Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
www.crtc.gc.ca
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Ensuring a Place for Canadian Services
Canadian Services First
Ensuring a Place for Canadian Services
Mandatory Canadian Services
Non-Canadian Services
Substituting TV Programs
Related Documents
Canadian Services First
A strong and diverse Canadian broadcasting system is a primary objective of Canada's Broadcasting Act, which states:
- each element of the system must contribute to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming;
- cable companies and other distributors of broadcasting services, such as direct-to-home satellite services (Bell ExpressVu and StarChoice) and Multipoint Distribution Systems (e.g. Look TV, Image Communications and Sky Cable), must give priority to the carriage of Canadian television signals and, in particular to the carriage of local Canadian stations.
Canadians have reason to be proud of their television system. Although it has developed in close proximity to the world's most prolific producer and exporter of popular television programming, our system supports a large number of distinctly Canadian conventional, specialty and pay television services. It also offers some of the best of foreign programming, whether on available foreign services or in the schedules of Canadian television stations.
Ensuring a Place for Canadian Services
Distribution undertakings (e.g. cable, direct-to-home (DTH) and multipoint distribution systems (MDS)) must deliver more Canadian than non-Canadian audio and television services to each of their subscribers.
The CRTC recognizes the importance of reflecting French-language broadcasting services in a minority environment. It has also adopted policies and regulations to increase the availability to cable subscribers of specialty services in the minority official language.
In addition, CRTC policies and regulations use the following tools to ensure a diversity of Canadian programming services:
- mandatory Canadian services that all distribution undertakings must carry;
- how Canadian services must be carried - i.e. basic or discretionary tiers;
- how Canadian services can be packaged with distant Canadian and non-Canadian programming services.
Mandatory Canadian services
The CRTC has identified Canadian audio and television services that cable companies, direct-to-home satellite service providers and other wireless distribution networks must provide to their subscribers as part of their basic programming package.
For details read:
- Sections 17 to 19 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations
- Cable TV
- Satellite TV and
- Distribution of the Proceedings of the House of Commons on CPAC.
How Canadian services must be carried and packaged
Specific rules apply to cable companies and DTH services.
Non-Canadian Programming Services
CRTC rules define how distributors can package foreign programming services with Canadian pay and specialty services to give subscribers access to popular foreign services and still ensure maximum exposure to Canadian services. Essentially, non-Canadian services may not be offered on a stand-alone basis.
Specific rules apply to cable companies and DTH services.
Related Documents
Achieving a better balance: Report on French-language broadcasting services in a minority environment. A policy to increase the availability to cable subscribers of specialty services in the minority official language.
Broadcasting Distribution Regulations
Cable TV
Distribution of Cable TV Services in Canada
Distribution and linkage requirements for Class 1 and Class 2 licensees
Introduction to Broadcasting Distribution Regulations
Linkage Requirements for Direct-to-home (DTH) Satellite Distribution Undertakings
New Regulatory Framework for Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings
Satellite TV
Substituting Television Programming
