The CBC will open new radio stations and expand others across the country as part of a new, five-year plan.
Details of where the new stations will be located were not immediately released, but the broadcaster says the plan is part of a renewed commitment to regional programming.
Many CBC stations have suffered budget cuts over the past several years, with 350 jobs lost in 2009 alone. The last strategic plan in 2007 also proposed opening more stations, but without more federal dollars, it fell flat.
“Canadians have told us time and time again that [covering] the regions ranks among our foremost priorities in their minds, but that they don’t feel we live up to our potential,” says the plan, called Everyone, Every Way.
“For different reasons, we haven’t always been everywhere we need to be or able to do everything we need to do. We will reverse that trend.”
Executives are also planning to introduce more locally based websites and increase regional television news during the day.
The strategic plan promises to beef up Canadian content and a major documentary series on Canada’s Aboriginal groups is also in the works.
The corporation said it will double its investment in digital services by 2015 and put more arts and entertainment content on its various platforms.
CBC president Hubert Lacroix said he wants the broadcaster to be a leader in expressing Canadian culture and enriching democracy.
“The way forward will be about seizing the tremendous opportunity we have before us to truly change our relationship with Canadians on a national, community and personal level,” Lacroix said in a statement.
“We can’t be all things to all people, but we can and must in some way be something for, and mean something to every Canadian.”
