A 2-bit primer to Canadian television:


Showing major networks and their low-band VHF affiliates and logos.

Canadian TV is in most respects similar to and difficult to distinguish from that in the U.S.. Most stations broadcast in English; most of the same products are sold; and the dialect is very similar to that of the midwestern U.S.. However, there are some differences.
The first one will not make your day as a DXer: Canadian broadcast stations are only required to identify once a day. In fact, use of call letters is quite rare. The assembly of several regional independents into the Global network has stripped several distinctive local IDs, making things even more difficult. Local advertising is the best way to identify Canadian TV stations.
While much of the programming on Canadian stations is similar to that in the U.S., there are some ways to tell which side of the border a station is on. First, U.S. programming is frequently carried out of sequence - on the "wrong" night. Sometimes, the difference is much smaller, on the order of a few seconds. Second, while Canadians seem to speak the same dialect as midwestern U.S. residents, there are some subtle differences. Those within DX range of the border should familiarize themselves with the Canadian accent. CBC Radio has several live streams which will expose you to the differences. The Saskatchewan feed seems the most reliable of the bunch. Finally, DXers should look at the logos below. Luckily, they're pretty distinctive and unlikely to be mistaken for anything airing in the U.S. or Mexico.
You can tell a fair amount about a Canadian station by its callsign. All stations starting with the letters "CB" are owned by the CBC. If they end in the letters "FT", it's a French-language Radio-Canada outlet; otherwise, it's usually English. (however, there are some exceptions in Quebec.) A handful of CBC-owned stations, especially in northern Ontario and Saskatchewan, relay privately-owned CBC affiliates.
Stations starting with letters other than "CB" are privately owned. (except CJBR which never changed calls when the CBC bought it) Some private stations are CBC-affiliated though. In some more lightly-populated areas - especially on the Prairies and in northern Ontario - "dual-stick" operations exist. Two stations with common ownership operate from the same tower; one is a CBC affiliate while the other is with CTV. It is not unusual for such stations to share news broadcasts, PSAs, and promotions. (you may see a promo for a CTV program on a CBC affiliate and vice-versa)
Stations with a number in the callsign (like CBXAT-2) are translators, 100% relays of the station whose callsign you see if you delete the number. (CBXAT in this case) You will quickly note that Canadian translators are often much more powerful than those in the U.S.! It's a big country..
There are also "semi-satellites". CBC semi-satellites have five-letter callsigns, like CBXAT. These stations mostly relay the station whose call you get by deleting the fourth letter from the relay's call. (in this case, CBXT) My understanding is that these semi-satellites can air split advertising, independently of the primary station. Privately-owned semi-satellite stations have completely different callsigns from their primary. For example, CJOM-TV is a semi-satellite of CJON-TV.

CBC
CBC-TV is an English-language service with national coverage. Note the logo is very similar to that of the co-owned Radio-Canada service. My understanding is that all network programming is now produced in Canada - there is no U.S. programming on this network. Privately-owned affiliates may carry some in non-network periods though.
Stations whose calls begin with "CB" are owned by the network; those starting with other letters are privately-owned and may carry only the minimum network schedule. The two CBCP stations and CBCC-TV are CBC-owned relays of privately-owned CBC affiliates.

AB High Prairie	CBXAT-2		2-	 11,200/154
AB Lloydminster	CKSA-TV		2z	116,000/221
BC Kelowna	CHBC-TV		2z	  3,700/498
BC Vancouver	CBUT		2+	100,000/593
BC Pr. George	CKPG-TV		2z	  8,300/330
MB Mafeking	CBWYT		2z	 15,000/113
NF Bonne Bay	CBYT-3		2z	  5,152/33
NS Cheticamp	CBIT-2		2-	  7,350/186
ON Kearns	CFCL-TV-2	2z	 70,000/212
ON Thunder Bay	CKPR-TV		2z	 56,000/366
SK Spiritwood	CKBI-TV-6	2+	 21,100/164
SK Cyp. Hills	CBCP-TV-2	2+	  6,750/275
BC Terrace	CFTK-TV		3z	 13,800/454
NF Baie Verte	CBNAT-1		3z	 12,200/277
NS Halifax	CBHT		3z	100,000/270
ON Pembroke	CBOT-6		3z	 43,300/152
QC Sept-Iles	CBSET		3z	  3,700/239
SK Ponteix	CBCP-TV-3	3z	 18,800/239
SK Warmley	CFSS-TV		3-	100,000/390
AB Pivot	CHAT-TV-1	4+	  4,900/191
BC Kamloops	CFJC-TV		4+	  3,700/153
MB Lac d Bonnet	CBWT-2		4z	 16,800/116
NB St. John	CBAT-TV		4+	100,000/385
NB Campbellton	CBAT-TV-4	4-	 25,120/413
NF Hermitage	CBNT-24		4+	 50,000/243
NF Hawke's Bay	CBYT-9		4+	  4,800/66
ON North Bay	CHNB-TV		4-	100,000/223
ON Ottawa	CBOT		4+	100,000/398
SK Greenwater L	CKBI-TV-3	4+	 17,000/223
SK Moose Jaw	CBKT-1		4-	100,000/242
AB Edmonton	CBXT		5+	318,000/204
BC Dawson Creek	CJDC-TV		5z	  9,500/313
MB Jackhead	CBWGT-1		5z	  6,400/183
MB Brandon	CKX-TV		5+	100,000/407
NF Corner Brook	CBYT		5z	 15,700/149
NF Marystown	CBNT-3		5+	 96,200/238
NS Sydney	CBIT		5-	100,000/143
ON Hearst	CBCC-TV		5+	  8,110/147
ON Toronto	CBLT		5z	100,000/463
ON Fort Frances	CBWCT		5z	 95,800/201
ON S.S. Marie	CJIC-TV		5z	 75,700/183
QC Quebec	CBVE-TV		5-	 13,850/140
SK Swift Curren CJFB-TV		5-	 13,300/156
SK Pr. Albert	CKBI-TV		5z	100,000/237
SK Yorkton	CKOS-TV		5-	 54,600/163
AB Red Deer	CKRD-TV		6-	100,000/249
AB Medicine Hat	CHAT-TV		6z	 58,000/203
BC Pr. Rupert	CFTK-TV-1	6+	  2,440/594
MB Winnipeg	CBWT		6-	100,000/308
NB Chatham	CBAT-TV-3	6z	 12,760/106
NB Bon Accord	CBAT-TV-1	6-	100,000/347
NF St. Anthony	CBNAT-4		6z	 12,740/180
ON Timmins	CFCL-TV		6+	100,000/175
QC Montreal	CBMT		6+	100,000/260
SK Wynyard	CHSS-TV		6z	 11,000/187
Radio-Canada
Radio-Canada is the French-language version of the CBC. It's the only French-language network with significant coverage outside Quebec. As with English CBC, stations with "CB" at the beginning of the callsign are network-owned; those starting with other letters (except CJBR which is also network-owned) are private.
ON Kenora	CBWFT-7		2+	  6,800/119
QC Carleton	CBGAT-14	2-	100,000/467
QC Rimouski	CJBR-TV		2z	100,000/301
QC R.-au-Renard	CBGAT-22	2+	  4,200/219
QC Montreal	CBFT		2z	100,000/276
MB S. Rose du L	CBWFT-4		3+	  3,915/37
MB Winnipeg	CBWFT		3-	 59,000/308
NB Allardville	CBAFT-3		3z	 94,000/165
NS Yarmouth	CBHFT-1		3-	 38,250/170
QC Bearn/Fabre	CKRN-TV-3	3-	  3,640/166
QC La Tuque	CBFT-14		3-	 28,000/124
QC Mont-Laurier	CBFT-2		3+	 28,200/155
SK Pr. Albert	CBKFT-2		3+	 10,800/206
QC Rouyn-Noran.	CKRN-TV		4z	 98,400/258
NB Fredericton	CBAFT-1		5-	 60,000/195
QC Malartic	CBVD-TV		5-	 19,200/188
AB Falher	CBXFT-2		6-	  5,350/82
AB Bonnyville	CBXFT-1		6z	100,000/179
ON Dryden	CBWFT-9		6z	 19,600/146
QC Matane	CBGAT		6+	  7,310/215
QC Beauceville	CBVT-6		6z	 10,000/154
CTV
CTV is the other long-standing English-language network. The extremely high power of the Edmonton station is not a typo. (I'd love to see that antenna!)
AB Lac la Biche	CFRN-TV-5	2+	  8,656/104
NB Moncton	CKCW-TV		2z	100,000/309
NF Grand Bank	CJOX-TV-1	2+	  9,260/117
ON S.S. Marie	CHBX-TV		2-	100,000/183
ON Wiarton	CKCO-TV-2	2-	100,000/286
SK Melfort	CKBQ-TV		2-	 15,500/150
SK Regina	CKCK-TV		2z	100,000/179
AB Edmonton	CFRN-TV		3z	609,000/217
AB Peace River	CFRN-TV-2	3-	  4,300/170
NB Florencevl.	CKLT-TV-1	3+	 35,000/195
NF Argentia	CJOM-TV		3z	 14,000/164
NS Pt. Hawkesb.	CJCB-TV-6	3+	 15,000/90
ON Elliot Lake	CICI-TV-1	3z	 19,000/123
ON Timmins	CITO-TV		3+	100,000/148
SK Stranraer	CFQC-TV-1	3-	100,000/268
AB Lloydminster	CITL-TV		4-	130,000/221
AB Calgary	CFCN-TV		4z	100,000/190
MB Brandon	CKYB-TV		4+	100,000/407
NF Grand Falls	CJCN-TV		4z	100,000/183
NF Stephenville	CJSV-TV		4-	  8,340/138
NS Sydney	CJCB-TV		4z	180,000/98
ON Hearst	CITO-TV-3	4-	  7,110/165
ON Thunder Bay	CHFD-TV		4-	 56,000/366
BC Kelowna	CHKL-TV		5-	  7,000/510
NS Halifax	CJCH-TV		5z	100,000/256
ON Sudbury	CICI-TV		5z	100,000/324
BC Kamloops	CHKM-TV		6+	  4,000/153
BC Victoria	CHEK-TV		6z	100,000/496
NF St. John's	CJON-TV		6+	212,800/250
NS Inverness	CJCB-TV-1	6z	  9,400/310
NS Caledonia	CJCH-TV-6	6+	100,000/193
ON Deseronto	CJOH-TV-6	6-	100,000/205
SK N. Battlefor CFQC-TV-2	6+	 30,300/178
SK Willow Bunch	CKCK-TV-2	6-	 52,700/263
TVA
TVA is the oldest privately-owned French-language network in Canada. It does have a handful of transmitters outside Quebec, but the vast majority are in that province.
QC S. Margueri.	CHAU-TV-1	3-	 11,200/207
NB Edmundston	CIMT-TV-1	4-	  3,160/99
QC R.-au-Renard	CHAU-TV-7	4+	  5,460/227
QC Quebec	CFCM-TV		4z	100,000/140
QC Carleton	CHAU-TV		5z	 81,700/493
QC Gaspe Nord	CFER-TV-2	5+	100,000/284
QC Chicoutimi	CJPM-TV		6z	100,000/134
This logo is for a web portal operated by Global, but a similar logo is used on their TV stations.
Global
Global started as a Toronto-only station, expanded to coverage of much of Ontario, and then added affiliates in other parts of the country. Its coverage is much better than this list suggests - many Global affiliates are on high-band or UHF.
While the Paris, Ontario transmitter may appear to be the "key" station (due to its callsign), it is actually a relay station. The key station in the Toronto area is CIII-TV-41 [41] Toronto.
AB Calgary	CICT-TV		2+	100,000/302
MB Minnedosa	CKND-TV-2	2-	100,000/396
ON North Bay	CFGC-TV-2	2+	  3,400/90
ON Bancroft	CIII-TV-2	2+	100,000/390
ON Owen Sound	CIII-TV-4	4+	 37,000/131
SK Saskatoon	CFSK-TV		4z	100,000/139
BC Courtenay	CKVU-TV-1	5z	 17,700/83
ON Ottawa	CIII-TV-6	6z	 50,000/257
ON Paris	CIII-TV		6+	100,000/316
A-Channel
A-Channel is a relatively new network. It started on two Alberta stations and recently acquired a Manitoba outlet.
AB Lethbridge	CKAL-TV-1	2z	100,000/192
AB Red Deer	CKEM-TV-1	4+	  7,000/230
AB Calgary	CKAL-TV		5z	 79,400/257
MB Dauphin	CHMI-TV-3	6+	100,000/293
TQS
Tele Quatre Saisons is a relatively new French-language private network. Except for one low-power relay station, all its transmitters are in Quebec.
QC Quebec	CFAP-TV		2+	 98,000/168
QC Forestville	CFTF-TV-4	4z	  7,500/120
QC Jonquiere	CFRS-TV		4+	100,000/567
TVO
TVO is an English-language educational network, operating in Ontario only. Most of its transmitters are on UHF; indeed, there is only one of significant power on low-band VHF.
A TFO also exists; this is a French-language educational network operated by the same organization. In most of Ontario, TFO is received by cable only, though there are a significant number of low-power UHF transmitters carrying it. A small number of TFO transmitters have significant power but all are on UHF. There is also a third network, the Ontario Legislative channel. It, too, is all-UHF (and actually mostly cable) and none of the transmitters have significant power.
Similar educational networks (all in English) exist in Alberta and British Columbia. Again, in both cases most transmitters are low-power UHF facilities, though the Alberta network does have VHF transmitters of modest power in Calgary and Edmonton. Both are on high-band.
ON North Bay	CICA-TV-6	6z	 95,000/203

Two independent stations in Ontario operate on low-band VHF with significant power. The two are commonly-owned and use similar logos. The Pembroke station has a high-powered UHF relay in Ottawa and can be expected to carry Ottawa advertising.
 
ON Barrie	CKVR-TV		3+	100,000/342
ON Pembroke	CHRO-TV		5+	100,000/163

Finally, I'll mention some other networks/stations you're likely to encounter while DXing.
ATV is the company that operates the CTV affiliates in the mainland Maritime provinces. You'll see the ATV letters on their ID slides, and on their test patterns.
NTV operates CJON-TV, the CTV affiliate in St. John's, Newfoundland. It has relay transmitters throughout the province, which are widely seen via E-skip. The NTV logo is used along with CTV.
Mid-Canada Television, or MCTV, operates stations in northern Ontario. They have several "dual-stick" operations, with both CBC and CTV affiliates in the same city.
Thunder Bay Television uses the TBT logo on their IDs and promos. This, too, is a "dual-stick" operation with CBC and CTV affiliates.
One additional network is worth mentioning. operates throughout Ontario. Its transmitters relay CHCH-TV [11] Hamilton. All are either high-band VHF or UHF, though some do have considerable power and will be quite DXable by tropo.

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