CTV Dama Channel
Licensed in 1994, Bravo went on the air the following January 1st. Promoted as Canada's New Style Arts Channel, Bravo covered all facets of the Arts, with movies, specials documentaries and interviews covering everything from ballet to architecture, and from literature to jazz. The Network was owned by CHUM Limited, until CTVglobemedia's acquisition of the assets of CHUM was approved by the CRTC in June 2007.
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CTV Comedy Channel
CTV's application for a licence for The Comedy Network was approved in 1996, and the channel was launched the following year. Offering a 24-hour service, the channel's schedule included stand-up comedy, improv, sketches, sitcoms, game shows, animation and talk shows, from both Canadian and foreign sources, including material first seen on the full CTV Network.
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WTSN
In November 2000, NetStar Communications Inc. was granted a licence by the CRTC for a national English-language Category 1 specialty television service called Women's Sports Network. It would be dedicated entirely to sports that featured female athletes and participants, including coverage of professional and amateur sporting events, magazine shows, documentaries and instructional programs. The channel launched at WTSN on September 7 of 2001. At some point NetStar was renamed CTV Specialty Television Inc. It was a joint venture between Bell Globemedia (80%) and ESPN (20%).
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TSN - The Sports Network
In 1983 an all-sports channel to be known as Action Canada Sports Network (ACSN) was licensed as a pay speciality channel by the CRTC to the John Labatt brewery company, part owners of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. By the time it launched on September 1st 1984, the name had been shortened to simply TSN – The Sports Network.
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Licensed to CHUM Limited in 1996, Space – The Imagination Station was launched on cable in October 1997, and quickly became one of the most popular speciality channels in the system. Its programming ranges over "science fiction, science fact, speculation and fantasy" and challenges the imagination of its viewers with documentaries, movies, series, mini-series and specials, as well as offering news of the doings of space agencies around the world.
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CTV Life Channel
On December 3rd 2013, Gusto TV, Canada's new Food & Lifestyle specialty channel, announced its upcoming launch on December 11th.
In a press release, the channel's owners Knight Enterprises said that the channel's online presence would be "a foodie destination for fresh recipes and tips, including special video content and web-only show bonuses - with significant integration of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram."
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Fashion Television
Encouraged by the spectacular 15-year success of its syndicated series FashionTV, CHUM Limited applied for and was awarded a fashion speciality channel license in November 2000. The channel launched in September 2001 as Fashion Television: The Channel.
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Family Channel
The Family Channel was first licensed by the CRTC to a partnership between WIC Premium Television Inc and First Choice (Astral) in 1987 as a pay television service "…which will provide…..programs from the Disney Channel, as well as selected Canadian programs designed for viewing by the whole family." WIC's half ownership was acquired by Corus in 2000, and subsequently sold to Astral who became 100% owners in 2001. The channel commissions a significant number of Canadian series and movies as part of its programming, which is aimed at a family audience.
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E! Channel
What became E!, was originally launched in Canada by CHUM Limited as Star! That was on September 10, 1999. In 2007, CHUM was acquired by CTVglobemedia. Star's daily entertainment show, Star! Daily was dropped and replaced by CTV's eTalk.
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Disney XD was a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel, which was originally licensed to Astral Media by the CRTC in 2009 as an extension of its existing Family Channel.
However, Astral Media Inc. subsequently acquired the rights to a Canadian version of the U.S. Disney XD channel, and launched the new venture in place of the planned Family Extreme channel, on June 1st 2011. Disney XD consisted of live-action and animated programming aimed primarily towards males aged 6-14.
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