The CRTC has given Corus permission to turn off 44 over-the-air re-broadcasting transmitters, including two in Ontario. The reasons include the expense of keeping them going and the ongoing freeing up of spectrum space for cell phone use.
 
The over-$2 million allocated to all this will be spent elsewhere, with 80% headed to the Canadian Media Fund. Despite a few interventions from OTA fans, the Commission concluded that there were too many other ways to get the same stations and they couldn’t justify doing much about it.  
 
"The applicant stated that these transmitters do not generate any incremental revenue and generally attract little to no added viewership, due in part to their locations in smaller markets. Corus argued that the transmitters are costly to maintain and predicted that the expenses would increase as a result of the Department’s repurposing initiative of the 600 MHz frequency band. 

"In spite of the deletion of these transmitters, Corus argued that the programming offered in the affected markets would continue to be available through broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs), such as to cable and satellite subscribers, on the basic service in most of the affected markets."
 
The two in Ontario that will affect cottage owners or those who live there are CHEX in Bancroft and CKWS channel 3 in Smiths Falls. But what’s most interesting in the decision may be these words:
 
“The Commission notes that licences, such as those held by Corus, are authorizations to broadcast, not obligations to do so. In other words, while the Commission has the discretion to refuse to revoke broadcasting licences, even on application from a licensee, it cannot generally direct a licensee to continue to operate its transmitters.”
 
I can only wonder if that means there are more shutdowns from other owners coming.
 
CRTC Decision