Wildfire risk 'very much in the mind' of CRTC as it mulls new FM licences in Yellowknife
CBC
The risk of wildfires in the Northwest Territories is one of the main reasons a new commercial FM radio licence could be granted in Yellowknife, according to an official with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
The CRTC on Wednesday wrapped up a two-day hearing in the city, looking at two separate applications for new FM licences.
Scott Shortliffe, vice-president of broadcasting for the CRTC, said the devastating 2023 wildfires in the territory — which forced the evacuation of several communities, including Yellowknife — illustrated the "vast importance of having community information."
"Unfortunately, because of climate change, we know that Northwest Territories is subject to the possibility of more forest fires in the future — and I think that's certainly something that is very much in the mind of the commission," he said.
"It's certainly not the only factor, but I think that we would consider that much more seriously in the case of Yellowknife than we would, say, in the case of Calgary or Vancouver or Montreal."
This week's hearing comes just two years after the CRTC denied an FM licence application from Yellowknife-based Cabin Radio, saying the local market in the N.W.T. capital couldn't support another commercial station.
Shortliffe said that at that time, radio stations across Canada were still struggling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Advertising was slashed, all the commercial radio stations lost a great deal of revenue," he said.
Things have changed since then, he added.
"What we've seen is a quite a bit of recovery, not necessarily quite to pre-COVID levels, but a steady improvement in the economic condition. And one of the things we're listening to [at this hearing] is what that means for the Yellowknife market."
Two applicants have applied for a new broadcasting licence in the city, including Cabin Radio which is giving it another shot. It currently operates a news website and online radio station, but does not have a terrestrial radio licence.
The other applicant is Vista Radio, a B.C.-based company that currently operates True North FM in Yellowknife along with other FM stations in B.C., Alberta and Ontario.
Both applicants made their case to the CRTC on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the commission heard from a variety of intervenors who spoke in support of or against the applications.
Many of the most passionate intervenors spoke in favour of a licence for Cabin Radio.
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