Co-Development of the Indigenous
Broadcasting Policy

Welcome to the CRTC’s page on broadcasting services related to Indigenous Peoples. The CRTC acknowledges that our mandate as Canada’s regulator of Broadcasting and Telecommunications services takes place on lands which originally belonged to Indigenous Peoples, an important segment of the population living in Canada, who we aim to serve.

On this page, you will find information related to Indigenous broadcasting in Canada, including our approach to policy development, key policies, information about broadcasting licences, and sources of funding.

Our approach to the co-development of a new Indigenous broadcasting policy

Reconciliation is one of the Government of Canada’s commitments to renewing the relationship with Indigenous Peoples, based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership. As part of its role, the Commission upholds the Government of Canada’s commitment. The CRTC has launched a multi-phase process to co-develop a new Indigenous broadcasting policy with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit broadcasters, content creators, and audiences. The process will enable all of us to better understand what these broadcasting needs are, now and in the future, for both traditional and digital services.

The review comprises three phases:

Phase 1: Early engagement sessions – completed

The early engagement sessions held across Canada, with Indigenous broadcasters, content creators and artists, are now complete.

Indigenous facilitators from Indigenous Leadership Development Institute Inc. (ILDII) led the engagement sessions and captured information that will help to establish the conduct and scope of the next phase of the policy development. Find out what Indigenous broadcasters, content creators and artists had to say in the “What You Said” section below.

Phase 2: Public consultation – upcoming

The engagement sessions will be followed by a public consultation process, to obtain a range of views from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on how the broadcasting system in Canada can best complement the broadcasting interests and needs of Indigenous Peoples moving forward.

Phase 3: Preliminary conclusions and determinations – not started

Following the public consultation, the Commission will present preliminary views to Indigenous participants from the public consultation process, for the opportunity to provide further comments on the potential impacts of the proposed policy.

For more information on the process, please refer to the Notice of Proceeding.

What You Said

• Executive summary of the early engagement sessions report
• Early engagement sessions report

The executive summary is also available in the following Indigenous languages:

• Cree
• Inuktitut
• Mi’kmaq
• Mohawk
• Ojibway

Services and information

About Radio and TV Licences (Applying, Renewing and Obligations)

Indigenous Radio services: Type A (exempted) and Type B (licensed) stations, applying for and renewing a Type B radio broadcasting licence, submitting annual returns. Indigenous television services: licensed TV services, low-power TV stations, exempted TV stations, and TV productions, applying for TV broadcasting licences.

Indigenous Broadcasting Policy

About the current Native Broadcasting Policy, other relevant Acts and Regulations.

Resources available

Funding available for Indigenous broadcasters and content creators (i.e., producers of spoken word, music, news, dramatic television and film content).