Canada-wide
Hagensborg, BC: 2nd Community to Salvage CBC Equipment to Maintain Free Service
Hagensborg, BC is the second community that CACTUS is aware of that has salvaged CBC equipment in order to maintain CBC TV free to air. “The story of television in the Bella Coola Valley is one of community perserverence and ingenuity” says John Morton of the Hagensborg TV Society. “We rebroadcast 6 television signals and 3 radio channels using a community-owned transmission tower” he says. “The CRTC at first refused to licence our system back in the 1970s, because the CBC had reported that it was technically impossible to have TV reception in the Bella Coola Valley. This was a surprise to those of us who had witnessed--among other events--the moon landing in 1969!”
Hagensborg is one of over 600 communities that was slated to lose free over-the-air CBC and Radio Canada service on July 31st of last year, the date the CBC turned off its analog over-the-air transmission network, and began retiring equipment. The Hagensborg TV Society offered the CBC a nominal amount for the analog transmitter, receivers, modulators and amplifiers, which would likely have been scrapped. “The community is really delighted to have been able to re-establish over-the-air service. Many in our community can't afford satellite TV. Although there are some costs to maintain the tower and pay downlink fees for the channels we want, it works out to only about 60$ per household per year, which is really affordable."
Hagensborg is a community of about 300 households, located in the Bella Coola Valley near the coast of BC. Catherine Edwards of the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations said, “There was no reason for any community to lose existing services because of the digital transition. What was missing was a clear communications package about the transition ahead of time from government and from the CBC, explaining how communities could maintain the equipment if the CBC pulled out. As far as we are aware, the only communities that have acquired CBC equipment and ‘turned the CBC back on’ since the July 31st cut-off date are well established societies like this one. BC has an amazing history of TV societies and community-based ISPs that offer their communities everything from highspeed wireless Internet, to remote television and radio services, to local TV and radio content.”
CACTUS Requests Commission Decision on Cable Audit Findings
As many of you know, CRTC staff elected to audit selected cable community channels for a week in March of 2011, in response to data provided by CACTUS that suggested that many cable licence areas fail to meet both the access and local programming thresholds specified in regulations. Shaw, Rogers, Videotron, Cogeco and Eastlink were asked to provide their programming logs to the CRTC for a week and to answer a series of questions about their programming.
Their responses were forwarded to CACTUS in the summer of 2011 for our comment. After a six-week review, we filed a 70-page analysis of the logs to the CRTC at the end of 2011.
In June of 2012, CRTC staff sent CACTUS a letter that acknowledged some issues with cable community channels, but offered a differing interpretation of what constitutes an "access program", which led staff to different conclusions regarding cable company compliance with the 2010 community channel policy.
CACTUS filed a request with the Commission today for clarification, and for a formal Commission decision regarding the 2011 audit. We will keep you updated in the new year.
For more information about the issues that require clarification, and to see our letter, click here.
Dec. 2012 Letter to CRTC Regarding 2011 Cable Community TV Audit
This letter is a response to a June 21st, 2012 letter from CRTC staff regarding the audit done by the CRTC in March of 2011 of selected cable community channels. The letter requests a Commission decision about the findings.
New Code of Access Best Practices for BDU-Owned Community Channels
As you may be aware, the new community TV policy announced by the CRTC in September of 2010 (CRTC 2010-622) announced that an "industry working group" would be established to create of Code of Access Best Practices to guide cable operators in the administration of cable community channels.
CACTUS objected (as did the Fédération des télévisions communautaires autonomes du Québec--the Fédétvc) that the "industry working group" included five representatives of cable companies, and none from the general public these channels are meant to serve. In response to our complaint, the "working group" was told it must "consult" both the Fédétvc and CACTUS regarding the contents of the Code. The extent of this consultation was that the working group sent us a copy of their draft code. We and the Fédétvc submitted separate but similar comments to the effect that the Code gives cable companies too broad a scope to reject particular programming ideas on grounds such as "community values" and "public taste" (as determined by who?)
The working group ignored our comments, and submitted its draft Code to the CRTC. The CRTC posted the document for public comment in September of 2011. Since our comments had been ignored, both CACTUS and the Fédétvc resubmitted our comments as part of this public process. Finally, another year later, the Code of Best Practices was announced on September 7, 2012. Although the Code is largely the document proposed by the cable industry working group, it does include two new sections about dispute resolution and copyright (the latter echoing almost verbatim CACTUS' suggestions):
- If disputes arise about access between producers and any broadcast distribution undertaking (BDU) and it cannot be resolved by the parties, a third-party arbitrator agreeable to both parties is to be appointed. Any expenses related to the arbitration are to be borne by the BDU.
While we approve the availability of an occasional arbitration process―-and although community advisory committees that might be involved in the day-to-day operation of cable and other BDU community channels are suggested in 2010-622—-there is still no requirement that BDUs establish such committees, which might have day-to-day input into access practices..
- The copyright for access programs stays with community producers, regardless of how much assistance they receive from BDUs. BDUs can play the program within the licenced area, but the community producer may sell or exploit the program on any other platform they wish.
This is a fundamental and important shift. While back in the day it was relatively easy for volunteers to propose program ideas and to produce them with cable company assistance, it was always the cable company that retained copyright. Over time, as cable company staff took more and more control over community channel content, this led to a perception that it was volunteers who assisted cable company staff to make programs, and not the other way around. The new Code asserts the opposite: that insofar as the 50% of the programming schedule that is meant to be community-access at least, it is the BDU that assists community members to get their ideas to the small screen.
This ruling shows that while CACTUS has been largely ignored to date by the federal regulator regarding the inappropriateness of for-profit corporations controlling what should be a community-managed resource, it does demonstrate that when an issue tightly corresponds to a political hot button of the day (copyright), you can get results.
The problem, of course, is that the Code as written gives too much latitude to BDUs to decline particular programming ideas in the first place, so a given program proposed by a given community member may never get made at all.
There's no question that this is a moral victory, but it remains to be seen whether it is a practical one. To read the CRTC's decision and the full text of the new Code (the Code is Appendix 1 to the decision), see:
Code of Access Best Practices.
Let us know what you think of the new Code and how it is likely to affect you. (All members can comment on any article.)
CACTUS Contributes Fresh Ideas to CBC Licence Renewal Hearing
CACTUS participated in both the written and oral phases of the CBC licence renewal process. Although commenting on the role of the public broadcaster would normally not fall within our mandate, we decided to participate because CACTUS' Executive Director Catherine Edwards and Karen Wirsig of the Canadian Media Guild had co-authored and presented a paper in the spring at the Journalism Strategies conference at McGill regarding models by which public and community broadcasters could collaborate to improve local media. The paper proposes models by which more quality and quantity of local content could be created in an austere financial environment. It responds to statements in the CBC's 2015 strategy document "Everyone, Everyway" in which the CBC commits to maximize its presence in the regions by entering into new partnerships and using new technologies. Examples of such partnership could include:
- sharing of transmission infrastructure (our recent campaign to salvage CBC towers and transmitters for communities)
- sharing of facilities in an affiliate relationship (e.g. local volunteer-production as well as CBC network content within a shared schedule, or two separate licences working out of a shared facility)
- sharing of content, possibly by uploading to a central server for CBC regional news outlets to access
The paper proposes the establishment of a fund to encourage such partnerships, which was endorsed in the CMG's presentation before the CRTC.
These ideas were also suggested independently as part of the Payette report, which recommended that Telequebec source content from Quebec community broadcasters.
While individual CBC journalists and staff assisted at the conference in the spring, and CACTUS and the CMG have sent copies of the presentation to the CBC, no formal response has yet been received from the Corporation. We did, however, receive endorsements for the idea from OpenMedia and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre at the CBC licence renewal hearing, and in the document "Reimagine CBC", the product of months of public consultation conducted by OpenMedia in partnership with Leadnow.ca and Gen Why. Recommendation 4 out of 5 in this document is "Collaborate with the right partners, who have deep roots in the community." The document cites Karen's and Cathy's paper, as well as CACTUS' campaign to encourage the CBC to offer its decommissioned towers and transmitters to communities to repurpose.
We look forward to the opportunity to discuss these ideas directly with the CBC in the months ahead.
Cathy's and Karen's paper is available on our web site here: Public and Community Partnerships to Improve Local Media.
You can read the "Reimagine CBC" document here.
The transcript from the CBC hearing in which a new fund to develop public-community partnerships was proposed can be found: here (search for "CACTUS").
Hay River, NWT First Community to Acquire CBC Transmission Equipment So Far
Despite the barrage of more than 2200 letters to the CBC and the CRTC in the summer requesting that CBC towers and transmitters slated for decommissioning be offered to communities first, the CRTC imposed no special conditions on the national broadcaster prior to shutting off free-to-air CBC and Radio-Canada service on July 31st.
Communities were told that they could apply directly to the CBC for transmitters, and to a third-party (Capital Networks) managing the sale of the CBC's tower sites. Although the dead-line for requesting towers was October 9th, only a handful of communities have yet received a reply from the CBC. Those that have have been declined except for one. Gary Hoffman of the Hay River TV Society in the NWT managed to acquire both the CBC English, CBC French, and APTN transmitters and has restored all three services to his community. The transmitters were donated by the CBC free of charge.
In the case of Maniwaki, Quebec and various rural sites in Manitoba, however, several communities have been informed that they didn't make it past the first stage in the commercial bid process. One group bid on several remote sites, offering the CBC thousands of dollars per tower, but was still declined. The group had been told that many of the towers have revenues associated with them. Space may be leased on the towers by third parties for another 5 or 10 years...
... which once again raises the question, why is the CBC getting rid of them?
CACTUS Intervention to Bell-Astral Purchase Hearing
Click the link below to read CACTUS' hearing presentation before the CRTC regarding the application by BCE to purchase the assets of Astral (CRTC 2012-370).
More than 2000 Canadians Ask CBC to Consult Them Before Shutting Down Transmission Sites
More than 2000 individual Canadians, community organizations, MPs and municipalities have written to the CRTC to ask that they be consulted about what happens to CBC transmission sites in their communities.
In response to federal cuts, the CBC and Radio-Canada announced in April that they plan to switch off more than 623 analog transmitters on July 31, 2012. Canadians outside major cities and provincial and territorial capitals will lose free access to the CBC and Radio-Canada over the air using bunny ears or rooftop antennae.
(Click here to see whether you will be affected.)
Getting the CBC and Radio-Canada’s signals to all Canadians living in communities of at least 500 people was a major policy goal in the 1970s to link the country coast to coast. This transmission infrastructure is worth millions and has already been paid for by Canadian taxpayers. Rather than being scrapped, it could be maintained by communities themselves. The transmitters and towers can be used not just to continue free TV service, but also to set up local wireless Internet or mobile service, or a community TV or radio service.
The CRTC Consultation: 2012-0509-7
The CRTC has begun a public consultation on the CBC’s plan. CACTUS urged town and band councils, community colleges, community media groups and concerned citizens to ask the CRTC and CBC before the June 18th dead line to make the transmission equipment available for local use.
Of the more than 2200 individuals and groups that responded, 1549 live in or near large urban centres where CBC service will continue. They empathized with their rural countrymates and urged that CBC infrastructure be offered to communities slated to lose service.
Of the 619 respondents from communities that are slated for service loss, the table that follows shows where they live and the location of the CBC transmitter that serves them. Of the 623 analog transmission sites that the CBC proposes to shut down, communities intervened regarding 216 of them. They asked that the infrastructure be offered to communities to maintain, that they be upgraded to digital, or that CBC TV service be multiplexed with an existing digital transmitter that is operational in the community.
The CBC's Response to Date
Despite this overwhelming willingness of Canadians to work with the CBC to keep their TV signals free, the CBC has stated that it is not planning to consult affected communities and wants “fair market value” for its equipment, even if communities are willing to maintain it. In one instance (Penticton), a school board and local ISP representative was told that he could obtain the CBC's otherwise useless analog transmitter for over $80,000!
In the weeks ahead, we will keep track of the progress being made in each community. If and when roadblocks arise, we will flag them for the affected government agencies.
Notes on Interpreting the Data
Just because the remaining transmitters have not been specifically requested by communities does not mean they don't want them. The CBC conducted no outreach to affected communities when the CRTC consultation was open for public comment. The particular Canadians and communities that participated heard about the proposed shutdown through CACTUS, the press, or partner organizations whose representation across the country is uneven. We note in particular the low response rate in Quebec where we and our predominantly anglophone partner organizations have few members, and Newfoundland, where broadband Internet penetration is the lowest in the country (our campaign was conducted primarily via the Internet). Public awareness in Newfoundland is of particular concern, since more than a third of the transmission sites slated for shutdown by the CBC are in Newfoundland.
Nonetheless, the high response rate among Canadians who are slated to lose service, Canadians for whom service will continue, and also 84 Canadians who are already without free over-the-air-access to CBC TV (i.e. they currently fall between service-area contours) vouches for the importance of the issue of fair and equitable access to the national broadcaster by all Canadians.
This strong response suggests that a thorough campaign of outreach by the CBC in affected areas using its television service would likely result in requests that the CBC consult with communities about their options in most of the 623 service areas slated to be decommissioned.
We use as a benchmark the two-year Heritage Lighthouse Program in which the federal government advertised the availability of heritage lighthouses for community maintenance for two years before finally shutting down only those that communities could not or did not wish to maintain.
What is clear is that with over 2000 letters to the CRTC, shutting down the CBC's entire analog TV distribution network should not have been filed as a "Part 1 application" for expedited consideration. It should be examined as a part of the CBC's full licence renewal in November of 2012.
We encourage all individuals concerned about continuing CBC access in their communities to contact us regarding next steps.
| Transmitter Location | Community or Interested Group | Solution Sought | Stage in Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta and Saskatchewan | First Nations Technical Services | all 57 sites with towers | has contacted CBC, waiting for response from sales agent |
| Alert Bay BC | residents of Galiano Island | analog transmitter | |
| Bamfield BC | Bamfield Community ISP | analog transmitter | lease arranged with 3rd party tower owner; awaiting reply from CBC |
| Banff AB | resident of Banff | analog transmitter | |
| Barrie, ON | residents of Owen Sound, Perkinsfield, Desboro, Hanover and Barrie | digital upgrade | |
| Bella Coola, BC | residents of Bella Coola | analog transmitter | |
| Bonnington Falls BC | residents of South Slocan | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Burns Lake (CBCY-TV-1) BC (shown on CBC contour diagrams on current web site but absent from 2012-0509-7 application?) | resident of Burns Lake | whatever's there | |
| British Columbia | BC Broadband Ass. | 12 CBC-owned towers | |
| Calgary, AB | Fédération des communautés francophones et acadiennes (FCFA) and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex Radio-Canada | |
| Campbell River, BC | residents of Campbell River, Quathiaski Cove, and Manson's Landing | analog transmitter | |
| Campbellton, NB | residents of Campbellton | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Canmore AB | residents of Canmore | analog transmitter | |
| Castlegar, BC | residents of Castlegar Inonoaklin Valleys | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Charlottetown, PEI | Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex Radio-Canada | |
| Cheticamp NS | residents of Cheticamp and Margaree Forks | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Coronation AB | resident of Coronation | analog transmitter | |
| Cranbrook BC | residents of Cranbrook, Jaffray and Kimberley | analog transmitter | |
| Crawford Bay BC | residents of Kaslo and Ainsworth | analog transmitter | |
| Crescent Valley BC | residents of Crescent Valley | analog transmitter | |
| Creston, BC | residents of Creston, BC | analog transmitter | |
| Dauphin MB | City of Dauphin | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Digby NS | Residents of Annopolis Royal | analog transmitters and tower | |
| Elliot Lake ON | Residents of Elliot Lake | analog transmitters and tower | |
| Flin Flon MB | residents of Flin Flon | analog transmitter | |
| Fort Smith, NT | resident of Fort Smith | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Foymount ON | resident of Foymount | analog transmitter | |
| Fredericton, NB | Residents and the City of Fredericton and Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA), Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex Radio-Canada | |
| Gaspe, QC | resident of Gaspe | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Golden, BC | resident of Golden | analog transmitter | |
| Goose Bay LAB | resident of North West River | analog transmitter | |
| Grande Prairie, AB | Municipal District of Spirit River and residents of Demmitt and Grande Prairie | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Grand Forks BC | residents of Grand Forks | analog transmitter | |
| Greenwood BC | residents of Greenwood, Anaconda, Christina Lake | analog transmitter | |
| Greenwater Lake SK | residents of Archerwill, Porcupine Plains and Wadena | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Hagensborg, BC | residents of Hagensborg, Hagensborg TV Society | analog transmitter (CBC keeping tower for radio) | in negotiations with CBC (has asked $4800 to rent space on its tower) |
| Halifax, NS | Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex Radio-Canada | |
| Harrison Hot Springs BC | residents of Harrison Hot Springs | analog transmitter | |
| Hay River, NWT | Hay River Community TV and residents of Hay River | analog transmitter for CBC and APTN | awaiting final approval on donation of equipment |
| High Prairie, AB | Municipal District of Smoky River | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Huntsville ON | residents of Bala, Milford Bay, Shelburne, Bracebridge, Emsdale, Severn Bridge and Huntsville | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Invermere BC | resident of Invermere | analog transmitter | |
| Inverness NS | residents of Margaree Forks and Orangedale | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Jasper BC | resident of Jasper | analog transmitter | |
| Jonquieres QC | resident of La Baie | multiplex CBC English | |
| Kamloops BC | residents of Bridge Lake and Kamloops | analog transmitter | |
| Kearns ON | residents of Kirkland Lake and New Liskeard | analog transmitter | |
| Kelowna BC | residents of Coldstream, Kelowna, Lumby, Westbank and Oyama | analog transmitter | |
| Kenora, ON | residents of Keewatin and Kenora | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Kitchener, ON | residents of New Britain, Brownsburg, Elora, Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, Bloomingdale, Stratford, Burgessville, Drumbo | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Lac du Bonnet MB | resident of Victoria Beach | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Lake Louise AB | resident of Lake Louise | analog transmitter | |
| Le Pas MB | residents of Le Pas | analog transmitter | |
| Lethbridge AB | City and residents of Lethbridge, Coaldale, Vauxhall and Champion Municipal Library | digital upgrade | |
| Little Current ON | Residents of Gore Bay, Kagawong, Mindemoya | analog transmitter and tower | |
| London ON | City of London, residents of St. Thomas, Ilderton Kilworth, Sparta, St. Mary's, Delhi, Denfield and London | digital upgrade | |
| Mabou NS | resident of Mabou | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Madeira BC | Sunshine Coast CAP site | analog transmitter | |
| Maniwaki, QC | Indigenous Culture and Media Innovations | analog transmitter and tower | in negotiations with CBC |
| Marathon, ON | resident of Terrace Bay | analog transmitter | |
| Margaree NS | residents of Margaree Forks | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Matane QC | resident of Matane | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Meadow Lake, SK | Makwa (First Nations) | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Middle River NS | residents of Baddeck | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Moncton NB | City and residents of Moncton, Shediac River, Markhamville, Indian Mountain and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex English CBC | |
| Moose Jaw SK | residents of Caronport and Tugaske | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Mulgrave NS | residents of Antigonish, Canso, Dover, Linwood, Port Hawkesbury | analog transmitter | |
| Murdochville, QC | CAP (CACI) site of Mont-Louis and Gros-Morne | analog transmitter | |
| Nelson, BC | residents of Nelson and Inonoaklin Valley | analog transmitter | |
| Newcastle NB | residents of Glenwood and Miramichi | analog transmitter and tower | |
| New Denver BC | resident of Silverton | analog transmitter | |
| New Glasgow NS | Municipality and residents of New Glasgow | analog transmitter and tower | has left voicemail and e-mail messages for CBC; no reply received |
| New Richmond QC | residents of New Richmond | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Nipigon ON (CBLK-TV); provided on CBC web site, but not listed in 2012-0509-7 | resident of Nipigon | whatever's available | |
| Normandale ON | resident of Port Dover | analog transmitter and tower | |
| North Bay ON | residents of North Bay and Sundridge | analog transmitter | |
| Nova Scotia | Province of NS Broadband Project Office | any of 26 CBC-owned towers in NS | |
| Parry Sound ON | resident of Parry Sound | analog transmitter | |
| Osoyoos BC | resident of Oliver | analog transmitter | |
| Peace River, AB | residents of Peace River | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Pemberton, BC | residents of Pemberton and Base Technology Ltd. (community-based ISP) | analog transmitter | |
| Pembroke, ON | residents of Cobden, Deep River and Pembroke | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Penticton, BC | residents of Penticton, Peachland, Summerland and the Penticton School District and Community ISP | analog transmitter | CBC wants $80,000 |
| Peterborough ON | resident of Lindsay | analog transmitter | |
| Ponteix SK | resident of Val Marie | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Port Alberni BC? | residents of Comox, Qualicum Beach and Port Alberni | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Port Hardy, BC | resident of Sointula | analog transmitter | |
| Prince Albert, SK | residents of Shellbrook, Prince Albert, Cudworth, Melfort | analog transmitter | |
| Prince George, BC | residents of Prince George | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Princeton, BC | resident of Princeton | analog transmitter | |
| Quebec, QC | Residents of Quebec, Courcelette and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex English service | |
| Red Deer AB | residents of Red Deer, Lacombe and Sylvan Lake | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Revelstoke BC | residents of Revelstoke | analog transmitter | |
| Rock Creek BC | resident of Rock Creek | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Rosemary AB | resident of Rosebud | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Rossland BC | resident of Rossland | analog transmitter | |
| Saint-Augustin QC | resident of Saguenay | analog transmitter | |
| Saint John | City of Saint John and residents of Rothesay, Markhamville, Bayside | digital upgrade | |
| Salmon Arm BC | residents of Coldstream, Salmon Arm, Lumby and Tappen | analog transmitter | |
| Sarnia, ON | residents of Inwood, Camlachie, Sarnia | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Saskatoon, SK | residents of Saskatoon Hanley | digital upgrade | |
| Sault Ste. Marie ON | Residents of Sault Ste. Marie, the SSM Innovation Centre and Municipality of St. Joseph | analog transmitter | In negotiations with CBC and tower owner. |
| Sayward BC | Residents of Sayward | analog transmitter | |
| Sechelt BC | Sunshine Coast CAP site and residents | analog transmitter | |
| Sheet Harbour NS | resident of Moser Bay | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Shelburne NS | resident of Shelburne | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Sherbrooke QC | residents of Sherbrooke, Hatley, North Hatley, Magog, Sawyerville and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex English service | Slocan BC | residents of Slocan | analog transmitter |
| Smithers(CBCY-TV-5) BC (shown on CBC contour diagrams on current web site but absent from 2012-0509-7 application?) | residents of Smithers | whatever's there | Sooke BC | residents of Sooke | analog transmitter |
| Squamish BC | residents of Squamish and Base Technology Ltd. (community-based ISP) | analog transmitter | |
| Stanraer SK | resident of Duperow | analog transmitter | |
| St. John’s NL | Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex Radio-Canada | |
| Sudbury ON | residents of Sudbury, Hanmer, Noelville and Worthington | analog transmitter | |
| Swift Current SK | residents of Swift Current | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Sydney NS | residents of Sydney and Margaree Forks | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Terrace BC | residents of Terrace and Kitimat | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Thompson MB | resident of Thompson | analog transmitter | |
| Timmins ON | residents of Kirkland Lake and South Porcupine | analog transmitter | |
| Tofino BC | resident of Tofino | analog transmitter | |
| Truro NS | residents of Truro and Brookfield | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Valemount BC | Valemount Entertainment Society | analog transmitter | CBC wants $4800 for rental on CBC tower |
| Vernon BC | residents of Coldstream, Vernon and Oyama | analog transmitter | |
| Warmley SK | residents of Maryfield and Windthorst | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Whistler BC | Base Technology Ltd. (community-based ISP) | analog transmitter | |
| Whitecourt AB | resident of Edson | analog transmitter | |
| Whitehorse YT | residents of Carcross and Whitehorse | analog transmitter | |
| Whycocomagh NS | resident of Orangedale | analog transmitter | |
| Wiarton ON | residents of Feversham, Wiarton, Lion's Head, Meaford, Markdale and Owen Sound | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Windsor, ON | Residents of Windsor and surrounding areas, Joe Comartin, MP and Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) and Commissioner of Official Languages | multiplex Radio-Canada | |
| Wingham ON | residents of Clifford, Goderich, Gorrie, Harriston, and Markdale | analog transmitter | |
| Winlaw BC | residents of Winlaw, BC | analog transmitter | |
| Wynyard SK | residents of Wadena and Wynyard | analog transmitter | |
| Yarmouth NS | resident of Yarmouth | analog transmitter and tower | |
| Yorkton SK | resident of Springside | analog transmitter and tower | |
| All 7 transmission sites (7 transmitters, 3 towers) in Yukon | Yukon territorial government | wants service to continue |
Community rebroadcasting is already a reality for more than 100 Canadian communities. Valemont, BC (population: 1400), rebroadcasts six TV channels (including a local community channel) and three radio channels. Residents pay $40 per household per year for the service.
For more information about community rebroadcasting click here or call CACTUS at (819) 772-2862.
Click here to read CACTUS' full submission to the CRTC regarding the proposed shutdown of the CBC's analog over-the-air TV network.
You can also join the Facebook group "Keep CBC Transmission Sites Public" if you'd like to discuss what's happening with others, or you can follow us on Twitter @CACTUS62.
CACTUS Submission to CRTC 2012-0509-7 (CBC Analog Shutdown)
Transition vers le numérique - nouvelles possibilites
Une ressource pour aider les communautés a comprendre les bénéfices de les technologies numériques pour la radiodiffusion.
