Simultaneous Substitution - Implementation and Exceptions

Implementation and Exceptions

Enforcement, or lack thereof, of the regulations, as well as legal exceptions and simple circumstance, has led to instances where some Canadian cable and satellite subscribers are able to receive the original American channels in Canada without simultaneous substitution. Cable provider areas with populations of less than 20,000 people or who are more than 100 kilometres away from any one local TV provider (CTV, Global, CBC) are not legally required to have simultaneous substitution implemented.

Many viewers in the Greater Toronto Area can pick up American channels from Buffalo, New York over the air, as well as unmatched high definition versions of the stations from both Buffalo and Seattle, Washington on cable. Similarly, cable viewers in Greater Vancouver may receive unmatched HD stations from Detroit, Michigan and Rochester, New York. Many viewers from Toronto were able to watch these channels for events such as the 2008 Super Bowl where there were no Canadian commercial interruptions. However, following a complaint filed by CTV in 2008, the CRTC has tightened up enforcement, issuing a statement that the Super Bowl XLIII standard and high definition broadcasts must be simsubbed for providers within range of CTV's OTA transmitters.