mace wrote:

Is this situation unique to the U of Ottawa or do campus radio stations across Canada have similar funding issues?

At least one, and probably more. 

CJTR radio in dire straits under C18, pandemic hangover, manager says

For the purposes of clarity, CJTR is not the University of Regina's campus radio station. It was set up as a non-profit community radio station back in 2001 and, apart from a show sponsored by the U of R, has no direct affiliation with the school.
On the Ottawa situation, it's another example of a campus radio station reaching out into the community but forgetting its roots as a university outlet. A glance at the schedule shows a heavy amount of shows celebrating hip-hop and club culture, with community based shows targeting the Asian and Francophone communities and other interest groups. If students feel that their tastes and interests aren't being reflected on the local campus station, many wonder why they should be required to pay for it. At the same time, it's worth noting that the turnout to vote for these student elections at U of O, which included a number of other resolutions, was a whopping 7.7%.

Here in the K/W area we have 4 university/college radio stations.  Three OTA and one on line.
 
CKMS 102.7 University of Waterloo, says the station is independent and hasn't been fully funded by students since 2008.  The station has been broadcasting since 1977.
 
CFRU 93.3 University of Guelph with a history that goes back to 1939.  First licensed as an AM station in 1973 and moved to FM in 1980.

CJIQ 88.3 Conestoga College.  The most commercial sounding of this group with an alternative/indie format.  Part of the radio broadcast course and on air since January 2001. Station has local ads, even some national. 

Radio Laurier- On line radio station at radiolaurier.com

All of the above also consider themselves to be community stations.  CFRU Guelph solicits support from the general population. 

Interesting that 98.5 CKWR which is the original community station in K/W has a pretty good AAA format during the day.  Some really great music and on air talent.  Most evenings and weekends they get into more specialized programming.  This was the station that was teetering and almost closed down a few years ago.  They have turned themselves around and have a decent variety of advertisers whenever I have tuned in. 

Hamilton's CFMU 93.3 at McMaster University is funded by students AND the community at large (by way of on-air fund drive and usually an event in the community).

A lot of campus/community stations do on-air funding drives.

Even JazzFM 91.1 does so.

Radiowiz wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

Here in the K/W area we have 4 university/college radio stations.  

Which one of those stations almost closed down because students voted for a free sandwich instead of funding the radio station? (this was a while ago)

That would have been CKMS.