CPAC says it’s at ‘breaking point’ after CRTC postpones wholesale rate decision

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is seen in the viewfinder of a television camera while speaking at a news conference in Calgary on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

OTTAWA — The long-standing video service providing Canadians with direct coverage of political events says a recent CRTC decision puts its operation at risk.

“Our equipment is in an imminent state of broadcast failure,” CEO Christa Dickenson said in an interview.

Dickenson said “it could very well be that at some point we go we go dark.”

CPAC said in a news release Thursday it is now at a “breaking point” and urgently needs to rebuild its broadcast infrastructure.

It pointed to a decision last week by the broadcast regulator to postpone a decision on increasing its wholesale rate, which it said threatens its ability to deliver programming.

The current rate of $0.13 per subscriber, paid by cable and satellite providers, has remained the same since 2018 — and those cable and satellite providers have been losing subscribers ever since.

Dickenson said the service has only had two one-cent increases in the wholesale rate in the past 20 years.

“Just imagine the inflation alone over the years,” she added.

The 2024 federal budget did include a one-time $5 million grant to start the necessary rebuild, but CPAC needs another $8 million, Dickenson said.

Dickenson said the unedited public affairs content CPAC offers is an antidote to the spread of misinformation.

Its offerings include footage of Parliamentary procedure, including announcements, press conferences, and scrums. It’s an often-used tool by Canadian political reporters, particularly in Ottawa.

“The importance of CPAC is is quite critical,” Dickenson said.

She added that when it comes to the long-form content, “there’s very little corners to be cut.”

She said the organization has already cut staff and is as “lean” as it can be.

“We’ve shrunk programming. We actually cut one of our programs and our quantity of hours has reduced a little bit,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2025.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press