CBXFT-DT
CBXFT-DT is Radio-Canada's French-language television station serving Edmonton and Alberta's Franco-Albertan population.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
CBXFT-DT is a French-language television station in Edmonton, Alberta, operated as part of the Ici Radio-Canada Télé network of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC/Radio-Canada. Broadcasting on virtual channel 11, the station provides provincial French-language television service for Franco-Albertan audiences and forms part of Radio-Canada's public-service broadcasting presence in Western Canada. The station began broadcasting on March 1, 1970. Its launch gave French-speaking residents of Alberta a dedicated over-the-air television outlet connected to Radio-Canada's national French-language network. During its first three years, from 1970 through 1973, CBXFT also carried weekday English-language educational programming supplied by the Metropolitan Edmonton Educational Television Association. That arrangement ended after Access, then operating as CJAL-TV, began service in 1973. CBXFT-DT is operated in a twinstick arrangement with CBC Television's English-language Edmonton station, CBXT-DT. The two services share studios at Edmonton City Centre, across from Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton, while CBXFT-DT's transmitter is located in Sherwood Park. This shared operating structure allows the public broadcaster to maintain separate French- and English-language services while using common local facilities. The station's principal local news program is the 6 p.m. edition of Le Téléjournal/Alberta. The program reports on provincial, regional, and community affairs relevant to French-speaking Albertans. The station also carries programming from the wider Ici Radio-Canada Télé schedule, including national news, current affairs, culture, entertainment, and other French-language public-service content. CBXFT historically operated a broad network of analog rebroadcasters across Alberta. These transmitters extended service to communities including Bonnyville, Falher, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Hinton, Red Deer, Jean Côté, Lac La Biche, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Peace River. A Calgary semi-satellite, CBRFT, carried programming substantially identical to CBXFT while airing separate commercials. CBRFT was shut down in 2012. The station converted its primary Edmonton service from analog to digital during Canada's 2011 mandatory-market transition. On August 31, 2011, it flash-cut its digital signal on UHF channel 44 while retaining virtual channel 11. In March 2021, as part of Canada's UHF spectrum repack, the station moved its physical digital frequency from channel 47 to channel 27. Most of its remaining analog rebroadcasters were not converted to digital and were closed in 2012 following federal funding reductions affecting CBC/Radio-Canada's transmitter network. CBXFT-DT remains a regional public broadcaster rather than a separately capitalized commercial company. Its role is defined by the national CBC/Radio-Canada system and by the need to serve French-language minority communities outside Quebec. The station's identity is therefore closely associated with Ici Radio-Canada Télé, local Alberta news, and cultural and civic programming for Francophones and Francophiles across the province.
History
CBXFT-DT began broadcasting on March 1, 1970, as Radio-Canada's French-language television outlet in Edmonton. Its launch addressed the needs of Alberta's French-speaking minority by providing access to the national French-language television service and locally relevant programming. For its first three years, the station also aired weekday English-language educational programs produced or supplied by the Metropolitan Edmonton Educational Television Association. This supplementary arrangement ended in 1973 when Access, operating under the call sign CJAL-TV at the time, launched its own service. CBXFT developed as part of the CBC/Radio-Canada public broadcasting system rather than as an independent commercial station. Its Edmonton facilities have been shared with CBXT-DT, the city's CBC Television station, in a twinstick operating model. The stations share studios at Edmonton City Centre, located across from Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton. CBXFT's main transmitter is situated in Sherwood Park. For many years, the station's service extended across Alberta through a large analog rebroadcaster network. Transmitters served communities such as Bonnyville, Falher, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Hinton, Red Deer, Jean Côté, Lac La Biche, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Peace River. Calgary was served by CBRFT, a semi-satellite that generally carried the same programming as CBXFT but was able to insert separate commercials. CBRFT was ultimately closed in 2012. CBXFT's local editorial and programming role is centered on French-language Alberta coverage. Its principal local newscast is the 6 p.m. Le Téléjournal/Alberta, which covers provincial politics, community affairs, culture, and other matters of interest to Franco-Albertans. Alongside local production, the station carries programming supplied by the broader Ici Radio-Canada Télé network, linking Alberta viewers with national news, current affairs, cultural programming, entertainment, and public-service content. The station's technical history reflects the restructuring of Canadian over-the-air television. On August 31, 2011, the date on which stations in designated mandatory markets transitioned from analog to digital transmission, CBXFT flash-cut its main signal to digital UHF channel 44 and used virtual channel 11. The transition did not result in a full digital conversion of its extensive repeater network. In response to funding reductions announced in 2012, CBC/Radio-Canada shut down its remaining analog transmitters on July 31, 2012. None of the affected repeaters were converted to digital. Regulatory arrangements briefly allowed certain repeaters in mandatory markets to continue operating in analog. On August 16, 2011, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission authorized CBC/Radio-Canada to keep 22 repeaters operating temporarily, including CBRFT in Calgary and CBXFT-3 in Lethbridge. These facilities had to convert to digital or close by August 31, 2012. The repeaters were ultimately closed rather than converted. CBXFT's Edmonton digital signal later underwent a frequency change during Canada's UHF spectrum repack. In March 2021, the station moved its physical transmission from channel 47 to channel 27, while continuing to identify itself to viewers through virtual channel 11. The change preserved the station's digital service while accommodating national spectrum reallocation. Today, CBXFT-DT functions as Radio-Canada's principal television service for Edmonton and Alberta's Francophone population. Its significance is less that of a standalone consumer brand than of a regional public broadcaster within the Ici Radio-Canada Télé network. Its continuing mission is to provide French-language news, cultural representation, and national programming to a linguistic minority distributed across a geographically large province.
- 2021
Spectrum-repack frequency move
[1]The station changes its physical digital channel from 47 to 27 while continuing to use virtual channel 11.
- 2012
Analog repeater network closes
[1]CBC/Radio-Canada closes the station's remaining analog rebroadcasters after funding reductions and does not convert them to digital.
- 2011
Digital transition
[1]CBXFT flash-cuts its primary Edmonton signal to digital UHF channel 44 and retains virtual channel 11.
- 1973
Educational programming arrangement ends
[1]CBXFT stops carrying weekday English-language educational programs from the Metropolitan Edmonton Educational Television Association after Access begins service.
- 1970
CBXFT begins broadcasting
[1]The station signs on in Edmonton on March 1 as a French-language Radio-Canada television service for Alberta.
Products and positioning
A public-service French-language television station dedicated to serving Alberta's Francophone minority and connecting regional audiences with Radio-Canada's national network.
French-language television station · 1970
CBXFT-DT broadcast service
The station's main over-the-air digital television service from Edmonton, identified to viewers by virtual channel 11. It combines local Alberta programming with the national Ici Radio-Canada Télé schedule and serves French-speaking audiences throughout the Edmonton area and Alberta.
Local television news
Le Téléjournal/Alberta
CBXFT-DT's principal local newscast, broadcast at 6 p.m. The program provides French-language coverage of Alberta news, public affairs, communities, culture, and issues affecting Franco-Albertans. Jean-Emmanuel Fortier is identified as its anchor in the available reference material.
Television transmission network
CBXFT analog rebroadcaster network
A former network of analog transmitters that extended CBXFT programming to communities across Alberta, including Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Peace River. The network was shut down in 2012 and was not converted to digital.
Brand decisions
2021
Physical channel reassignmentOtherBackground
Canadian television stations were required to adjust frequencies as part of the UHF spectrum repack.
Action taken
CBXFT-DT moved its physical digital signal from UHF channel 47 to channel 27 in March 2021.
Aftermath
The station maintained its virtual channel 11 identity while operating on the reassigned physical frequency.
2012
Closure of analog rebroadcastersStrategyBackground
Federal funding reductions led CBC/Radio-Canada to reduce its terrestrial transmitter network. The corporation had initially determined that its remaining analog rebroadcasters would not be converted to digital.
Action taken
CBC/Radio-Canada shut down the remaining analog CBXFT rebroadcasters, including the Calgary semi-satellite CBRFT, rather than converting them to digital.
Aftermath
Over-the-air coverage outside the Edmonton service area was reduced, and the repeater network ceased operating in 2012.
2011
Conversion of the Edmonton signal to digital televisionGeneration changeBackground
Canada required television stations in designated mandatory markets to transition from analog transmission to digital broadcasting.
Action taken
CBXFT flash-cut its primary signal to digital UHF channel 44 on August 31, 2011, while retaining virtual channel 11.
Aftermath
The Edmonton service continued as a digital over-the-air station, while many provincial analog rebroadcasters remained subject to separate funding and regulatory decisions.
Recent events
- 2021
CBXFT-DT changes physical digital channel during spectrum repack[1]
Product generation · Regulation
The station moved its physical digital transmission from UHF channel 47 to channel 27 as part of Canada's spectrum-repacking process, while retaining virtual channel 11.
- 2012
Analog rebroadcasters are shut down[1]
Other
Following CBC/Radio-Canada funding reductions, the network closed its remaining analog transmitters across Alberta and did not convert them to digital. The Calgary semi-satellite CBRFT also ceased operation.
- 2011
CRTC permits temporary analog operation of selected Radio-Canada repeaters[1]
Regulation
The CRTC allowed CBC/Radio-Canada to keep selected repeaters in mandatory markets, including CBRFT and CBXFT-3, operating in analog for a limited period while digital conversion or closure was determined.
- 2011
CBXFT completes its digital transition[1]
Product generation · Regulation
On August 31, CBXFT flash-cut its Edmonton transmission to digital UHF channel 44 while continuing to use virtual channel 11.
- 1973
Weekday educational programming ends on CBXFT[1]
Other
CBXFT stopped carrying weekday English-language educational programming from the Metropolitan Edmonton Educational Television Association after Access, then CJAL-TV, began service.
- 1970
CBXFT-DT begins broadcasting in Edmonton[1]
Other
CBXFT signed on March 1, establishing a French-language Radio-Canada television service for Edmonton and Alberta's Francophone population.
Sources2 sources
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