The LGBTQ+ network is available throughout Canada, but at present, you don't have to subscribe if you don't want it. If the station's owners get their way, it would be declared a must carry outlet and appear on your line-up, slightly raising the price of your cable package. The cost: about 12 cents extra a month. 

The CRTC is seeking comments on the idea before making a decision sometime this year. I looked at some of the 54 interventions and almost all of them were in favour of the move. 

All, that is, except one group. Bell, Telus and Cogeco are all objecting to the idea, saying it will cost subscribers - and the companies - more. And they don't think it's justified. 

From Bell's intervention:

OUTtv's request for mandated distribution in the small basic package at 12 cents per subscriber would result in OUTtv's revenues increasing from $4.4M to approximately $14M per year, an increase of more than $9M.  There is no credible reason that would justify such a massive, mandated increase to OUTtv's subscriber revenues. $14M is approximately three times more subscriber revenue that it has earned in any of the last ten years. Moreover, such an increase would not recognize the ongoing significant decline in subscriber revenues earned by BDUs."

It's not clear when the CRTC will make its ruling, although it's set a deadline for comments of Feb. 21st.