1963
On September 10, CFCP Radio Ltd. (owner of CFCP Courtenay) opened CFWB on 1490 kHz with a power of 250 watts.
1974
Sunshine Coast Broadcasting Co. Ltd. was given approval to transfer shares from Donald V. Cartmell to CFCP Radio Ltd. (W.G. Browne 60%) and from Fraser Valley Broadcasting Ltd. to CFCP Radio Ltd.
1979
By this time, power had increased to 1,000 watts day and 250 watts night.
1984
CFWB was given approval to increase night power to 1,000 watts on December 13.
1986
On August 26, CFWB was given approval to relocate its transmitter from a site west of Campbell River to a site approximately 15 miles to the east, near Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island.
1988
On December 22, CFWB was given approval to add a rebroadcast transmitter at Gold River, operating on 100.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 50 watts.
Undated
The Gold River transmitter signed on as CJGR-FM.
1990
William George Browne passed away in April. He was 63. Known as Billy Browne, he was the founder of CFCP Courtenay, and also owned CFWB Campbell River, CFNI Port Hardy and CHQB Powell River. Browne was first heard on the radio 51 years earlier (age 12) - on CJOR Vancouver - as a guest on his father's radio program. Billy carried on the morning show when he opened CFCP in 1959.
Norma E. Browne took over management of CFCP Radio Ltd. following the death of her husband. The CRTC approved the transfer of control on December 21.
2000
CFWB reduced the hours of local programming from 18 daily to six (6 a.m. to noon). All other programming originated from CFCP Courtenay.
2001
Bill Bishop left CFWB/CJGR as manager to work for Corus Entertainment in Victoria.
2005
In late July, it was announced that CFCP Radio Ltd., owners of CFCP-FM Courtenay, CFWB-AM Campbell River, CFNI-AM Port Hardy and CHPQ-AM Powell River had been purchased by a Calgary group, headed by Margot Micallef. On September 1, The CRTC announced approval of the sale to 1126144 Alberta Ltd., a company affiliated with Vista Broadcast Group Inc.
2006
On March 27, CFWB switched from a format of Country and All Time Favourites to Country and Southern Rock as “1490 The Ride”.
2007
On August 30 the CRTC approved application by Vista Radio Ltd. to convert the station to the FM band, but denied the technical parameters. Vista applied to use 106.1 MHz, with the transmitter on the same tower as CFCP-FM 98.9 Courtenay, which would expand CFWB's coverage area. The Commission considered that a transmitter site closer to Campbell River with parameters that reflect CFWB’s existing contours would represent better use of the spectrum for a new local FM station. Vista stated that the station would continue to offer a country music format. The company was given three months to submit an amendment.
2008
On March 19 the Commission approved a subsequent application to operate the new FM station at 99.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 6000 watts omni-directional from a transmitter site approximately 5 km. northwest of Campbell River. Its rebroadcast transmitter, CJGR-FM Gold River, was part of the new FM licence and CFWB-AM was authorized to simulcast the new FM signal for a period of three months.
In October, Vista announced that 25-year veteran and former CKLW Windsor personality Dave Reynolds would be the new morning host and Dave Hay, former Media Relations Officer for the RCMP Island District, would serve as news director. A new studio was also announced at that time.
"The River" CIQC-FM signed on at 6 a.m. December 10 with an Adult Contemporary format, replacing its previous Country and Southern Rock.
Written by Gord Lansdell, Bill Dulmage - Updated August, 2009
