Free Programming
Nationally, there are two main channels that cover Canadian news and information. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (http://www.cbc.ca) is a nationally sanctioned company, with both television and radio programming. CBC is available in both French and English, and has a channel dedicated for each language. The second national station is CTV (http://www.ctv.ca). Both corporations have several channels across the country, each offering local news and various television shows.
Ontario has a publicly supported channel called TVO (http://www.tvo.org) with no advertising, offering educational programs, movies and documentaries to its viewers. OMNI (http://www.omnitv.ca) is a multicultural channel that features programming in a variety of languages, and offers programs specific to Toronto. City TV (http://www.citytv.com) also has a variety of programs which cater to the Toronto area.
All national channels and a few local channels in Toronto are provided free of charge, provided you have the proper reception equipment attached to your television.
Cable and Satellite Television
In addition to the national and local channels, there are a variety of specialized channels available. From movie channels to kids’ channels, from educational channels to sports channels; you can find a channel for pretty much anything.
There are two primary types of television providers, offering either cable or satellite TV. Each has its own selection of programming, although many of the channels overlap. Some also offer programs catering to various ethnicities and cultures.
Cable TV providers:
- Aurora Cable Internet: http://www.aci.on.ca
- Cogeco: http://www.cogeco.ca
- Rogers: http://www.rogers.com
Rogers is currently the strongest provider and seems to be gaining a monopoly on the cable TV business. There is some speculation about whether Aurora and Cogeco will be able to maintain a presence in the coming year.
Satellite TV providers:
- Bell: http://www.bell.ca
- Star Choice: http://www.starchoice.com
Satellite TV is available in all parts of Toronto, and provides you a wider choice in channels.
If your place of residence is not yet equipped to receive cable or satellite services, a technician may be required to come to your home. Otherwise your service should be set up remotely as soon as you call in and start your account. Installation is usually completed within 48 hours of the account being started. Accounts for all the above services can be started online, on the phone, or in person at one of the many locations each service offers.
Cable packages and Satellite TV in Toronto varies in cost, starting at about $25 dollars per month for a basic package. This price goes up, depending on the type of packages you choose, and which digital channels you want to have access to.
For a list of available television channels in Toronto, click here
