VANCOUVER – The CRTC is planning to cover a lot of ground at its Vancouver radio hearing that kicked off Monday at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
In addition to considering applications to operate new ethnic commercial AM and FM radio stations in the Greater Vancouver market, including the City of Surrey, the Commission will address three entities that it says appear to be operating radio stations without a licence or pursuant to an exemption in contravention of the Broadcasting Act.
Surrey Myfm Inc. and 89.3 Surrey City FM Limited operate stations in the Surrey market that claim to be low-power tourist information stations further to the Tourist Exemption Order (Broadcasting Order 2014-447), while Sur Sagar Radio Inc. claims to be operating a low-power house of worship station further to the House of Worship Exemption Order (Broadcasting Order 2013-621).
“Further to a Commission investigation, it appears that the entities called to this hearing are not operating their stations in compliance with the terms of the exemption orders pursuant to which they purport to operate”, said CRTC chairman Jean Pierre Blais, in his opening remarks. “In particular, their programming appears to be inconsistent with the terms of the exemption order. As well, it appears that the two tourist information stations have not taken the necessary steps to implement the emergency alerting system.
“Moreover, it appears that Surrey Myfm Inc. and Sur Sagar Radio Inc. may be broadcasting at a higher power than authorized by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada), and that 89.3 Surrey City FM Limited may be operating without the necessary authority from this department."
Blais said that the panel expects Surrey Myfm Inc., 89.3 Surrey City FM Limited, and Sur Sagar Radio to demonstrate why the Commission should not issue mandatory orders requiring them to cease and desist from operating a radio station unless they are in compliance with the Act.
Telecommunications vice-chair Peter Menzies and regional commissioner for the Atlantic and Nunavut Chris Macdonald have joined Blais on the panel for this hearing.
