A discretionary service is a Canadian

specialty channel A specialty channel (also known in the United States as a cable channel or cable network) can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targete ...

which, as defined by the

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; ) is a public organization in Canada tasked with the mandate as a regulatory agency tribunal for various electronic communications, covering broadcasting and telecommunic ...

, may be carried optionally by all

subscription television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichannel television providers, b ...

providers. It replaces the previous category A, category B, category C (instead split into the categories of "mainstream sports" and "national news"), and

premium Premium may refer to: Marketing * Premium (marketing), a promotional item that can be received for a small fee when redeeming proofs of purchase that come with or on retail products * Premium segment, high-price brands or services in marketing ...

classifications. Discretionary services may air programming from any of the CRTC's defined categories, although no more than 10% of programming per month may be devoted to live

professional sports In professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, participants receive payment for their performance. Professionalism in sport has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger a ...

. Discretionary services may be authorized to offer

multiplex Multiplex may refer to: Science and technology * Multiplex communication, combining many signals into one transmission circuit or channel ** Multiplex (television), a group of digital television or radio channels that are combined for broadcast * ...

channels.

Background

Prior classifications and genre exclusivity

The CRTC previously licensed specialty television services into one of three categories, which determined their regulatory obligations (such as the types of programming they may offer, and whether they are allowed to compete with other specialty television services), and how they may be distributed by television providers—known legally as broadcast distribution undertakings (BDUs). Prior to 2015, there were three types of specialty channel licenses * Category A services'':'' a category established in 2011 that encompassed the legacy "

analog Analog or analogue may refer to: Computing and electronics * Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable ** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals *** Analog electronics, circuits which use analog ...

" specialty and

television channels licensed prior to the establishment of

digital cable Digital cable is the distribution of cable television using digital data and video compression. The technology was first developed by General Instrument. By 2000, most cable companies offered digital features, eventually replacing their previo ...

and

satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...

(such as

MuchMusic Much is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults. It is headquartered at 299 Queen Street West in what was o ...

), and "Category 1" digital specialty services. Digital BDUs were required to offer all Category A-licensed channels as part of their services. Category A services were licensed within specific scopes, and subject to "genre protection": no other specialty services were allowed to directly compete with a Category A service. As a consequence, Category A licenses carried more stringent obligations on their owners, such as stricter thresholds for the exhibition of specific types of programming and

Canadian content Canadian content (abbreviated CanCon, cancon or can-con; ) refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requirements, derived from the Broadcasting Act of Canada, that radio and television broadcasters (inclu ...

. Major

pay television Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to Subscription business model, subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichan ...

services were designated as "premium" services; these services were prohibited from carrying commercial advertising, but were allowed to operate multiple "multiplex" channels consistent with their nature of service. * Category B services (formerly "Category 2"): digital specialty services that were licensed to carry narrower, niche formats in comparison to Category A-licensed channels. BDUs were not obligated to offer all Category B services, and negotiated with their distributors for carriage. Category B services were allowed to compete between each other, but no Category B service was allowed to directly compete with a Category A service. *

Category C services A Category C service is the former term for a Canadian discretionary specialty channel which, as defined by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, operates under the conditions of license for "competitive Canadian specia ...

encompassed "competitive Canadian specialty services operating in the genres of mainstream

sports Sport is a physical activity or game, often competitive and organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The number of participants in ...

and national

news News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different Media (communication), media: word of mouth, printing, Mail, postal systems, broadcasting, Telecommunications, electronic communication, or through the te ...

", which had been given an exemption from the genre protection rules in 2009 that allowed them more flexibility in programming and formats.

Reforms and discontinuation of genre exclusivity rules

As part of "Let's Talk TV", a CRTC initiative to reform Canada's broadcasting industry, the Commission announced in 2015 that it would phase out its previous "genre protection" rules, which forbade services with Category B licenses from directly competing with those with Category A licenses. The Commission felt that these restrictions were "no longer needed to ensure programming diversity between services", as " heylimited programming services to offering certain types of programming and precluded other services from offering that programming." As part of these changes, the CRTC began transitioning all pay and specialty services to standardized conditions of license. In November 2016, per a request by

DHX Media WildBrain Ltd. is a Canadian media, animation studio, production, and brand licensing company, mostly associated as an entertainment company. The company is known for owning the largest independent library of children's television programmin ...

(owner of Family Channel—a network that was licensed as a premium service, but had largely been treated as a non-premium specialty service by television providers—the previous premium television designation was also removed, merging them into the discretionary services category and allowing them to, if they choose, transition to advertising-supported formats. The standard conditions of license were thus amended to allow discretionary services to offer multiplex channels if approved as a condition of license.

List of licensed discretionary services

Former Category A services

Category A services were those which had mandatory distribution by all licensed broadcast distribution undertakings. They consisted of the channels that were licensed before the emergence of digital cable, as well as the narrow tier of digital services which were originally licensed as "Category 1" (must-carry) when digital cable was first introduced.

English former Category A services

AMI-tv AMI-tv is a Canadian, English-language, digital cable specialty channel. Owned by Accessible Media Inc. (AMI), it primarily broadcasts programming relating to accessibility and disabilities. All programming is broadcast with accommodations for ...

* BNN *

Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels * Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 * Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing compa ...

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...

* CMT *

Cottage Life ''Cottage Life'' is a Canadian magazine focusing on cottage lifestyle content. First published in the summer of 1988, the publication features how-to articles, buying guides, and tips on aspects of cottage living and lifestyle. Formally publishe ...

CP24 CP24 is a Canadian English-language specialty news channel owned by Bell Media, a subsidiary of BCE Inc. and operated alongside the Bell-owned CTV Television Network's owned-and-operated television stations CFTO-DT (CTV Toronto) and CKVR-DT ( ...

(GTA) * Crime + Investigation * CPAC (English feed) *

CTV Comedy Channel CTV Comedy Channel (often shortened to CTV Comedy) is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. subsidiary Bell Media which focuses primarily on comedy programming and operates two time-shifted feeds, runni ...

CTV Drama Channel CTV Drama Channel is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language Discretionary service, discretionary specialty channel owned by Bell Media. The channel primarily broadcasts Drama (film and television), drama series and films. The channel ...

CTV Life Channel CTV Life Channel is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary. The channel primarily broadcasts factual and reality programming on lifestyle topics such as cooking, home imp ...

CTV Sci-Fi Channel CTV Sci-Fi Channel is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by Bell Media subsidairy of BCE Inc.. The channel primarily broadcasts speculative fiction and related programming. The network was launched on October 17 ...

Documentary Channel A documentary channel is a specialty channel which focuses on broadcasting documentaries. Some documentary channels further specialize by dedicating their television programming to specific types of documentaries or documentaries in a specific ar ...

DTour DTour (styled as DTOUR) is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. The channel was originally established by Canwest in 1997 as Prime, a cable companion to Global with a general entertainment f ...

* E! *

Flavour Network Flavour Network (formerly known as Food Network) is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. It broadcasts programming related to food, cooking, cuisine, and the food industry, including competi ...

The History Channel History (formerly and commonly known as the History Channel) is an American pay television network and the flagship channel of A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the General Entertainment Content division of The Wa ...

* History2 *

Home Network Home Network is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary cable television, cable and satellite television, satellite specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. Home Network broadcasts programs r ...

* Much *

One 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...

OutTV OUTtv is a Canadian English language specialty channel and streaming network that was launched in September 2001. The brand focuses on general entertainment and lifestyle programming serving Canadian and international LGBT+ communities. The ...

* Showcase * Slice *

Sportsnet 360 Sportsnet 360 (SN360) is a Canadian discretionary specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. The channel primarily broadcasts automated blocks of sports news and highlights, along with live sports coverage as an overflow channel for Spo ...

The Weather Network The Weather Network (TWN) is a Canadian English-language discretionary weather information specialty channel available in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. It delivers weather information on television, digital platforms (respon ...

* T+E *

Treehouse A tree house, tree fort or treeshed, is a platform or building constructed around, next to or among the trunk or branches of one or more mature trees while above ground level. Tree houses can be used for recreation, work space, habitation, a ha ...

USA Network USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...

VisionTV VisionTV is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language Category A services, Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic. VisionTV is ...

W Network W Network (often shortened to W) is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. The channel primarily broadcasts general entertainment programming oriented towards a female audience. W Network was ...

* YTV

French former Category A services

addikTV Addik (stylised as ADDIK; formerly known as addikTV and Mystère) is a Canadian French-language specialty channel owned by Groupe TVA, a division of Quebecor Media. The channel is devoted primarily to French-language drama programming focusing on ...

Canal D Canal D is a Canadian French language discretionary service owned by Bell Media. Canal D focuses on documentary programming primarily in the form of documentary-style television series that focus on a variety of topics such as crime, biographies, ...

Canal Vie Canal Vie is a Canadian French language specialty channel owned by Bell Media. Canal Vie airs lifestyle and entertainment programs aimed at women in the form of talk shows, documentaries, reality TV series, and films. Programs focus on a variety o ...

* CPAC (French feed) *

Elle Fictions Elle Fictions (stylized ELLE Fictions) is a Canadian French language specialty channel owned by Remstar Media Group. The channel broadcasts general entertainment programming targeting young adult women. It replaced the music television channel Mu ...

Évasion Évasion is a Canadian French language discretionary service channel owned by Groupe TVA. The channel broadcasts programming devoted to travel and adventure. History In May 1999, a consortium consisting of BCE Inc. (50.1%), Groupe Serdy (19.9%) ...

* Historia *

Ici ARTV Ici ARTV (stylized as ICI artv) is a Canadian French language specialty channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (known in French as Société Radio-Canada). The channel broadcasts the arts and culture including music, dance, theat ...

Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (American dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (British dog), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of the OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...

MétéoMédia MétéoMédia is a Canadian French-language weather information specialty channel and web site owned by Pelmorex. MétéoMédia primarily serves viewers in Quebec, although some cable TV systems in Ontario and New Brunswick carry the channel as w ...

RDS Info RDS Info is a Canadian French language discretionary digital cable 24-hour sports information specialty channel. It is owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc., a division of Bell Media (80%) and ESPN (20%). The channel was launched on October ...

* Séries+ *

Télétoon Télétoon (stylized in all caps) is a Canadian French language specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment that broadcasts animated series aimed at kids, teens, and adults. Its name is a portmanteau of " télévision" and "cartoon". Télé ...

* TV5 ** Unis * Z

Third-language former Category A services

ATN Star Plus ATN Star Plus is a Canadian Category A specialty channel, owned by Asian Television Network (ATN). It is the flagship channel of the Asian Television Network and features programming from StarPlus as well as Canadian content in several South Asi ...

Fairchild TV Fairchild TV or FTV (新時代電視), is a Canadian Cantonese language exempt specialty channel."Waging a war over a large, wealthy, educated audience ; Fairchild TV and CFMT are battling it out to deliver the news to Canada's Chinese communi ...

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...

Talentvision Talentvision (marketed as 城市電視) is a Canadian Mandarin Chinese specialty channel. It is owned by the Vancouver-based Fairchild Media Group (a subsidiary of the Fairchild Group) and TVB. Talentvision's studios are located at Aberdeen C ...

Telelatino TLN (an abbreviation from its full name Telelatino) is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by TLN Media Group. The channel primarily broadcasts lifestyle programming surrounding the Spanish and Italian cultures, inc ...

Former Category B services

Category B services were those which had only optional, rather than mandatory, carriage rights on BDUs, and did not have format protection.

English former Category B services

ABC Spark ABC Spark is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel owned by Corus Entertainment. The channel was launched on March 26, 2012, replacing the declining channel Dusk. ABC Spark is based on the U.S. subscription channel Freefo ...

Adult Swim Adult Swim (stylized as

dult swim Dult is a village in Batala in Gurdaspur district of Punjab State, India. It is located from sub district headquarter, from district headquarter and from Sri Hargobindpur. The village is administrated by Sarpanch an elected representativ ...

and s is an American adult-oriented television programming block that airs on Cartoon Network which broadcasts during the evening, prime time, and Late-night television, late-night Dayparting, dayparts. T ...

ATN Cricket Plus ATN Cricket Plus is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Asian Television Network (ATN). ATN Cricket Plus broadcasts programming related to the sport of cricket including live and tape-delayed matches and news and h ...

ATN DD Sports ATN DD Sports is a Television in Canada, Canadian Discretionary service, discretionary English language digital cable specialty channel owned by Asian Television Network (ATN). It airs live and tape-delayed Cricket matches as well as other Asian sp ...

BBC Earth BBC Earth is a brand used by BBC Studios since 2009 to market and distribute the BBC's natural history content to countries other than the United Kingdom. BBC Studios is the commercial arm of the public service broadcaster. BBC Earth commercia ...

BBC First BBC First is an entertainment subscription television channel featuring comedy, crime, drama and film programming, originating from UK and mostly from the BBC. The channel is wholly owned and operated by BBC Studios. The channel began rolling ...

Boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool typically constructed with airfoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight, designed to return to the thrower. The origin of the word is from Australian Aborigin ...

CBN CBN, or cbn, may refer to: Broadcasting organizations * Radio stations in St. John's, Newfoundland: ** CBN (AM), CBC Radio One ** CBN-FM, CBC Music * Chronicle Broadcasting Network, the predecessor of ABS-CBN * CBN (Australian TV station), a TV ...

CTV Nature Channel CTV Nature Channel is a Canadian Discretionary service, discretionary specialty channel owned by CTV Specialty Television, a joint venture between Bell Media and ESPN Inc., with minority interests owned by Warner Bros. Discovery via licensee Disco ...

CTV Speed Channel CTV Speed Channel is a Canadian discretionary specialty channel owned by CTV Specialty Television, a joint venture between Bell Media and ESPN Inc., with a minority interest owned by Warner Bros. Discovery via licensee 2953285 Canada Inc. It broa ...

CTV Wild Channel CTV Wild Channel is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel majority-owned by Bell Media. The channel primarily broadcasts factual series and documentaries relating to animals. The network was originally established in 2001 ...

* Daystar Television Canada *

DejaView DejaView is a Canadian English language specialty television channel owned by Corus Entertainment. It primarily airs television shows from the 1970s to 2010s. The channel's name is a play on the phrase Deja Vu. History In November 2000, Global ...

* EuroWorld Sport *

Fight Network Fight Network is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment. The network broadcasts programming related to combat sports, including mixed martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, and professional wres ...

* FNTSY Sports Network * FX * FXX *

GameTV GameTV is a Television in Canada, Canadian English language Discretionary service, discretionary specialty channel. Owned by Anthem Sports & Entertainment, it primarily broadcasts competition-based programming, including game shows and reality com ...

* Global News: BC 1 * Hollywood Suite ** Hollywood Suite 70s Movies ** Hollywood Suite 80s Movies ** Hollywood Suite 90s Movies ** Hollywood Suite 00s Movies * HPItv ** HPItv Canada ** HPItv International ** HPItv Odds ** HPItv West * Lifetime *

Love Nature Love Nature is a Canadian specialty television channel owned by Blue Ant Media. Originally launched on March 12, 2006, the channel broadcasts documentaries and television series related to wildlife and nature. Outside of Canada, international v ...

Makeful Makeful is a Canadian pay television channel owned by Blue Ant Media focused on lifestyle programming relating to do-it-yourself projects such as food, design, style, and crafts in connection with maker culture (from which the channel takes its na ...

* MovieTime *

Nat Geo Wild National Geographic Wild (shortened as Nat Geo Wild and abbreviated NGW) is a global pay television network owned by National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (73%) and the National Geographic Society (27% ...

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

NBA TV Canada NBA TV Canada is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). It is the Canadian version of NBA TV, broadcasting programming focused on the National Basketball Association, and ...

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...

Oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...

Penthouse TV Penthouse TV is an American premium adult entertainment television channel consisting of explicit adult material, primarily hardcore pornographic films and mainstream interviews. The channel's name is licensed from the men's magazine '' Penthous ...

Playmen TV Playmen TV is a Canadian English language specialty channel. It is a premium adult entertainment television channel aimed at gay men, with programming consisting mainly of adult films and adult-related television series. It originally launched in 2 ...

Red Hot TV Red Hot TV can refer to: * Red Hot TV (Canada) Red Hot TV is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel that broadcasts adult entertainment material, primarily consisting of pornographic films, with a focus on couples-oriented prog ...

Rewind Rewind may refer to: General uses * Rewind, the process of winding magnetic tape inside a cassette or a microfilm reel backwards to a previous point on the reel ** Rewind symbol, a media control symbol indicating tape rewind or analogous operatio ...

Salt + Light Television In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as ro ...

Silver Screen Classics Silver Screen Classics is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel owned by Channel Zero Inc. Silver Screen Classics broadcasts films primarily from the 1930s to the 1960s; including feature films, silent films, serials, shorts, an ...

Smithsonian Channel The Smithsonian Channel is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its media networks division under MTV Entertainment Group. It offers video content inspired by the Smithsonian Institution's museums, research facil ...

Sportsnet World Sportsnet World is a Canadian English language discretionary digital cable and satellite specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media, a subsidiary of Rogers Communications operating as a national sports channel complementing the Sportsnet g ...

Stingray Naturescape Stingray Naturescape is a Canadian-based specialty television channel owned by Stingray Group. The channel primarily broadcasts a rotation of various nature scenery videos with accompanying audio from the nature scene pictured with sometimes non- ...

* The Rural Channel * Wild TV *

WildBrainTV WildBrainTV (formerly Family CHRGD) is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by WildBrain. WildBrainTV broadcasts live-action and animated children's programming aimed towards audiences ages 6–15. Its name comes fro ...

World Fishing Network World Fishing Network (WFN) is an American television network that offers online and mobile platform dedicated to fishing. It offers a diverse range of programming that includes instruction, tips, tournaments, travel, food boating and outdoor lif ...

French former Category B services

* Avis de Recherche * Casa * Frissons TV *

Ici Explora Ici Explora (stylized as ICI Explora) is a Canadian French language specialty channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (known in French as Société Radio-Canada) that focuses on science, environment, nature, and health programming. ...

* Investigation * Prise 2 * QUB (Formerly Yoopa) *

Télémagino Télémagino is a Canadian French-language specialty channel owned by WildBrain. Launched on 5 July 2010, as a sister to an equivalent English-language service, it airs children's programming targeting viewers ages 2–11. The channel previou ...

Témoin Témoin (''Witness'', formerly known as Mlle and Moi et Cie) is a Canadian French-language discretionary specialty channel owned by Groupe TVA. The network primarily broadcasts crime dramas and true crime programs. History The channel launche ...

* Vivid TV Canada * Zeste

Third-language former Category B services

Aaj Tak () is an Indian Hindi-language television news channel owned by the TV Today Network, a part of the New Delhi-based media conglomerate India Today Group. History Aaj Tak was first broadcast on DD Metro of Doordarshan (DD) in 1995. It ...

All TV All TV (stylized as ALLTV and known on-air as ALLTV2) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine free-to-air Terrestrial television, broadcast television network serving as the flagship property of Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS) ...

* ATN Food Food * ATN SAB TV * ATN Sony TV * ATN Times Now * ATN Zoom * Fairchild TV 2 HD * FPTV *

Filmy Filmy is an Indian Hindi-language movie channel based in Mumbai, Maharashtra Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capita ...

* Mediaset Italia *

Mediaset TGCOM 24 Mediaset TGcom24 is a conservative Italian 24-hour all-news television channel operated by Mediaset and owned by MFE - MediaForEurope, started in 2011 and broadcast on 51 digital terrestrial television and on the 509 Sky Italia satellite platfor ...

MEGA Cosmos Mega or MEGA may refer to: Science * mega-, a metric prefix denoting 106 * Mega (number), a certain very large integer in Steinhaus–Moser notation * "mega-" a prefix meaning "large" that is used in taxonomy * Gravity assist, for ''Moon-Eart ...

New Tang Dynasty Television New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD Television) is a multilingual American television broadcaster founded by adherents of the Falun Gong new religious movement and based in New York City. The station was founded in 2001 as a Chinese-language bro ...

* SSTV *

Telebimbi Telebimbi is a Canadian Category B-exempt Italian language specialty channel owned by TLN Media Group. Telebimbi broadcasts programming primarily aimed at children in addition to select family-oriented programming. History In October 2011, TLN ...

TeleNiños TeleNiños is a Canadian Category B-exempt Spanish language specialty channel owned by TLN Media Group. TeleNiños broadcasts programming primarily aimed at children in addition to select family-oriented programming. History In October 2011, TLN ...

* Travelxp *

Univision Canada Univision Canada is a Canadian Spanish language specialty channel owned by TLN Media Group, in partnership with TelevisaUnivision, the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States. Univision Canada broadcasts a variety of programm ...

* ZEE Bollywood *

Zee Cinema ZEE TV also known as Z TV is an Indian Hindi language general entertainment pay television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was launched on 1 October 1992 as the oldest privately owned television channel in India. Histor ...

Zee TV Canada Zee is the phonetic pronunciation of the letter Z in American English ("zed" in Commonwealth English). Zee may also refer to: People *Zee (徐), a Wu Chinese surname, an equivalent of Xu * Anthony Zee (b. 1945), Chinese-American physicist * Ch ...

* Zing

National news and sports discretionary services

English national news and sports discretionary services

= English news discretionary services

= *

CBC News Network CBC News Network (formerly CBC Newsworld) is a Canadian English-language specialty news channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). It is Canada's first all-news channel, and the world's third-oldest television service of this ...

* CTV News Channel * The News Forum

= English sports discretionary services

= *

Sportsnet Sportsnet is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary sports broadcasting, sports specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. It was established in 1998 as CTV Sportsnet, a joint venture betw ...

** Sportsnet East ** Sportsnet Ontario ** Sportsnet Pacific ** Sportsnet West *

Sportsnet One Sportsnet One (SN1 or SN One) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary digital cable and satellite television, satellite specialty channel owned by Rogers Media, Rogers Sports & Media; it operates ...

** Sportsnet Flames ** Sportsnet Oilers ** Sportsnet Vancouver Hockey * TSN ** TSN1 **

TSN2 TSN2 is a Canadian English-language discretionary sports specialty channel that acts as the secondary feed of sports-centred channel The Sports Network (TSN) and owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc. It was launched in its current form on A ...

** TSN3 ** TSN4 ** TSN5

French national news and sports discretionary services

= French news discretionary services

= *

Ici RDI Ici RDI is a Canadian French-language specialty news channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (known in French as Société Radio-Canada). The channel began broadcasting on January 1, 1995, as Réseau de l'information (, ''Informat ...

* LCN

= French sports discretionary services

= * RDS **

RDS2 RDS2 is a Canadian French language discretionary sports specialty channel, acting as the secondary feed of French language television network Réseau des sports, owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc. The channel was launched on October 7, 2011, ...

TVA Sports TVA Sports is a Canadian French-language sports specialty channel owned by the Groupe TVA, a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media. The channel is a general-interest sports network, and the first major competitor to RDS, the only other F ...

** TVA Sports 2

French former exempted services

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

* Disney Jr. *

Disney XD Disney XD is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Disney Branded Television and Disney Entertainment units of The Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven years old ...

* Stingray Hits!

French premium services

* Crave (Four multiplex channels) **

HBO Canada HBO (previously known as HBO Canada, and still referred to as such on social media) is a Canadian premium television network from Crave (formerly The Movie Network), which is owned by Bell Media under license from Warner Bros. Discovery. The c ...

(East and west) * Super Channel (Four multiplex channels) ** Super Channel Fuse ** Super Channel Heart & Home ** Super Channel Vault ** Ginx TV Canada *

Super Écran Super Écran (French: ''Super Screen'') is a Canadian French-language premium television network owned by Bell Media. It airs a mix of commercial-free films and television series. Films are primarily sourced from the United States and Canada, wh ...

(Four Multiplex Channels) *

Starz Starz (stylized in all caps as STARZ; pronounced "stars") is an American pay television network owned by Starz Entertainment, and is the flagship property of Starz Inc. Launched in 1994 as a multiplex service of what is now Starz Encore, ...

(Two multiplex channels)

Former premium services

Family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

(Two multiplex channels, now mostly former analogue cable services) **

Family Jr. Family Jr. is a Canadian specialty channel owned by WildBrain. A sister channel to Family Channel, it broadcasts children's programming aimed at viewers aged 2 to 7. Legally, the channel operates as a multiplex service of Family Channel, stemmi ...

Exempted discretionary services

Services with less than 200,000 subscribers that would otherwise meet the definition of a discretionary service, and services which air 90% of their programming in a "third language (a language other than English,

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

, or those of Canadian aboriginal peoples), are exempted from formal licensing by the CRTC. They must still comply with standard conditions of license published by the CRTC, maintain a file with the Commission, and, if this is the basis of their exemption, begin to pursue an application for licensing if they exceed 200,000 subscribers.

English

ABS-CBN News Channel The ABS-CBN News Channel, commonly known as ANC, is a 24/7 Philippine pay television news channel. It was launched in 1996 as the first all-news network in English language. The majority of its programs are produced by ABS-CBN News and Curre ...

(ANC) *

AOV Adult Movie Channel AOV Adult Movie Channel, also known simply as AOVTV, is a Canadian-exempt English-language discretionary specialty channel. It is a premium television channel consisting of explicit feature pornographic films, scheduled by genre specifically for e ...

* beIN Sports Canada * The Cult Movie Network *

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel, known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery, is an American cable channel that is best known for its ongoing reality television shows and promotion of pseudoscience. It init ...

Exxxtasy TV Exxxtasy TV is a Canadian English language exempt Category B specialty channel. It is a pay television adult entertainment television channel consisting of explicit adult material, primarily pornographic films, aimed at male audiences. The chann ...

* FEVA TV *

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...

HGTV HGTV (an initialism for Home & Garden Television) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The network primarily broadcasts reality programming related to home improvement and real estate. HGTV Dream Home is an ...

Investigation Discovery Investigation Discovery (stylized and branded on-air as ID since 2008) is an American multinational pay television network dedicated to true crime documentaries, similar to corporate sibling HLN. It is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery's netw ...

Magnolia Network Magnolia Network is an American basic cable network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery in partnership with Chip Gaines, Chip and Joanna Gaines, the founders of lifestyle company Magnolia. It broadcasts personality-based lifestyle programs related ...

Maleflixxx Television Maleflixxx Television is a Canadian exempt English language specialty channel. It is a premium adult entertainment television channel, with programming consisting of gay male pornography. It is also noted as the first 24-hour channel of its kind in ...

* MAVTV Canada *

Stingray Country Stingray Country is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Stingray Digital. The channel broadcasts music videos relating to country music. History The channel launched on May 13, 2019 on Roku; later launching on Jan ...

Stingray Juicebox Stingray Juicebox is a Canadian discretionary music specialty channel owned by Stingray Group. It is a commercial-free channel that broadcasts music and music videos aimed towards children and teens. The channel was first established in 2001 by ...

Stingray Loud Stingray Loud is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Stingray Digital. The channel broadcasts music videos relating to rock, modern rock, alternative, punk, and heavy metal. The channel was launched on Septembe ...

Stingray Retro Stingray Retro is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by the Stingray Group. The channel mainly broadcasts music videos from the 1980s to the early 2010s, with some occasional pre-1980s music videos played at times. ...

* Stingray Now 4K *

Stingray Vibe Stingray Vibe is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Stingray Digital. The channel broadcasts hip-hop, rap, R&B, rhythmic pop and EDM/Dance music videos. The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as MuchV ...

Toon-A-Vision Toon-A-Vision is a Canadian English language discretionary service television channel owned by Atlantic Digital Networks that launched on June 19, 2018. The channel broadcasts animated programming aimed at preschoolers and teenagers. Its name is ...

* Vertical TV * Vintage TV * XXX Action Clips Channel

Third-language

Abu Dhabi TV Abu Dhabi TV () is an Emirates-based television channel that was originally launched in 1969. It broadcasts content from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and is owned by Abu Dhabi Media. Abu Dhabi TV is managed by the Abu ...

* AksyonTV International * Al-Nahar TV * Al-Nahar Drama * Al Resalah * All TV K * ATN Aastha TV * ATN Alpha ETC Punjabi * ATN ARY Digital *

ATN B4U Movies ATN B4U Movies is a Canadian Category B specialty channel owned by Asian Television Network International. It broadcasts programming from B4U Movies and Canadian content. Programming consists of Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known ...

* ATN B4U Music *

ATN Bangla ATN Bangla (), 'ATN' being the acronym of the unused Asian Television Network, is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language satellite and cable television channel owned by Multimedia Production Company. It is based in the Kawran Bazar neighborhood of Dha ...

* ATN Brit Asia TV * ATN Colors Bangla * ATN Colors Marathi * ATN DD Bharati * ATN DD Urdu * ATN Gujarati * ATN IBC Tamil *

ATN Jaya TV ATN Jaya TV (still unofficially known as ATN Tamil) is a Canadian exempt Category B Tamil language specialty channel owned by Asian Television Network (ATN). It broadcasts programming from Jaya TV, a popular television channel from India, and Cana ...

ATN Movies ATN Movies is a Canadian Category B Hindi language specialty channel owned by Asian Television Network (ATN). ATN Movies is a Bollywood film channel with a focus on family-oriented films. It airs blockbusters, modern classics and contemporary c ...

* ATN MTV India * ATN News 18 * ATN PM One * ATN Punjabi 5 * ATN Punjabi News * ATN Punjabi Plus * ATN Rishtey * ATN Sikh Channel * ATN Sony Aath * ATN Sony Max * ATN Sony Mix * ATN Star Jalsha * ATN SVBC * ATN Tamil Plus *

ATN Urdu ATN Urdu is a Canadian pay television channel owned by Asian Television Network (ATN). It is an Urdu-language general entertainment network, airing programming that appeals to the entire family including comedies, serials, talk shows, music, religi ...

BBC Arabic BBC Arabic () consisted of the Modern Standard Arabic, Literary Arabic language radio station which was run by the BBC World Service, as well as the BBC Arabic Television, BBC's satellite TV channel, and the website that serves as a Literary Ar ...

* Big Magic International * Canada Chinese TV * Canada National TV * CCCTV * Chakde TV * Channel 9 Canada * Channel Punjabi * Channel Y * Cinema One Global * CTC International * Detskiy *

Dream 2 ''Dream 2: Middleweight Grand Prix 2008 1st Round'' was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Dream. It took place on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama City, Japan. The event hosted the opening round of the promotio ...

ERT World ERT World (formerly ERT SAT) is a Greek free-to-air television channel owned and operated by state-owned public broadcaster Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (). It is the corporation's international television service, and its programming include ...

* Fairchild TV 2 * FTV * First National *

GMA Life TV GMA Life TV is a 24-hour Philippine pay television channel owned by GMA Network, Inc.It was launched on February 16, 2008. Programming Programming consists mostly of shows from GMA Network and GTV as well as previously aired shows, documenta ...

GMA News TV GMA News TV (GNTV; visually rendered in uppercase in its logo) is a 24-hour Philippine-based international pay television channel owned by Citynet Network Marketing and Productions Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GMA Network Inc. It was ...

GMA Pinoy TV GMA Pinoy TV is a Philippine pay television channel that was launched in March 2005, by GMA Network. Operated by its subsidiaries, GMA International and GMA Worldwide Inc. and its news division, GMA Integrated News, it is targeted towards the ...

* Greek Music Channel * Halla Bol! * HRT Sat *

Hum TV Hum TV HD is a 24-hour Urdu general entertainment TV channel based in Karachi, Pakistan. It was founded by Sultana Siddiqui and Duraid Qureshi. It is owned by Hum Network Limited and traded on the Pakistan Stock Exchange as (HUMNL). Hum Net ...

* Iran TV Network *

Kapatid Channel Kapatid Channel (stylized as Kapatid) is an international Philippine pay television, subscription television channel owned by TV5 Network#International presence, Pilipinas Global Network, Ltd. The channel offers programming highlights from th ...

* KHL-TV * LS Times TV * Melody Aflam * Melody Drama * Melody Hits * Momo Kids * Montreal Greek TV * NGTV * Nova World * OSN Ya Hala International * Prime Asia TV * ProSiebenSat.1 Welt *

PTC Punjabi PTC Punjabi is an Indian Punjabi-language television network. Indian politician and the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal Sukhbir Singh Badal holds a majority stake in PTC. It features general interest programming including news, dramas, ...

* Rawal TV * RBTI Canada * Rotana Aflam * Rotana Cinema * Rotana Classic * Rotana Clip * Rotana Khalijiah * Rotana Masriya * Rotana Mousica * RTL Living *

RTS Sat RTS Svet (Serbian Cyrillic: РТС Свет, or RTS World (/); Satellite program of RTS (/)), formerly RTS Sat, is a Serbian satellite television channel. It is operated by Radio Television of Serbia (RTS). Audience The channel is aimed at Se ...

RTVi RTVI is a global Russian-speaking multi-platform media, which includes a news website (about 4 million users per month) and other digital platforms (2.7 million subscribers): 6 YouTube channels, 2 Telegram channels and accounts in all major soc ...

* Russian Illuzion * SBTN * Schlager TV * TET * Tamil One * Tamil Vision *

The Filipino Channel The Filipino Channel, commonly known as TFC, is a global subscription television network owned and operated by the Philippine media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation. Its programming is composed primarily of imported programs produced and distri ...

(TFC) * The Israeli Network * Toronto 360 TV * TVCentr International *

TVP Info TVP Info is a Polish free-to-air television news channel, run by the public state broadcaster TVP. It is focused on newscasts, mainly broadcasting nationwide news bulletins. Until 20 December 2023, its main offices were located in the building ...

* TV Rain * Vanakkam TV * Win HD Caribbean * WOWtv * Zee 24 Taas * Zee Bangla * Zee Marathi * Zee Punjabi * Zee Salaam * Zee Talkies * Zee Tamil

References

{{Reflist 2015 establishments in Canada Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission *1