If you want to know what most of Canada is watching, your search starts with CTV. As Canada’s largest private TV network, it’s the exclusive Canadian home to major U.S. hits (like The Masked Singer and Grey’s Anatomy) and produces the country’s most-watched national newscast, CTV National News.
Like CBC and Citytv, the main CTV channel is a licensed broadcast network. This means you can watch it for free with a digital antenna in most major markets. It’s also included in even the most basic cable and satellite packages.
In my experience, the real key to the CTV ecosystem is the CTV app. The main channel is free, but the app is your portal to a massive library of on-demand shows. It’s also how you unlock live feeds to sister channels like CTV Drama, CTV Sci-Fi, and CTV Life, if you have a TV provider login.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to find your CTV channel numbers and how to get the most value out of your TV subscription.
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What channel is CTV on near me?
As Canada’s primary broadcast network, CTV is typically one of the very first channels in your guide, often located in the single digits or low double digits.
Because the main network relies on localized stations across the country, you should look for the channel number associated with your closest local CTV station (e.g., CFTO-DT Toronto, CIVT-DT Vancouver). To help you out, I’ve listed CTV channel numbers from 20 major Canadian cities in the table below.
CTV channel numbers across Canada
| City | Local channel | Bell Fibe TV | Bell Satellite TV | Rogers Xfinity TV | Shaw Direct | Telus Optik TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary, AB | 4.1 | — | 243 | 104 | 198 | 101 |
| Charlottetown, PE | 8.1 | — | 201 | — | 103 | — |
| Edmonton, AB | 3.1 | — | 239 | 104 | 193 | 101 |
| Fredericton, NB | — | — | 201 | 8 | 103 | — |
| Halifax, NS | 5.1 | 6 | 201 | — | 103 | — |
| Hamilton, ON | — | 201 | 212 | — | 133 | — |
| Iqaluit, NU | — | — | 212 | — | 133 | — |
| London, ON | — | 201 | 212 | 12 | 133 | — |
| Montreal, QC | 12.1 | 201 | 205 | — | 123 | — |
| Ottawa, ON | 13.1 | 201 | 229 | 7 | 145 | — |
| Quebec City, QC | — | 201 | 205 | — | 123 | — |
| Regina, SK | 2.1 | — | 235 | — | 173 | — |
| Saskatoon, SK | 8.1 | — | 249 | 104 | 176 | — |
| St. John’s, NL | 21.1 | 6 | 199 | 5 | 112 | — |
| Thunder Bay, ON | 2.2 | 201 | 223 | — | 148 | — |
| Toronto, ON | 9.1 | 201 | 212 | 8 | 133 | — |
| Vancouver, BC | 32.1 | — | 250 | 104 | 214 | 101 |
| Victoria, BC | — | — | 250 | 104 | 214 | 101 |
| Whitehorse, YT | — | — | 250 | — | 214 | — |
| Winnipeg, MB | 7.1 | 5 | 225 | 104 | 163 | — |
Data effective as of post date.
Get CTV with cable or satellite TV
Unlike premium channels like TSN or Sportsnet, you don’t need a special higher-tier TV package to get CTV. As a major broadcast network, it’s included in the Basic or Starter package of every major Canadian cable and satellite provider, right alongside CBC and Global TV.
Based on my research, this lowest-cost package almost always includes the secondary channel, CTV2, as well. Here’s a quick look at the most popular TV providers that carry CTV.
| Provider | Type | CTV | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell Fibe TV | IPTV | ✔ | View Plans |
| Bell Satellite | Satellite | ✔ | View Plans |
| Cogeco | Cable | ✔ | View Plans |
| Eastlink | Cable | ✔ | View Plans |
| Rogers Xfinity TV | Cable/IPTV | ✔ | View Plans |
| Shaw Direct | Satellite | ✔ | View Plans |
| Telus Optik TV | IPTV | ✔ | View Plans |
| Vidéotron | Cable | ✔ | View Plans |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
How to stream CTV with the CTV app
Like other major broadcast networks in Canada, the main CTV channel is typically not available through third-party live TV streaming services. Instead, the easiest way to stream live on-demand CTV content is through the channel’s dedicated app or CTV.ca.
I like the app experience because it’s super straightforward and available across popular platforms like Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku. But it’s important to note that the CTV app has two main access tiers.
- Free (ad-supported): The app allows you to catch up on the latest episodes of most CTV shows for seven days after they air without any login required.
- Full access (with TV provider login): If you log in with your cable/satellite provider credentials, you can stream the main CTV channel live and unlock the full libraries of every CTV specialty channel.
What’s on CTV?
CTV’s programming revolves around its exclusive rights to high-profile U.S. network hits and its massive news division. The network’s content is vast, so I’ve broken it down into the main categories below. Click each heading to explore what you’ll find on CTV.
- CTV National News: Canada’s most-watched national news program, airing nightly and featuring top anchors.
- Local newscasts: The network produces localized CTV News broadcasts in the early evening and late night across its numerous stations.
- 24/7 channels: Bell Media operates the national specialty news channels CTV News Channel and BNN Bloomberg, which are often bundled with main CTV subscriptions.
- While Bell Media primarily handles sports through its specialty channel, TSN, CTV’s status as a major broadcast network means it often carries simulcasts of the biggest events. These include the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and key NFL and CFL matchups.
- Many live sporting events that spill into overflow time slots are also directed to the secondary channel, CTV2.
- CTV is the exclusive Canadian home to major U.S. network titles, often simulcasting them live with the U.S. broadcast. Key shows include: Grey’s Anatomy, 9-1-1, The Amazing Race, The Masked Singer, and The Voice.
- Originals: Features Canadian original productions such as The Traitors Canada, Transplant, and The Amazing Race Canada.
- CTV specialty channels: Your TV subscription to CTV unlocks access to a massive library of focused content through the CTV app, including CTV Comedy, CTV Drama, CTV Life, CTV Sci-Fi, CTV Throwback, and CTV Movies.
CTV channel FAQ
Is the CTV app free?
Yes, the CTV app is free to download. It gives you free access to the most recent seven days of episodes for most shows. But to access the full show libraries and the live streams of all the specialty channels (Drama, Sci-Fi, etc.), you need to sign in with a paid TV subscription.
Does CTV have a paid streaming service like Crave?
No, Crave is Bell Media's separate, premium subscription service (Canada's home for HBO content). The CTV app is the free, ad-supported home for the main network's shows, and you can unlock the whole app experience by logging in with your TV provider.
Does CTV2 show the same programs as CTV?
No, CTV2 is a separate secondary television system used for complementary programming, overflow content (like sports), and sometimes local news. You should always check the main CTV channel first for major network simulcasts.
What are the main CTV specialty channels?
With an eligible TV subscription, you'll typically unlock the live and on-demand feeds for CTV Drama, CTV Comedy, CTV Life, and CTV Sci-Fi, among others. I recommend signing into the CTV app and checking the Channels tab to see the full list of CTV content available to you.
