CKVR-DT
A Bell Media television station in Barrie, Ontario, serving as the flagship outlet of the CTV2 system.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
CKVR-DT is a television station serving Barrie and surrounding communities in Central Ontario. It operates as the flagship station of Bell Media’s CTV2 system and is paired within Bell’s Ontario television portfolio with Toronto CTV station CFTO-DT and regional news channel CP24. The station’s studios, newsroom and transmitter facilities are located at 33 Beacon Road in Barrie. The station began broadcasting on September 28, 1955, after its founder, radio operator Ralph Snelgrove, received authorization to establish a television service in Barrie. At the time, Barrie was an unusually small Canadian community to have its own television station. The CKVR call letters are associated with Snelgrove and his wife Valerie. From launch until 1995, CKVR was a privately owned affiliate of CBC Television and provided network programming alongside locally produced news and community coverage. CHUM Limited acquired CKVR in 1969, making it one of that company’s early television properties. During its CBC years, the station developed a strong local identity, particularly through news programming. A major operational crisis occurred in September 1977 when a private aircraft struck the station’s main transmission tower in dense fog. All five people aboard the aircraft died, and the tower, antenna and several communications facilities were destroyed. CKVR returned to the air at reduced power using a temporary tower while a permanent replacement was constructed. The station’s programming direction changed substantially during the 1990s. Increasing signal overlap with Toronto’s CBC service and worsening economics made the long-standing CBC affiliation difficult to sustain. On September 1, 1995, CKVR left CBC Television and relaunched as the independent station The New VR. CHUM invested in new equipment, redesigned the news operation around a more fast-paced, urban style influenced by Toronto’s Citytv, and introduced younger-oriented syndicated and entertainment programming. The successful format became the model for CHUM’s NewNet group, later renamed A-Channel. CKVR also carried selected Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs games during the late 1990s and early 2000s, along with other entertainment and sports programming. In 2005, it adopted the A-Channel identity. After CTVglobemedia acquired most of CHUM’s assets in 2007, the station was retained while the Citytv stations were sold to Rogers Communications. CKVR was rebranded as A in 2008, CTV Two in 2011 and CTV2 in 2018. Today, CKVR-DT combines the CTV2 network schedule with locally produced news branded CTV News Barrie. Its local news operation covers Barrie and nearby communities through bureaus and reporting activity in areas including Collingwood and Muskoka. The station broadcasts weekday and weekend evening newscasts and remains an important local television service despite operating within a larger privately owned Canadian media group.
History
CKVR-DT was established after Ralph Snelgrove received a television licence for Barrie and signed the station on September 28, 1955. Its call sign was connected with Snelgrove and his wife Valerie. The station initially operated as a privately owned CBC Television affiliate, an important role for a growing regional centre that had previously depended on signals from larger markets. CHUM Limited bought CKVR in 1969. For much of the following period, the station maintained its CBC affiliation while developing local news and community programming. Its infrastructure was severely damaged on September 7, 1977, when a Falconbridge Nickel Mines aircraft collided with the 1,000-foot transmission tower in dense fog. The crash killed the five people aboard and destroyed the main tower, antenna and other facilities that supported several broadcasters and communications services. CKVR returned to air from a temporary tower at reduced power before a permanent tower was completed in 1978. A second defining moment came with the 1985 Barrie tornado. The station’s facilities were close to the disaster area, allowing CKVR to provide sustained reporting on the destruction and recovery. It also organized a fundraising telethon. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, however, CKVR faced a less favorable business environment. The completion of Toronto’s CN Tower increased signal overlap with CBC’s Toronto station, while the station’s schedule remained heavily dependent on older syndicated programming. CHUM management concluded that the CBC affiliation was no longer economically sustainable. On September 1, 1995, CKVR became an independent station under the name The New VR. CHUM invested more than one million dollars in equipment and rebuilt the schedule around newer syndicated programming, entertainment, sports and a more locally expansive news format. Its presentation drew heavily on the style of CHUM’s Toronto Citytv property, including a less formal newsroom-centered approach. The relaunch proved influential: CKVR became the practical template for CHUM’s NewNet television system, which was later renamed A-Channel. The station carried selected Raptors and Maple Leafs games during the late 1990s and early 2000s and briefly carried other nationally recognizable entertainment programming. CHUM also considered relocating CKVR to the historic Allandale Station site, purchasing the property in 2000, but later abandoned the proposed broadcast-centre plan and sold the site to the City of Barrie in 2007. In 2005, CKVR’s master-control activity was consolidated with other CHUM stations at the company’s Toronto facilities. The same year, CKVR moved from the NewNet identity to A-Channel. CTVglobemedia acquired CHUM’s assets in 2007 after regulatory requirements led to the divestiture of the Citytv stations to Rogers. CTVglobemedia retained CKVR and the other A-Channel properties. The station became A in 2008, CTV Two in 2011 after Bell Media regained ownership of CTVglobemedia, and CTV2 in 2018. Its current service consists of CTV2 programming and a comparatively compact local news schedule branded CTV News Barrie. The newsroom serves Barrie and nearby areas, with additional coverage associated with Collingwood and Muskoka. CKVR remains a Bell Media-owned regional broadcaster and the flagship outlet of the CTV2 system.
- 2018
CTV2 branding update
[1]The network identity is standardized as CTV2.
- 2011
CTV Two relaunch
[1]The station joins the relaunched CTV Two system and adopts CTV News branding for local newscasts.
- 2005
A-Channel rebrand
[1]The NewNet station adopts the A-Channel name.
- 1995
The New VR relaunch
[1]CKVR ends its CBC affiliation and becomes an independent station.
- 1985
Barrie tornado coverage
[1]CKVR provides extensive disaster coverage and organizes fundraising support after the tornado.
- 1978
Permanent tower replacement
[1]A new permanent transmission tower is completed after the 1977 destruction.
- 1977
Transmission-tower disaster
[1]An aircraft collision destroys the main tower and temporarily interrupts normal transmission.
- 1969
Acquisition by CHUM
[1]CHUM Limited acquires CKVR, making it one of the company’s early television stations.
- 1955
Station launches
[1]CKVR begins broadcasting in Barrie as a privately owned CBC Television affiliate.
Products and positioning
A regional television broadcaster combining CTV2 network programming with locally focused news and public-service coverage for Barrie and surrounding Central Ontario communities.
Local television news · 2011
CTV News Barrie
CKVR’s local news service reports on Barrie and surrounding Central Ontario communities. The operation includes evening newscasts and reporting linked to areas such as Collingwood and Muskoka. It evolved from the station’s earlier CBC-era news services and from the Citytv-influenced formats introduced after the 1995 independent relaunch.
Broadcast television network service · 2011
CTV2 programming
CKVR serves as the flagship station of Bell Media’s CTV2 system. Its network schedule complements locally produced programming and gives the station a broader general-interest television role than a stand-alone community broadcaster.
Independent television service · 1995
The New VR
The New VR was CKVR’s independent-station identity from 1995 until the A-Channel transition. Its schedule emphasized newer syndicated entertainment, a redesigned local news operation and selected Toronto sports coverage. The format became the model for CHUM’s NewNet system.
Marketing campaigns
- 1985Barrie tornado relief telethon
Barrie · Central Ontario
After the May 31, 1985 tornado, CKVR devoted sustained coverage to the disaster and organized a day-long telethon to support victims and recovery efforts.
Outcome. The campaign contributed to local recovery awareness and fundraising, although the available reference does not specify the amount raised.
Brand decisions
2011
Relaunch as CTV TwoGeneration changeBackground
Bell Media completed its acquisition of CTVglobemedia and revised the identity of the former A television system.
Action taken
CKVR adopted the CTV Two identity, rebranded its local news as CTV News and added an anchor desk and high-definition service.
Aftermath
The station became a CTV2-owned-and-operated outlet while retaining separate local news operations.
2005
Consolidate master-control operationsStrategyBackground
CHUM sought operating efficiencies across CKVR and several sister stations.
Action taken
Master-control functions moved to CHUM’s Toronto facilities, while traffic and programming functions were consolidated elsewhere within the group.
Aftermath
Approximately nine CKVR positions were lost or affected by the consolidation.
2005
Adopt the A-Channel brandProduct launchBackground
CHUM reorganized its television identities after acquiring Craig Media assets.
Action taken
CKVR and the former NewNet stations were relaunched under the A-Channel name.
Aftermath
The A identity continued until the system became A in 2008 and CTV Two in 2011.
1995
End CBC affiliation and become independentStrategyBackground
CHUM and CKVR management considered the CBC relationship financially unsustainable amid signal overlap with Toronto and declining station economics.
Action taken
The station ended its CBC affiliation, relaunched as The New VR and invested in equipment, programming and a new local-news format.
Aftermath
The relaunch became the model for CHUM’s NewNet system and positioned CKVR as a flagship rather than simply a local CBC affiliate.
Capital investment. More than C$1 million invested in new equipment (1995 relaunch)
Recent events
- 2011
Bell Media relaunches the station as CTV Two[1]
M&A · Product generation
Following Bell’s return to ownership of CTVglobemedia, CKVR’s network identity changes from A to CTV Two and its local newscasts become CTV News-branded.
- 2005
CHUM television operations are consolidated[1]
Other
Master-control functions for CKVR and several sister stations move to Toronto, resulting in staff reductions at CKVR.
- 2005
CKVR adopts the A-Channel identity[1]
Product generation
The former NewNet station is rebranded A-Channel as CHUM aligns its Ontario stations under a common identity.
- 1995
CKVR leaves CBC and launches The New VR[1]
Other
The station becomes independent, adopts a youth-oriented schedule and restructures its news operation around a Citytv-influenced presentation style.
- 1985
CKVR provides extensive coverage of the Barrie tornado[1]
Campaign · Other
The station reports continuously on the F4 tornado and supports recovery efforts, including a fundraising telethon for victims.
- 1977
Aircraft destroys CKVR transmission tower[1]
Other
A private aircraft strikes CKVR’s main tower in fog, killing all five occupants and forcing the station to operate temporarily from a replacement structure.
- 1955
CKVR begins broadcasting in Barrie[1]
Other
The station signs on as a privately owned CBC Television affiliate, giving Barrie its own television service.
Sources2 sources
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