Dear CKMS listener,

The federal government is currently working on the budget for April 1, 2023 to March 30, 2024. The Community Radio Fund of Canada alongside the three main community radio associations (The Association des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec (“ARCQ”), l’Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada (“ARCC”), and the National Campus and Community Radio Association/Association nationale des radios étudiantes et communautaires (“NCRA/ANREC”)) are currently doing a lot of work, demonstrating the impacts of the community radio sector and how regular financial support of the sector will have enormous impacts.  We are at a critical time in the outreach efforts where your participation as a listener is incredibly important.

At this time, we are focusing on two areas of importance that will bring direct funding to CKMS alongside Campus/Community radio stations across Canada:

1) The extension and expansion of the Local Journalism Initiative (we currently have 41 stations with paid journalists on the ground), as the 5-year program is about to enter its final year without a plan after 2024 to renew the program. We are looking for that program to expand to $20 million a year and make it permanent.

2) Establish a 25 million dollar annual Community Broadcasting Fund to be distributed among all stations. This fund would support all licensed broadcasters, with core and stable funding.

Our goal is to now have as many listeners of community radio stations as possible contact their local Member of Parliament (MP) so that they are aware of the sector and this pitch for support so that we have a better chance of having this included in the next federal budget.

Attached is a letter template which we ask that you copy, add your name to, and send to our local MPs in Kitchener-Waterloo.

DOWNLOAD: Letter in support of CKMS-FM

We thank you for your support!

Nat Persaud

President –  Radio Waterloo Inc.