Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-330

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Reference: 2016-176

Ottawa, 16 August 2016

Cogeco Cable Canada GP Inc., on its behalf and on behalf of licensed subsidiaries
Various locations in Quebec and Ontario

Applications 2016-0256-6, 2016-0394-4 and 2016-0395-2, received 11 March 2016
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
13 July 2016

Terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings and video-on-demand service – Acquisition of assets (corporate reorganization)

1. The Commission approves the applications by Cogeco Cable Canada GP Inc. (CCC GP), on its behalf and on behalf of licensed subsidiaries, for authority to effect a multi-step corporate reorganization resulting in the transfer of various broadcasting assets to CCC GP. The Commission did not receive any interventions regarding these applications.
2. CCC GP and Cogeco Cable Holdings Inc. (CCH), partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Cogeco Cable Québec General Partnership (CCQ GP), is the licensee of terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) serving Drummondville, Rimouski, Saint-Hyacinthe and Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
3. CCC GP (the general partner) and CCH (the limited partner), carrying on business as Cogeco Cable Canada LP (CCC LP), is the licensee of terrestrial BDUs serving Belleville, Burlington, Georgetown, Hamilton/Dundas, Hamilton/Stoney Creek, Kingston, Niagara Falls, Peterborough, Sarnia, St. Catharines and Windsor, Ontario.
4. CCH is the licensee of the regional video-on-demand (VOD) undertaking known as Cogeco On Demand serving Quebec and Ontario.
5. CCC GP, CCQ GP, CCC LP and CCH are wholly owned subsidiaries of Cogeco Communications Inc., a corporation indirectly owned by Gestion Audem inc. (Gestion Audem).
6. Following completion of the transaction, Cogeco Cable Canada GP Inc. will become the licensee of the undertakings mentioned above and effective control will continue to be exercised by the board of directors of Gestion Audem.
7. The corporate reorganization will be completed through a series of transactions as set out below.

Step 1

• CCH will transfer its 99.9% partnership interest in CCQ GP to CCC GP. CCQ GP will be dissolved and CCC GP will become the licensee of the terrestrial BDUs serving various locations in Quebec.
• Upon surrender of the current licences, the Commission will issue new broadcasting licences to Cogeco Cable Canada GP Inc., to continue the operation of the undertakings set out above under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licences.

Step 2

• CCH will transfer its 95.1% partnership interest in CCC LP to CCC GP. CCC LP will be dissolved and CCC GP will become the licensee of the terrestrial BDUs serving various locations in Ontario.
• Upon surrender of the current licences, the Commission will issue new broadcasting licences to Cogeco Cable Canada GP Inc. to continue the operation of the undertakings set out above under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licences.

Step 3

• CCC GP will acquire the assets of the VOD service from CCH. CCC GP will become the licensee of this undertaking serving Quebec and Ontario.
• Upon surrender of the current licence, the Commission will issue a new broadcasting licence to Cogeco Cable Canada GP Inc., to continue the operation of the undertaking under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licence.

8. Finally, CCC GP will change its corporate name to Cogeco Connexion Inc.
9. CCC GP must inform the Commission once the corporate reorganization has been completed and must file executed copies of all corporate documents supporting this transaction with the Commission by 15 September 2016.

Secretary General

* This decision is to be appended to each licence.

Date modified:

2016-08-16