Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2026-207

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 23 February 2026

Gatineau, 13 August 2026

Lawen Met Hopninj Radio Society
La Crête, Alberta

Public record: 2025-0505-8

CJLC-FM La Crête – New transmitter in Weberville

Summary

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (the Commission) approves the application by Lawen Met Hopninj Radio Society (Lawen Met) to amend the broadcasting licence for the low-power commercial ethnic specialty FM radio programming undertaking CJLC-FM La Crête, Alberta, to operate a transmitter in Weberville, Alberta.

The application extends the originating station’s signal to the rural community of Weberville. As such, CJLC-FM will be able to satisfy demand for local content in the Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German) language.

The Commission held a public proceeding on the application, but did not receive any interventions in response. Lawen Met, however, provided seven letters of support for its application from local community organizations and local government representatives.

The Commission considers that the proposed amendments represent an appropriate technical solution and use of spectrum, and that approving the application does not have an undue economic impact on other radio stations in the Weberville market. The Commission also considers that approving the application is in the public interest.

Application

1. On 8 October 2025, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (the Commission) received an application by Lawen Met Hopninj Radio Society (Lawen Met) to amend the broadcasting licence for the low-power commercial ethnic specialty FM radio programming undertaking CJLC-FM La Crête, Alberta, to add a low-power FM rebroadcasting transmitter in Weberville, Alberta.
2. CJLC-FM primarily broadcasts in Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German), targeting the Mennonite population in the area, while also providing some content in English. The station currently has no rebroadcasting transmitters.
3. The proposed transmitter in Weberville (CJLC-FM-1) would operate at 99.5 MHz (channel 258LP) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 21 watts and a maximum ERP of 37 watts (a directional antenna with an effective height of the antenna above average terrain [EHAAT] of 68.8 metres).
4. The proposed transmitter would expand the station’s current service to serve the Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German)-speaking community in the rural area of Weberville, which is located approximately 275 kilometres to the south of La Crête.
5. The proposed transmitter would serve approximately 800 individuals within its primary contour. The applicant stated that this would satisfy demand for local content in the Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German) language.

Background

6. In Broadcasting Decision 2023-11, the Commission approved a new low-power ethnic commercial specialty FM radio station, CJLC-FM La Crête. The station was designed to provide ethnic programming to at least one cultural group in at least two different languages.

Interventions

7. The Commission did not receive any interventions in regard to this application.
8. In its application, however, Lawen Met provided seven letters of support from local community organizations and local government representatives.

Legal framework

9. 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.
10. When the licensee of a radio station files an application for technical amendments to its licence, the Commission generally requires that the licensee present compelling technical or economic evidence justifying the requested technical amendments. Applications are examined on a case-by-case basis, and the Commission may take into consideration the details of an application and any relevant issues raised in an intervention.
11. Broadcasting Information Bulletin 2025-266 (the Bulletin) provides guidance on the process for adding rebroadcasting transmitters by describing when a licensee should submit this type of application as a technical amendment to its existing licence (treated as a Part 1 application, which includes a public consultation but does not require a public hearing). This differs from situations in which these applications should be submitted as new licence applications (which require the application to be processed via a public hearing).
12. Applications to add rebroadcasting transmitters by way of technical amendment should generally be filed when there is a demonstrated technical need to improve the signal in the station’s market or a demonstrated economic need to expand the market.
13. These applications should generally not be filed as technical amendments when a licensee seeks to address technical problems outside of its market or to expand its contours in the absence of an economic need. This protects the integrity of the Commission’s licensing process by ensuring that proposals are not used as a “back door” to enter new markets.
14. The Bulletin also highlights that the Commission may grant exceptions to this general approach and approve applications that do not provide compelling technical or economic evidence. In such cases, the licensee must provide evidence demonstrating its exceptional circumstances and justify its request in light of the public interest.
15. This evidence may be in the form of community letters of support, a demonstration that the market is underserved, or other proof that the request fulfills specific objectives of the Act. In the Bulletin, the Commission states that it will consider such factors as the type of undertaking, location of the market, and the community to be served. Such applications are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Issues

16. After examining the record for this application in light of applicable regulatory obligations and policies, the Commission considers that it must address the following issues:
    • whether the licensee has demonstrated a technical or economic need for the proposed rebroadcasting transmitter;
    • whether the proposed amendment represents an appropriate technical solution and use of spectrum;
    • whether the approval of the application would have an undue economic impact on incumbent stations in the market; and
    • whether approval of the application would undermine the integrity of the Commission’s licensing process and be in the public interest.

Technical or economic need

17. The Commission generally assesses the merits of an application for technical changes on the basis of a technical or economic need. Technical or economic needs might include, for instance, signal gaps in the area a station is licenced to serve. A station might also need to expand coverage to ensure viability and better service for local communities.
18. The licensee’s application was not made on the basis of a technical or economic need. It seeks to serve the community of Weberville. This is another rural area in Northern Alberta with residents who speak Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German), though it is located well outside the originating station’s primary contour of La Crête.
19. In light of the above, the Commission does not consider this application to be based on a specific technical or economic need. Instead, the Commission will consider this application as a request for an exception to its general approach and is evaluating it primarily from the standpoint of public interest.

Appropriate technical solution and use of spectrum

20. The applicant proposed the use of frequency 99.5 MHz (channel 258LP) for the low-power rebroadcasting transmitter. The Commission has identified other frequencies capable of providing similar or even greater coverage to that proposed by the applicant.
21. Furthermore, in accordance with the Department of Industry’s (also known as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, herein after referred to as the Department) Application Procedures and Rules for FM Broadcasting Undertakings (BPR-3), a low-power undertaking, such as the undertaking requested in this application, is considered a secondary assignment operating on an unprotected channel. As such, the Commission notes that approval of this proposed transmitter would not preclude the Commission from later approving an application for a full-power radio station with protected status to operate in the Weberville area on the same frequency (99.5 MHz). The applicant’s proposal would therefore have a negligible impact on the availability of frequencies in the market.
22. The Commission further notes that the licensee’s proposal has received conditional technical acceptability from the Department. Therefore, the proposal adheres to the rules governing FM spectrum coordination.
23. Further, the Commission notes that the addition of a rebroadcasting transmitter is generally an appropriate technical solution for improving or expanding coverage.
24. In light of the above, the Commission finds that the applicant’s proposal constitutes an appropriate technical solution and use of spectrum.

Economic impact on incumbent stations

25. The primary contour of the proposed rebroadcasting transmitter, which would serve Weberville, would be located within the current primary contours of CKKX-FM Peace River, Alberta, and CKYL-FM Peace River (both commercial stations operated by Peace River Broadcasting Corporation Ltd.), as well as CFGP-FM-1 Peace River (a rebroadcasting transmitter of the commercial station CFGP-FM Grand Prairie, Alberta, operated by Rogers Media Inc.).
26. The Commission notes that the proposed rebroadcasting transmitter would be the applicant’s first, and it would not allow the station to enter a major market. The transmitter would have a limited reach as it would be low-power and would reach only about 800 individuals.
27. The Commission notes that the programming offered by the applicant’s specialty station is not aimed at the same broad audience as the existing commercial stations in the Weberville market. The Commission further notes that, according to the projections provided by the applicant, the approval of the proposed rebroadcasting transmitter would only result in a small increase of local advertising revenue for the originating station.
28. In light of the above, the Commission finds that the proposed technical amendment would not have an undue economic impact on incumbent stations in the Weberville market.

Integrity of the Commission’s licensing process and public interest

29. The licensee indicated that, should this application be approved, CJLC-FM would provide additional programming on the originating station tailored to the needs of the local Weberville community. Specifically, it stated that this additional programming would amount to 3 hours 59 minutes per broadcast week. The local programming would include religious programs and regional news, weather forecasts, municipal decisions, community events, and announcements specific to Weberville and the County of Northern Lights.
30. The Commission notes that there are currently no radio licensees operating within the proposed transmitter’s primary contour that offer religious or Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German)-language programming to the community. The Commission also notes that approval of this application would not prevent another applicant from serving Weberville in the future, as there are other available frequencies to serve the community.
31. The Commission considers that the provided justification in the form of seven letters of support demonstrates public interest in having access to the Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German)-language content in the area.
32. Further, given the specific nature of the programming offered by the licensee, the limited reach of the unprotected rebroadcasting transmitter, and the minimal economic impact on the market, the Commission is of the view that approving this application would further policy objectives relating to the vitality of independent undertakings and the expression of diverse viewpoints, and would be in public interest.
33. Finally, the Commission notes that the addition of a transmitter in Weberville would enable Lawen Met to offer unique programming that is relevant and of interest to the local community.
34. In light of the above, the Commission finds that the approval of the application would not undermine the integrity of its licensing process, and warrants an exception to its general approach, based on the public interest.

Conclusion

35. In light of all of the above, the Commission approves the application by Lawen Met to amend the broadcasting licence for its low-power commercial ethnic specialty FM radio programming undertaking CJLC-FM La Crête, Alberta, to add a low-power FM rebroadcasting transmitter in Weberville.
36. The transmitter must be in operation by no later than 13 August 2028. 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.
37. This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Reminders

Content

38. Pursuant to paragraph 2 of the Bulletin, the content broadcast on the rebroadcasting transmitter must be the same as that broadcast on the primary transmitter. As such, the content broadcast on the rebroadcasting transmitter cannot be tailored for any additional markets the Commission authorizes by way of a technical amendment.

National Public Alerting System

39. 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 CJLC-FM-1 resulting from 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 CJLC-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

Related documents

• Guidance on the requirements for the addition of rebroadcasting transmitters, Broadcasting Information Bulletin CRTC 2025-266, 10 October 2025
• Low-power, ethnic commercial specialty FM radio station in La Crete, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-11, 17 January 2023

Date modified:

2026-08-13