CJSI-FM

On October 29, Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (Allan L. Hunsperger) was granted a licence for a new FM station at Calgary, operating on 88.9 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 23,500 watts. The station would operate in a specialty format, programming gospel music.  

Touch Canada’s application was technically mutually exclusive with a competing application by Thomas Fung and Roger Charest to operate an ethnic FM service. Both applications were predicated on the use of the same frequency, 88.9 MHz. Fung/Charest were directed to find another frequency for their proposed operation.

Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. was controlled by Allan L. Hunsperger, President of the licensee’s Board of Directors. The company also owned CJCA-AM and CJRY-FM in Edmonton.

CJSI-FM “Shine-FM” signed on the air December 1. Studios and offices were located at 505 – 1121 Centre Street North.

On February 25, CJSI-FM was granted a decrease in effective radiated power from 23,500 watts to 19,000 watts. 

On December 11, CJSI-FM was granted an increase in effective radiated power from 19,000 watts to 47,000 watts, and an increase in antenna height from 293.2 metres to 298.5 metres.  The changes were intended to accommodate the installation of a new master antenna system on the existing tower.

On September 19, Mr. Charles R. Allard was given approval to purchase an additional 10% of  Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc., increasing his voting share of the company to 60%. Touch Canada was the licensee of CJSI-FM Calgary and CJRY-FM Edmonton, and was also, as the general partner of CJCA Limited Partnership, licensee of CJCA-AM Edmonton. 

On September 20, CJSI-FM was authorized to increase effective radiated power from 47,000 watts to 100,000 watts in order to improve the quality of the signal in the rural areas outside of Calgary and to increase signal penetration in the downtown core. 

On December 20, the CRTC approved the applications by Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. to effect a corporate reorganization in order to transfer the assets of CJCA-AM and CJRY-FM Edmonton, and CJSI-FM Calgary to Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner), and 1188011 Alberta Ltd. and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partners), carrying on business as Touch Canada Limited Partnership (collectively Touch Canada LP). The reorganization would be implemented in three steps: Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. would acquire CJCA, from Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the general partner), and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. and Rosedale Meadows Development Inc. (the limited partners), carrying on business as CJCA Limited Partnership (collectively CJCA LP); 1188011 Alberta Ltd., a corporation wholly owned by Charles Allard, would acquire CJRY-FM and CJSI-FM, from Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc.; and Touch Canada LP would acquire all three stations from Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. and 1188011 Alberta Ltd., respectively. Following the reorganization, the ultimate control of the stations would continue to be exercised by Mr. Allard.

On June 30, the CRTC renewed the broadcasting licence for the English-language specialty radio station CJSI-FM Calgary from 1 July 2010 to 31 August 2013. This short-term licence renewal would enable the Commission to review, at an earlier date, the licensee’s compliance with the Radio Regulations, 1986. In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2009-786, the Commission stated that the licensee may have failed to comply with section 9(2) of the Radio Regulations, 1986, which relates to the provision of annual returns, for the broadcast years 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

On December 19, the CRTC approved the application by Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, for authorization to effect a two-step corporate reorganization involving the assets of the radio programming undertakings CJCA and CJRY-FM Edmonton, CJLI and CJSI-FM Calgary and CKRD-FM Red Deer. Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (CRA) were both controlled by Charles R. Allard. Step 1 – Transfer to CRA of all Class A voting shares issued by Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc., the current limited partner in Touch Canada LP and a corporation also owned and controlled by Mr. Allard. As a result, TCBI would become wholly owned by CRA. Step 2 – Wind up of TCBI. The 99.89% voting units held by TCBI in Touch Canada LP would be transferred to CRA. As a result, CRA would become the limited partner in Touch Canada LP. The Commission noted that following this two-step corporate reorganization, Mr. Allard would continue to control the undertakings. Upon surrender of the broadcasting licences currently issued to Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, the Commission would issue new licences to Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, to operate CJCA and CJRY-FM Edmonton, CJSI-FM Calgary and CKRD-FM Red Deer under the same terms and conditions as those set out in the current licences. The Commission noted that a broadcasting licence had not yet been issued to CJLI Calgary. Once Touch Canada LP had satisfied the terms set out in Broadcasting Decision 2009-222, the Commission would issue a broadcasting licence to operate that radio station.