) ensures the transmission of the services by any technological means available to the broadcasting distribution undertaking’s head end or satellite uplink centre or to another location agreed upon by the broadcasting distribution undertaking and the services; and

(ii) bears the costs of the transmission to the connection point.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, distribution licensees shall not be required to distribute the CPAC services if CPAC Inc. ceases to provide the services exempted pursuant to Amendments to the Parliamentary and Provincial or Territorial Legislature Proceedings Exemption Order – new provision relating to emergencies, Broadcasting Order CRTC 2012-349, 26 June 2012, as amended from time to time.

(e) Each distribution licensee distributing the programming services shall remit to CPAC Inc. a wholesale rate of $0.16 per subscriber per month.

(f) This order shall take effect 1 September 2026 and expire 31 August 2027.

For the purposes of this order, “anglophone market,” “basic service,” “DTH distribution undertaking,” “francophone market,” “licensed,” “programming service” and “terrestrial distribution undertaking” shall have the same meanings as those set out in the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, as amended from time to time.

Secretary General

Related documents

• CPAC – Application to increase the mandatory per subscriber monthly wholesale rate, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-66, 13 April 2026
• Discovery, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, and Magnolia Network – Licensing of national English-language discretionary services, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-48, 23 March 2026
• Videotron Ltd. – Various broadcasting distribution undertakings in Ontario; national on-demand undertaking – Acquisition of assets (corporate reorganization), Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2025-308, 20 November 2025
• Modernization of radio processes, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2025-265, 10 October 2025, as finalized by Modernization of radio processes – Finalization of conditions of service, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2025-265-1, 9 January 2026
• Various discretionary services – Revocation of licences, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-324, 25 September 2023
• A.Side Channel – Revocation of licence, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-338, 14 December 2022
• OUTtv – Licence renewal, and granting of must-offer status in English-language markets, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-223 and Broadcasting Order CRTC 2022-224, 18 August 2022
• Addition of the service area of Rimouski to TELUS’s regional licence for broadcasting distribution undertakings in Quebec, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2021-49, 4 February 2021
• Order respecting the distribution of the French-language television service of TVA Group Inc., Public Notice CRTC 1999-27, 12 February 1999
• Decision, Decision CRTC 98-488, 29 October 1998

Date modified:

2026-08-10