The following is a list of events affecting Canadian television in 2018. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings.
Events
Notable events
January Date Event3CBC Television broadcasts Tower of Song: A Memorial Tribute to Leonard Cohen, a tribute concert to Canadian musician Leonard Cohen which took place in November 2017.23Bell Media announces a branding and content agreement with the American television channel Starz, which will see The Movie Network Encore rebrand as a Canadian Starz channel."Bell Media signs deal with Starz to bring content to Canada". Canadian Press via CTV News, January 23, 2018.
March Date EventTBAVassy Kapelos, formerly the host of Global's political news series The West Block, moves to CBC News Network as the host of Power & Politics."Vassy Kapelos to host CBC's 'Power and Politics'". Canadian Press, February 15, 2018.11The 6th Canadian Screen Awards air on CBC.31Viceland ceases television distribution, after majority owner Rogers Media drops out of the venture. Branding partner Vice Media will take over the channel's Canadian assets, which will be used to produce content for the main vice.com Web site.
April Date Event11After emerging from creditor protection, Canadian pay television multiplex provider Super Channel announces the rebranding of its channels as Super Channel Fuse and Super Channel Heart & Home."Allarco exits creditor protection, rebrands Super Channel". RealScreen, April 11, 2018.
June Date Event7Bell Media announces its intent to launch free VOD services CTV Vault and CTV Movies on the CTV app and website in the Fall, as well as the intent to rebrand The Comedy Network, Space, the original Bravo, and Gusto, respectively, as CTV Comedy, CTV Sci-Fi, CTV Drama, and CTV Life, to align them with the branding of the CTV Television Network.
August Date Event27Corus Entertainment's three stations in Southeastern Ontario, CKWS-DT in Kingston, CHEX-DT in Peterborough, and CHEX-TV-2 in Oshawa, end their program supply agreement with the CTV Television Network after 3 years and become full-time owned-and-operated stations of the Corus-owned Global Television Network. (The three stations, which had been three of the CBC's last private affiliates prior to 2015, had been airing Global's nightly newscast Global National and local variations of its Morning Show since September 2016, following Corus' acquisition of Global's former parent company Shaw Media in April 2016.)
November Date Event1Bell Media rebrands the pay TV service The Movie Network as Crave, aligning it with the branding of its television streaming service Crave.
December Date Event31After 17 years, Knowledge Network officially signs BBC Kids off the air.
Television programs
Programs debuting in 2018 Series currently listed here have been announced by their respective networks as scheduled to premiere in 2018. Note that shows may be delayed or cancelled by the network between now and their scheduled air dates.
Start date Show Channel SourceJanuary 10Burden of TruthCBCThe LaunchCTVJanuary 14The Weekly with Wendy MesleyCBCFebruary 2CrawfordCBCFebruary 13SkindigenousAPTNDaniel J. Rowe, "Skindigenous takes tour of global ink world". Eastern Door, February 20, 2018.February 15 (digital)This BlowsCBCFebruary 26CaughtCBC"Here's your first look at the CBC adaptation of Lisa Moore's Caught". CBC Books, January 16, 2018.March 1Little DogCBC"Little Dog on the little screen: New TV show set to film in St. John's". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, June 14, 2017.March 25The DetailCTVApril 2Corner Gas AnimatedThe Comedy NetworkMay 12Anaana's TentAPTNMay 15CarterBravo (original)May 17Where to I Do?GustoJune 4 ReBoot: The Guardian CodeYTVSeptember 10Discussions avec mes parentsIci Radio-Canada TéléSandra Godin, "Québec en vedette dans la série télévisée Discussion avec mes parents". Le Journal de Québec, September 6, 2018.September 11First ContactAPTN"‘First Contact’: TV docuseries seeks to shatter Indigenous Canadian stereotypes". Global News, September 12, 2018.September 21In the MakingCBC"Upfronts ’18: CBC debuts 17 new series". Playback, May 24, 2018.November 13Future HistoryAPTNNovember 15From the VaultsCBCUnknown dateMiss PersonaYouTube, Treehouse TVMike Devlin, "Victoria native's Miss Persona hits the TV big time; Preschool program will be broadcast on Treehouse". Victoria Times-Colonist, January 12, 2019.
Programs ending in 2018 Start date Show Channel SourceJanuary 30Hard Rock MedicalTVOntario
Television films Start date Show Channel SourceSeptember 30Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVeyShowcaseOctober 21Etthén Heldeli: Caribou EatersCitytvJason Kerr, "The hunt is on in the north" . Prince Albert Daily Herald, October 11, 2018.
Deaths
Date Name Age Notability SourceJanuary 8Donnelly Rhodes80Character actor best known for appearances in Soap, Battlestar Galactica, and Da Vinci's Inquest.January 26Jacques Languirand86Radio host, writer and actor (Le Colombier, Le Rebut Global).January 29Jay Switzer61Television executive for Citytv.Veteran Canadian TV Programmer Jay Switzer Dies at 61January 31Alf Humphreys64Actor (The X Files, The Twilight Zone (the 1985 and 2002 revivals), Smallville, Outer Limits and Da Vinci's Inquest).Leah LaBelle31Canadian-born singer who competed on Season 3 of American Idol.Former NBA Player Rasual Butler and Wife Leah LaBelle Killed In Car CrashFebruary 5Manfred Joehnck64News anchor for CTV News Regina.Long-time broadcaster, Manfred Joehnck, passes awayFebruary 10Tina Louise Bomberry52Mohawk actress best known for her role as Rosie Deela in North of 60 and its three follow-up films.Tina Louise Bomberry, 'North of 60' Star, Dies at 52May 13Margot Kidder69Canadian-born actress who was active in Canadian television from the late 1960s through the mid-1970sNovember 11Wayne Maunder80Canadian-born actor (Custer, Lancer, Chase)
Television stations Network launches Network Type Launch date Notes Natyf TV Cable June 14 French language multicultural channel
Network affiliation changes Date Market Station Channel Previous affiliation New affiliation Notes/References August 27 Kingston, Ontario CKWS-DT 11.1 CTV Global “CKWS-TV will be a fully Global station starting this fall”. Global News. Corus Entertainment. April 19, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2019. Oshawa, Ontario CHEX-TV-2 22 (analog) Peterborough, Ontario CHEX-DT 12.1
Network conversions and rebrandings Old network name New network name Type Conversion date Notes The Movie Network Crave November 1
Network closures Network Type Closure date Notes Sundance Channel March 1 Viceland March 31 BBC Kids December 31
See also 2018 in Canada List of Canadian films of 2018
References
External links List of 2018 Canadian television series at IMDb