Key Radio Regulations and Policies
The following lists provide a quick resource for some of CRTC's key radio regulations and policies and should not be considered exhaustive. Some policies are articulated via public notices and/or decisions.
Act and Regulations
Key Documents - Types of licences
- Change to the processing time for applications and complaints relating to radio undertakings – The Commission announces that it will defer the consideration of any new radio applications or complaints while it implements its regulatory plan to modernize the Canadian broadcasting system, for a period of approximately two years (2023-278)
- Revised Commercial Radio Policy - Areas addressed include the Common Ownership Policy, Canadian content development contribution and programming (2022-332)
- Targeted policy review of the commercial radio sector - A review of certain aspects of the commercial radio policy to ensure that its approach is simple, effective and measurable (2014-554)
- Update on the Commission’s approach to non-compliance by radio stations - Based on the requirements of the Broadcasting Act, the Radio Regulations, 1986 and a station’s conditions of licence in the context of an application for licence renewal or amendment (2014-608)
- Revised conditions of licence for commercial AM and FM radio stations (2022-334)
- Campus and community radio policy - Revised policy for both campus and community radio, establishing a single policy that makes provision for differences in the two types of stations, where appropriate (2010-499)
- Standard conditions of licence for campus and community radio stations (2012-304)
- Ethnic broadcasting policy - Ethnic stations are required to serve a broad range of ethnic groups within their service area (“broad service requirement”) (1999-117)
- Religious Broadcasting Policy - Recognition of alternative values; Balance programming; provisions regarding the solicitation of funds; programming practices (1993-78)
- Native Broadcasting Policy - Includes definitions of a native undertaking, a native program and native music; types of Native Stations (1990-89) and Native radio undertakings (2001-70). Also see Co-Development of the Indigenous Broadcasting Policy
- CBC / Radio Canada - For current terms and conditions for radio, see the CBC/Radio-Canada licence renewal (2022-165)
- Satellite and Terrestrial Subscription Radio Undertakings (2005-61)
- New licensing framework for specialty audio programming services (2002-53)
Exemption Orders
- Low-Power radio - Exemption order for low-power radio stations that provide programming from houses of worship (2018-137)
- Tourist information - Exemption order for low-power tourist information related radio programming undertaking (2018-137)
- Online services / Digital Media / Mobile - Exemption order for digital media broadcasting undertakings (DMEO) 2012-409
- Exempted native radio undertakings – Exemption order respecting certain native radio undertakings (2018-137)
Other Policies
- Common Ownership Policy - Revised guidelines for the application of the Common Ownership Policy for Radio (2010-341)
- Canadian content -Requirements for music quota on Canadian radio - See Backgrounder
- MAPL System - Defining a Canadian music selection - See Backgrounder
- Content Categories - Revised content categories and subcategories for radio (2022-333)
- CCD - Canadian Content Development Contributions and Eligible Initiatives - See Backgrounder
- Montages - Requirements for the broadcast of radio montages - See Backgrounder
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