Ontario, Toronto and Vicinity

CBLT-TV, Toronto, Canadian Broadcasting Corp.

1946
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation started to plan for television. By the end of the year it had chosen five sites for TV stations and the CNR and CPR were working on a microwave relay system. The corporation had proposed two stations for Montreal and one each for Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton. TV programs from the U.S. would be piped into Canada via the Hamilton station. The first station would likely be in Montreal and there would be two outlets in that city because of the two distinct languages - English and French. One difficulty for the establishment of a Toronto outlet would be the use of 25 cycle power service which presented several technical issues. Ontario Hydro had plans for conversion to 60 cycles current to be implemented within a "few years".

1949
The CBC announced television production centres would be established in Montreal and Toronto, and if possible, would be designed for progressive expansion if and when required. Each of the stations would be equipped with 5,000 watt transmitters with provision for a second one in Montreal to provide French language service. The CBC's plans for a television network would go ahead as soon as communications companies established links between different centres. The first link would likely be between Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, through either coaxial cables or short wave.

Fergus Mutrie and Aurele Seguin, two experienced CBC executives, were appointed directors fo the corporation's television activities in Toronto and Montreal respectively.

1951
Early in the year, the CBC started installing equipment in temporary television quarters in Toronto. The first equipment received included two camera chains on loan from Canadian Marconi. The temporary television facility included a studio of about 35 by 27 feet, a control room and offices, located at the CBC's existing building on Jarvis Street. The facilities were to be used for training until completion of the permanent TV building, now under construction on the same property.

The CBC announced that television in Canada would be started sometime in January of 1952 in Toronto. It had earlier been hoped that September would see the first TV transmissions in Toronto. In Montreal, final confirmation of the use of the Mount Royal antenna site came in May. The Montreal station would likely be on the air next spring, but would be subject to change due to building shortages, particularly in steel. Toronto would have two studios - one with 5,000 square feet and one with 2,000 square feet - plus a film library and transmission rooms. The estimated cost was $2,000,000 for studios and equipment in Toronto. Toronto would be the main production centre in English at the outset, producing some three hours of programming per day, of which about two hours would have to be supplied to Montreal. The Montreal station would be bilingual, but most of its originations would be French. In the future, it was hoped that some English productions would be made in Montreal.

The CBC and Bell Telephone Co. signed a five year contract for the establishment of a TV network service. The plan called for the extension of the existing co-axial cable in Buffalo to Montreal and Toronto. The project was announced jointly by the New York and Canadian Bell companies. The Canadian phone company would undertake to lay cable between the two cities and a border point, where it would be connected to the Buffalo cable.

1952
There were some 146,000 television sets in Canada at this time, and in the Toronto area, rooftop antennas were pointed toward Buffalo to receive the only available TV signal in the region - WBEN-TV Channel 4 - owned by the Buffalo Evening News.

On August 22 at 2:30 p.m., CBC television staff put CBLT on the air for the first time with test pattern telecasting and the opening of the 73rd edition of the Canadian National Exhibition by Governor General Vincent Massey. Things went pretty well except for the fact the CBC insignia slide was put in to the projector upside down. The airing of two hours of programming each afternoon and evening in the last week of August and first week of September from the Ex continued, with signals being fed two and a half miles from a mobile unit on the CNE grounds to the Jarvis street transmitter. During the test period, it became clear that CBLT was having favourable reception up to 100 miles away. However, when CNE video replaced the test pattern card, the area of good reception was reduced. CBLT was operating from a temporary antenna tower less than half the height of the 500 foot permanent one which was not expected to be operational until October.

Television finally came to Canada on September 6 when the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation launched CBFT-TV in Montreal. That station broadcast in English and French. The CBC would open Toronto's first station two days later - CBLT-TV. It was the country's first English-language television station and the country's second TV station. CBLT got its call sign by adding a "T" to the end of the existing CBC AM station's (CBL) call letters. Before CBLT Channel 9's official opening on September 8, the station was on the air with pictures of four bank robbers (Edwin Alonzo Boyd, Leonard Jackson, Steve Suchan and William Jackson) who sawed their way out of the death row cell block at the Don Jail. At 7:15 p.m., CBLT broadcast "Let's See", a review of the evening's programs followed at 7:30 by "News Magazine". The station's opening ceremonies took place at 8:00 p.m. Those ceremonies included a message from Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent and an hour-long entertainment program that featured Glenn Gould, Don Harron, Barbara Hamilton and Jan Rubes. There was a half hour of music from the Leslie Bell Singers then good luck greetings from CBC Montreal. Before signing off for the night at 10:30, the station repeated the earlier news broadcast, read by the "voice of doom", Lorne Greene. CBC and government officials were on hand for the opening of both CBLT and CBFT.

Among the other staff members on hand for opening night: Norman Jewison, David Greene, Harvey Hart, Sydney Newman, Murray Chercover (studio director), Norman Campbell, Ross McLean, Percy Saltzman and Mavor Moore. Toronto Mayor Allan Lamport was a special guest. Don Robertson joined CBLT from CBC Edmonton. He was one of 26 technicians hired to help with the launch of CBLT. Stuart Griffiths was the station's first program director.

CBLT had one large studio with 3 camera chain, smaller 2 camera studio, transmitter room for audio, video and CBL-FM, carpentry and paint shops, property room, dressing rooms, 2-car garage (now being used to shoot commercials), film rooms, telecine rooms, offices, announce booths, control rooms and repair shops. 916,400 square feet, 4-storey brick and steel building on Jarvis St. (similar extension made to the Radio-Canada building in Montreal). The giant studio A - 73' x 58' - was three storeys high - for large productions. Studio B where cameras picked up interview-type shows, dramas with small casts and commercials - was 37- x 58' and two storeys high. Two motor vans house the generator, cameras and transmitter which made up each city's mobile unit. Operating range was about 10 miles.

There was approximately 3 hours of programming per evening - a small portion exchanged by kinescope recording between CBLT and CBFT - likely to be this way for some time to come. In the first week of program service, the facilities combined to air a total of 4 hours of revue and preview, 1 hour of news and documentaries, 30 minutes of musicale, 1 hour of sports actuality and discussion, 2 1/2 hours of drama, 2 3/4 hours of interviews and miscellaneous items. Films took up five and a quarter hours. The CBC was also negotiating with U.S. networks CBS and NBC to bring some programs north of the border. Those talks were at a stalemate though.

After one week of Canadian television, WBEN-TV in Buffalo was still getting the largest slice of the Ontario audience. CBLT was credited with 36% while WBEN captured 64% of the total audience.

A boom in the sale of television receivers was experienced in Toronto and Montreal in August, according to the Radio-Television Manufacturers Association of Canada. During the month 12,790 sets were sold in Canada, more than twice the figure for the previous month.

Televised election results were seen for the first time in Canada when CBLT and the Globe & Mail teamed up for evening-long coverage of the vote which returned Mayor Allan Lamport to office for a second term.

Norm Marshall and Larry O'Brien shared broadcast duties for the first televised CFL Grey Cup football game, which aired on CBLT.

On September 29, Johns Hopkins Science Review started airing on CBLT and Montreal's CBFT as the first U.S. network (DuMont) show regularly scheduled by the CBC stations. On October 1, CBLT aired another DuMont program, supplied on kinescope recording - a one hour boxing show.

The first educational program was telecast October 3 in a televised debate between two high school teams at Toronto. It was the first of eight such unsponsored Friday evening half hour programs to air on CBLT. Other televised programs for schools were being studied by the CBC, the Toronto Board of Education and the National Advisory Council on School Broadcasting. The CBC was also planning religious programs.

In December, WBEN-TV tripled its coverage area when it began operating from the second highest TV tower in this part of the world. It also increased its power. The changes meant a considerable improvement in the pictures received in about 100,000 Canadian homes in the region. The 1,057 foot tower was located 20 miles south of Buffalo. In comparison, CBLT's tower was 500 feet.

NBC-RCA loaned the 26 episode series "Victory at Sea" to the CBC. It began airing on CBLT in December and was schedule to begin on CBFT Montreal on January 5 (1953).

The audience of CBLT dropped from over one-third to less than a quarter of the total audience available during its first month of operation. The average share of audience for the station during the first week of October was 22.2%. The only other station available here - WBEN-TV - had the remaining 77.8%. Westinghouse's The Big Revue was CBLT's top rated show. In the first week of November, CBLT saw a slight shift in its favour. It now had an average share of audience of 25.9%. CBLT saw a drop again in the first week of December. The average share of audience for the station was 22.9% with the remaining 77.1% going to WBEN. The two favourite Canadian shows were "The Big Revue" and "NHL Hockey". The top show on WBEN: "I Love Lucy". In comparison, Canada's other TV station - CBFT - had no real competitors because there was only spotty and unreliable reception from the closest American stations.

Fergus Mutrie was CBLT's program director.

1953
At 10 p.m., January 19, network television service came to the Toronto area with the inauguration of a 66-mile microwave radio-relay system between Buffalo, N.Y. and Toronto. The system delivered American network programming obtained by the CBC for telecasting over CBLT. The first program, "Studio One", from CBS, went on the air at 10 p.m.

At 7:30 p.m. on May 14, CBLT, CBFT (Montreal) and the not yet on-air CBOT (Ottawa) were linked by a 340-mile microwave relay system. For the record, CBOT signed on the air on June 2.

Plans for the development of a national TV network composed of privately-owned and CBC stations were tentatively agreed to in June. Present licensees agreed to carry a minimum of 10 1/2 hours of CBC-produced programs weekly.

The CBC announced plans to acquire a roller rink in August for use as a studio. An increase in daily hours of operation was the reason for an increase in needed studio space. The rink was located on Christie Street. When renovated it would provide a studio with more than the normal overhead and floor space and could accommodate an audience of about 500.

A September report on television viewing for the three Canadian stations on the air showed an audience increase where there was competition from American border stations. The report showed that about a third of the audience in the Toronto-Hamilton-Niagara area now looked at CBLT while two-thirds still favoured US stations. Until now, the percentage had been about 1/4 viewing the Canadian station. The most popular shows on CBLT: Holiday Ranch (Canadian), Wrestling, and Playbill (Canadian).

Importation of more American network programs improved audiences of Canadian television stations where there was competition from U.S. border stations. A November ratings report showed sets-in-use figures were down slightly in the Toronto area but up slightly in Montreal and Ottawa. The most popular programs in the Toronto-Hamilton-Niagara area on CBLT: NHL Hockey (Canadian), Dennis Day Show, Jackie Gleason Show, Toast of the Town and Kraft Theatre. The latest estimate for television receivers in Canada was 445,000 sets. The major number of sets - 222,500 - was in the Toronto-Hamilton-Niagara area, within range of CBLT and Buffalo's WBEN-TV.

CBC board chairman A. Davidson Dunton said that CBLT was running into the toughest competition for audience in the world. He said it was a bit discouraging to know that more people were watching WBEN-TV than CBLT. Dunton said that a lot of WBEN's programming was network material, originating from New York and Hollywood.

The Bell Telephone Company's Adelaide Street office was the terminal point in the new 407 mile microwave relay system - the recently inaugurated heart of Canada's three station TV network. Rising 392 feet above the street (compared with the Bank of Commerce's 400 feet and the tower of CBLT at 500 feet), this was one of 15 such units constructed by Bell to carry television programs and telephone conversations from Buffalo to Montreal via Toronto and Ottawa or any points in between. Engineering plans for a Montreal-Quebec City expansion were already prepared and others were being worked out to reach London. The Buffalo-Toronto hop needed only one relay site - at Fonthill, near Welland. The Toronto-Ottawa section had 8 stations (Uxbridge, Bethany, Hastings, Stirling, Enterprise, Westport, Smiths Falls and Stanley Corners). Three stations connect with Montreal - at Leonard, Maxville and Rigaud. The Ottawa installation is also on top of the Bell building there. Mount Royal was chosen for the Montreal station.

The CBC was expected to soon finish the 4th and 5th floors of the Toronto TV building. It was to be completed in September. The floors would house a variety of television equipment, air conditioning, and film recording units. When completed, CBC TV would have double the existing space.

CBLT was scheduled to increase its regular program schedule in October to include afternoon telecasting. Matinee Party would be a new afternoon program. It would also air on CBOT and CBFT. The program would originate from the 1,300 seat Eaton Auditorium. The regular cast would include fashion expert Rosemary Boxer and radio personalities Monty Hall and Larry Mann.

Harry Boyle was named director of programs for CBC Ontario - radio and television. He had been program director of the Trans-Canada network for eight years.

1954
In January CFPL-TV became the fourth and newest link in Canada's network of TV stations as the microwave relay system constructed and operated by Canadian National-Canadian Pacific was completed to the city. The network now stretched from Toronto to Montreal, via Ottawa, servicing CBC TV stations in each city, and four new microwave transmitters (Milton, Galt, Woodstock and London) completed the span from Toronto to London. The new transmitters would carry long distance phone calls and some 22 hours of network TV programs a week to CFPL-TV. Plans called for the extension of the system with short hops to CHCH-TV Hamilton and from the Galt unit to Kitchener's CKCO-TV. From London the system would also be extended to CKLW-TV in Windsor. UPDATE: The link to Kitchener was to be completed on February 21. On this date it was expected that CKCO-TV would begin telecasting as a basic station in the CBC's mid-eastern TV network. Completion of the link to CHCH-TV Hamilton was expected in April, and to CKLW-TV Windsor, early next year. There were also plans to link Montreal with CFCM-TV in Quebec City.

Dick MacDougall was emcee of the early evening show, Tabloid. Percy Saltzman did weather.

Bell Telephone Co. of Canada was awarded the contract to extend CBC-TV network service to Peterborough via microwave. Bell had now completed the extention to Kingston for the soon to open CKWS-TV. The addition of the two private stations would bring to ten, the number of points on the network.


Bob McGall became program director in October.

1956
Newscaster Rick Campbell left CBLT when he was appointed by the government of Burma to establish a national radio network and film board.

On August 27, CBLT moved from channel 9 to channel 6 and increased effective radiated power from 25,600 watts video to 100,000 watts video and 50,000 watts audio. The station had been operating on channel 9 on a temporary antenna for the past three months while a new three bay bat-wing Canadian General Electric antenna was put on its 450 foot Jarvis Street tower. The antenna was 491 feet above ground level in downtown Toronto. The new transmitter was also from Canadian General Electric, and was a 5 kW air cooled unit with 35 kW water-cooled amplifier.

Bob McGall was named head of CBC Variety in August. He had been CBLT's program director.

1961
Michael Hind-Smith was named station manager. He left for CTV a short time later.

1965
CBLT-TV had a listed effective radiated power of 99,500 watts video and 53,500 watts audio.

1967
On April 14, CBCU-TV opened at Chapleau.

CBLAT-1 Manitouwadge and CBLGT Geraldton signed on the air on October 15.

On December 2, CBLAT-2 was opened at White River.

CBLAT-3 Wawa was launched on December 8.

1968
On May 16, CBLAT-4 opened at Marathon.

The CRTC was looking at moving CBLT from channel 6 to channel 5. This would open up channel 6 for the CBC in London and also make the channel available in the Kingston-Belleville area for a new station with expanded coverage. The CBC said the channel change would not happen until the station moved its antenna in downtown Toronto, which it intended to do due to poor reception in many sections of the city, caused by the mushrooming growth of high-rise buildings. Two antenna sites were being considered: Don Mills, and a projected waterfront development. A decision was expected before year's end. The CRTC approved the re-allocation of channels so the CBC would have to move from channel 6 to 5.

Terry Kyne was a producer.

1969
On March 18, CBLT was authorized to add a transmitter at Beardmore. It would broadcast on channel 9 with a transmitter power of 5 watts (non-directional). The new transmitter would receive programming off-the-air from CBLAT.

 

1970
CBLAT-5 Beardmore went on the air January 30.

1971

CBEC-TV Elliot Lake was opened on October 8.

On October 29, CBLT was authorized to move from channel 6 with effective radiated power of 99,500 watts video and 9,950 watts audio, to channel 5 with ERP of 77,000 watts video and 7,700 watts audio. Antenna height would remain 444 feet but the station would switch from a non-directional signal to a directional pattern.

 

1972 
On August 1, CBCO-TV-1 opened at Moosonee.

CBLT moved from channel 6 to channel 5 with 77,000 watts video and 7,700 watts audio (444 feet directional) on September 11.

On December 22, CBLAT-6 signed on at Hornepayne.


1973
Peter Emmerson joined CBLT from CKVR Barrie for weather and anchor work. Elwood Glover, host of "Luncheon Date" departed for CKEY Radio.

On December 14, most of Toronto’s FM and TV stations (including CBLT) were authorized to transmit from the new CN Tower once its construction was completed.

 

1974
Bill Lawrence joined the CBLT staff.

1975
Peter Emmerson left for CJOH-TV in Ottawa.

Valerie Elia joined CBC Toronto.

1976
CBLT began testing from the CN Tower on May 24. With the start of its broadcast day on May 31, CBLT was now officially broadcasting from the tower, located at 301 Front Street West. Effective radiated power was now 84,000 watts video and 16,800 watts audio with antenna height of 1,520 feet.

CBLT's Studio 6 on Jarvis Street was completely rebuilt. Pat Newman, senior engineer for Toronto projects was in charge. New equipment included a audio console, intercom system, cameras, production switcher and colour monitors.  


1977
With the launch of the new Fall season, CBLT stopped using its call sign and became identified simply as CBC Toronto. 

 

On December 19, CBLCT Fraserdale signed on.

 

1979
In a review of television licences in the Toronto region, the CRTC suggested for CBLT that local scheduling should reflect a strictly regional service. It also determined resistance from the CBC to get detailed financial data for CBLT.

News anchor Valerie Elia left CBLT for the new CFMT Television in Toronto.

 

1980
Sharon Dunn was a news anchor at CBLT.

Ivan Fecan became CBLT's program director. He had been news director at CITY-TV.  

 

1981
On January 16, CBCQ-TV-1 opened at Temagami.

Fraser Kelly joined CBLT from CFTO-TV to host the new news program, Newshour.

The CRTC issued short-term renewals to television stations in the Toronto area, again complaining that the stations had failed to develop quality Canadian programs, particularly drama, musicals and children's shows. CBLT's licence was renewed for two years and nine months. Bilingual production facilities in Sudbury to cover northern Ontario remained a priority. The CBC was commended for programming and closed-captioning efforts.

1982
News anchor Jan Tennant left CBLT for Global.

Valerie Elia returned to CBLT from CFMT-TV.

1983-84
Henry Kowalski left CBLT to be producer of CTV's national news.

1984
CBCC-TV was opened at Hearst on March 27.

Sharon Dunn was anchor of CBLT's "Nightfinal" newscast.

Don Martin replaced Earl McRae as sportscaster on "Nightfinal". McRae was assigned to reporting and other duties.

Susan Harada, seen on CBC's "Newshour", became an anchor on CBLT's "Newsfinal".

Valerie Elia left "Newshour".

1984-85
Ona Fletcher joined CBLT Morning from the Bermuda Broadcasting Corp.

1985
Leslie Jones left CBLT as morning news co-host, for Global news.

Ona Fletcher became news anchor at CBLT.

Ken Daniels joined CBLT sports. He had been with CJCL-AM.

1986
On January 27, CBCE-TV opened at Little Current.

News anchors were Hilary Brown, Fraser Kelly and Ona Fletcher. Ken Daniels and Don Martin did sports. Fraser Kelly left the station.

CBLT's first program director passed away November 7. Stuart W. Griffiths was 68.

Fraser Kelly left CBLT's "Newshour".

Brian Yasui was a reporter at CBLT.

1986-87
Elizabeth Stanis was named co op sales coordinator at CBLT.

1987
Ernest (Ernie) Leslie Bushnell died on April 30 at age 86. In November of 1933, he was hired to be program director at the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission, which became the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation three years later. As head of the CBC's English-language broadcasting, he oversaw the launch of CBLT in 1952. In 1958, after the resignation of A. Davidson Dunton as chairman, the CBC was re-organized with J. Alphonse Ouimet as president and Bushnell as vice president. At the end of 1959, he left the CBC to prepare his successful bid for Ottawa's second television station - CJOH-TV (went on the air in 1961).

Alex Frame, CBLT's program director for four years, became CBC Radio's head of current affairs.

1987-88
Howard Bernstein left for CBC Radio's Sunday Morning. He had been CBLT's news chief.

Jim Byrd replaced Alex Frame as CBLT's program director. He had been director of TV for CBNT St. John's.

Slawko Klymkiw became producer of news and current affairs at CBLT. He had been with CBWT Winnipeg.

1988
CFPL-TV London and CKNX-TV Wingham dropped their CBC affiliation. As a result, the Corporation opened transmitters at the following locations on August 31 (officially on September 4): CBLN-TV London, CBLN-TV-1 Kitchener, CBLN-TV-2 Sarnia, CBLN-TV-3 Chatham, CBLN-TV-4 Wingham, and CBLN-TV-5 Wiarton.

In addition to Hilary Brown and Ona Fletcher, Susan Harada and Jim Wycks were also news anchors. Bruce Dowbiggin was now in the sports department. Reporter Kelly Crowe joined from CFTO and Robert Fisher left for Global.

Diane Harrington became CBLT's Queen's Park reporter, replacing Robert Fisher who moved to Global. Harrington had held the same post with the Toronto Star.

1988-89

Rudi Carter was appointed program director, replacing Jim Byrd who returned to Newfoundland as CBC regional director.

1989
Jay Mowat was appointed senior news producer for CBC at Six, replacing Cynthia Kinch who moved to The National.

Naomi Loeb returned to CBLT. Jim Wycks left for PBS in the U.S. Christina Pochmursky left.

1990
Barb Ondrusek was now doing sports. Jeffrey Kofman and Naomi Loeb left.

1991
Paul Hunter and Noelle Richardson were now part of the news anchor team. Brandan Connor was doing sports. Beth Harrington and Justin Smallbridge did entertainment. Anchor Hilary Brown left the station on May 24.

1992
Approval was given for CBLT to add a transmitter at Normandale (CBLN).

Bill Cameron became a news anchor at CBLT. He had been with the national TV network. Steve Paikin left for TV Ontario.  

1993
CBLT closed its Hamilton news bureau. Staffers Stu Patterson and Bob Cole were moved to the Toronto newsroom.

Wei Chen left CBLT for CTV's Canada AM.


1994
CBLT made its last telecast from historic Studio One on March 18. Following that broadcast, "Midday" moved to the new Broadcast Centre. CBLT's first broadcast in 1952 was from Studio One. Only network master control remains in the Jarvis Street studios. It will be relocated to the Broadcast Centre by the end of the year. CBC Radio had been operating from the new facility since last year.

CBLN-TV-6 Normandale was opened on June 6.

News anchors now included Ron Izawa and Jeffrey Kofman.

Private affiliate CKVR-TV received permission to disaffiliate from the CBC. As a result, the network had to fill in the gap that would result from the loss of the Barrie station. The Corporation received approval for rebroadcast transmitters of CBLT at Barrie (channel 16 with effective radiated power of 180,000 watts), Huntsville (the former CKVR low-power rebroadcast transmitter, upgraded to full power - channel 8 with ERP of 43,000 watts) and Parry Sound (channel 18 with power of 50 watts). 
 
1995
Bill Walker died on June 25. He joined CBLT in 1954 from CKRC Radio in Winnipeg where he had been morning man.

On September 1, CKVR Barrie disaffiliated from the CBC network, and CBLT opened rebroadcasters CBLT-TV-1 Barrie, CBLT-TV-2 Huntsville, and CBLT-TV-3 Parry Sound.

Bill Cameron, host of CBLT's evening newscast, moved to the morning anchor position at CBC Newsworld as of September 11. The morning broadcast originated in Halifax. Cameron succeeded Henry Champ who returned to Washington for Newsworld.

John Northcott was doing entertainment reports. Suhana Meharchand was now a news anchor at CBLT.

2000
As of this year, CBLT operated the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBLAT-1 Manitouwadge, CBLAT-2 White River, CBLAT-3 Wawa, CBLAT-4 Marathon, CBLAT-5 Beardmore, CBLAT-6 Hornepayne, CBLGT-TV Geraldton, CBLN-TV London, CBLN-TV-1 Kitchener, CBLN-TV-2 Sarnia, CBLN-TV-3 Chatham, CBLN-TV-4 Wingham, CBLN-TV-5 Wiarton, CBLN-TV-6 Normandale, CBLT-TV-1 Barrie, CBLT-TV-2 Huntsville, CBLT-TV-3 Parry Sound, CBET Windsor.

Reporter Adam Vaughan left for CITY-TV in February.

On September 29, CBLT produced its last local newscast (for now). As a result, weatherman Bill Lawrence retired and anchor Suhana Meharchand moved to Newsworld. On October 2, a new national/regional newscast (Canada Now) began airing at 6:00 p.m. The national portion came from Vancouver and was hosted by Ian Hanomansing. Carole MacNeil hosted the regional portion from Toronto at 6:30 p.m.

2002
On August 24 after years of not being used, the old CBC TV/FM tower at 354 Jarvis Street was toppled to make room for a new building.

The CBC purchased the MCTV CBC affiliated stations in Northern Ontario from CTV Inc. CFCL-TV-3 Kapuskasing (on the air since January 30, 1958), CFCL-TV-2 Kearns (August 15, 1958), CHNB-TV North Bay (October 15, 1971), CJIC-TV Sault Ste. Marie (November 19, 1954), CKNC-TV Sudbury (October 8, 1971) and CFCL-TV Timmins (July 1, 1956), became rebroadcasters of CBLT.

The call signs were changed as follows: CFCL-TV-3 Kapuskasing became CBLT-9, CFCL-TV-2 Kearns = CBLT-8, CHNB-TV North Bay = CBLT-4, CJIC-TV Sault Ste. Marie = CBLT-5, CKNC-TV Sudbury = CBLT-6 and CFCL-TV Timmins = CBLT-7.

2003
CBLT was given approval to add rebroadcast transmitters at Elliot Lake, Little Current, Attawapiskat, Chapleau, Fraserdale, Fort Albany, Hearst and Moosonee. These transmitters were radiocommunication distribution undertakings, which rebroadcast the programming of the former MCTV stations. Transmitters were also approved for Temagami and Fort Hope. These transmitters were radiocommunication distribution undertakings, which rebroadcast the programming of the CBC Northern Television Service.

2004
On January 30, CBLT was granted a transitional digital television licence. The digital undertaking would operate from the CN Tower on channel 20VL with an effective radiated power of 38,000 watts. 

2005
CBLT began digital operations on channel 20 from the CN Tower. The inaugural weekend schedule on March 5 and 6 included a premiere of the Nature of Things: Nature Bites Back – The Case of the Sea Otter. CBC HD then broadcast highlights from past and upcoming HD projects, including Hockey: A People's History (still in production). HD programming is based on the regular network schedule, with HD and wide-screen programming simulcast when available. 

2009
On May 12 the CRTC renewed CBLT's licence, including the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBLT-DT Toronto, CBCC-TV Hearst, CBCE-TV Little Current, CBCO-TV-1 Moosonee, CBCQ-TV-1 Temagami, CBCU-TV Chapleau, CBEC-TV Elliot Lake, CBLAT-1 Manitouwadge, CBLAT-2 White River, CBLAT-3 Wawa, CBLAT-4 Marathon, CBLAT-5 Beardmore, CBLAT-6 Hornepayne, CBLCT Fraserdale, CBLDT Fort Albany, CBLET Attawapiskat, CBLGT Geraldton, CBLHT Fort Hope, CBLN-TV London, CBLN-TV-1 Kitchener, CBLN-TV-3 Sarnia, CBLN-TV-3 Chatham, CBLN-TV-4 Wingham, CBLN-TV-5 Wiarton, CBLN-TV-6 Normandale, CBLT-1 Barrie, CBLT-2 Huntsville, CBLT-3 Parry Sound, CBLT-4 North Bay, CBLT-5 Sault Ste. Marie, CBLT-6 Sudbury, CBLT-7 Timmins, CBLT-8 Kearns and CBLT-9 Kapuskasing. 

2010
On July 28, the CRTC approved the applications by the CBC to amend the licenses for CBLT Toronto by adding the transmitter CBLIT Armstrong and for CBMT Montréal by removing the transmitter CBLIT. CBLIT will rebroadcast the programming of CBLT instead of that of CBMT in order to adequately serve the population of Armstrong.

                                               Written by Bill Dulmage - Updated August, 2010