CRTC approval of CPAC rate increase provides broadcaster with short-term solution, says CEO

The CRTC has approved Cable Public Affairs Channel Inc.’s (CPAC) rate increase request five months after it deferred the decision to make way for the continued implementation of the modernized Broadcasting Act. But the long awaited boost to CPAC’s wholesale fee — an increase of three cents a month per subscriber — only provides the broadcaster with a short-term solution to a problem that is not going away, says CEO Christa Dickenson. “We’re pleased. There’s no question about it,” she told The Wire Report following the decision. “It’s been a long wait.” Knowing it would need the funding increase by September in order to keep the cameras rolling, CPAC proactively submitted a Part 1 application in July 2024, hoping it would buy the organization enough time for the application to make it through the CRTC’s decision-making process. In November, the CRTC deferred its decision until the modernized Broadcasting Act was fully implemented, but said it may come back to it earlier, if necessary. The commission released its approval of the increase on April 13. In its decision, the CRTC said since the deferral, “the financial situation of CPAC Inc. has continued to deteriorate and is now critical, jeopardizing the fulfillment of its mandate and the sustainability of its public interest mission.” The increase will take effect on Sept. 1, and Dickenson said those three cents are not coming “a minute too soon.” “It provides a small degree of operational relief,” Dickenson said. “But the reality is that subscriber losses are accelerating, and this increase has been a long time coming.” Since 2018, Dickenson said CPAC has experienced a subscriber decline of nearly 25 per cent. Dickenson said CPAC will be playing catch-up, as the increase, which brings the wholesale rate from 13 cents to 16 cents, is only expected to cover the inflation from 2018. CPAC is currently operating on end-of-life infrastructure, and Dickenson said she hopes this increase will help replace that infrastructure should any of it fail. But, she added, as cable subscriber rates are expected to continue declining, so will CPAC’s revenue, quickly making the three cents a moot point. In 2023, CPAC’s annual revenue was $15 million. Today, it sits at $13 million, while the rate increase is expected to add roughly $2.8 million annually. Dickenson said she’s encouraged the CRTC has recognized “the role that CPAC plays within the broadcasting system,” but there needs to be a permanent solution that does not rely solely on cable funding or one-time government top-ups. When initially applying for the increase, Dickenson expected that, by now, the broadcast reform would be in place, and that it would include a ‘services of exceptional importance fund’ or another mechanism for streamers to contribute to the broadcasting system to support public services. The future of CPAC’s funding is uncertain, but Dickenson said there is no shortage of options, adding that a new funding structure could come from a combination of cable revenue, government, and streamer funding. It has been three years since the Online Streaming Act received Royal Assent, though it has still not been fully implemented (the act is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court). Given how long CRTC decisions typically take, Dickenson said “there’s no way isn’t three years out.” “It took them nearly two years to even provide a simple answer on a simple, straightforward Part 1,” she said. In the meantime, Dickenson is looking for help. “We have asked the government for further help on our capital, for operational assistance in a meaningful way,” she said. Dickenson is certainly worried about CPAC’s future, but she believes a permanent solution is “inevitable,” due to how many people in Ottawa rely on CPAC to do their jobs. In February, a survey sent out to CPAC’s ‘super users’ (those who use CPAC the most) found 60 per cent work in and around Parliament Hill, including people responsible for policymaking and those who work in government relations. Further, 19 per cent are journalists who mainly use CPAC for fact-checking and keeping up with what is happening on Parliament Hill. Essentially, Dickenson said, CPAC’s two largest demographics are workers charged with upholding democracy. “ is priceless when you think of democratic sovereignty,” she said. “The only thing that scares me is that people do not appreciate sense of urgency that we do need help in the meantime.” mcollins@thewirereport.ca

CRTC approval of CPAC rate increase provides broadcaster with short-term solution, says CEO

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By Maria Collins
|April 16, 2026

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CRTC approval of CPAC rate increase provides broadcaster with short-term solution, says CEO

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