July 10, 1920 - First Radio Broadcasts Begin in Canada

If you trace Canada's radio history to July 10, 1920, you're starting in the right era — but the real story began earlier. Montreal's XWA was already conducting radiophone transmission tests by March 1919 and received its commercial license in December of that year. The station evolved from simple code practice to concerts, news, and weather reports. There's far more to this foundational chapter than a single date can capture.

Key Takeaways

• XWA in Montreal became Canada's first licensed broadcasting station, receiving its commercial license from the federal government in December 1919.
• Programming evolved from Morse code practice to gramophone records, news readings, and weather reports during XWA's early broadcasting period.
• Concerts in November 1920 were announced via wireless telephone, using records played on a mechanical gramophone positioned near a microphone.
• XWA adapted a 500W YC-3 military transmitter operating at 1,200 metres for radiophone use, enabling early civilian broadcasts.
• The station rebranded as CFCF in November 1922, a callsign later interpreted as "Canada's First, Canada's Finest."

Who Built the Foundation for Canadian Radio?

Canada's radio foundation didn't emerge from a single visionary moment—it grew from a tug-of-war between private enterprise and public ambition. Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company launched commercial radio in Montréal in 1918, establishing private broadcasting's earliest roots.

Canadian National Railways then built on that foundation, operating a radio network that entertained passengers and outpaced rival CP.

But private dominance faced serious challenges. Graham Spry and Alan Plaunt drove aggressive public advocacy through the Canadian Radio League, pushing back against American influence and corporate control. The Fact Finder tool at onl.li allows users to explore categorized facts about pivotal moments in broadcasting history, including the political battles that shaped national media policy.

The 1929 Aird Commission reinforced their cause, recommending Crown-owned stations and shaping national policy toward public broadcasting. By 1932, the R.B. Bennett government established the CRBC, absorbing CNR Radio's network and signaling that Canada's airwaves would serve the public, not just private interests. The CRBC was later reorganized into the CBC on November 2, 1936, with Leonard Brockington named as its first chairman.

Canada's earliest radio audience grew rapidly, as the number of radio sets across the country increased from fewer than 10,000 to nearly 300,000 by the end of the 1920s, reflecting how quickly the public embraced the new medium.

What Actually Happened on May 20, 1920?

On May 20, 1920—a Thursday, the 141st day of the year—a waxing crescent moon hung at just 11% illumination over a world caught in the middle of labor unrest, political upheaval, and post-war demobilization.

From New York City, moon visibility stretched from 7:55 a.m. to 10:51 p.m., offering observers a slim crescent against a turbulent backdrop.

That same day, 15,000 Massachusetts textile workers from 37 mills walked off the job.

French dock workers and coal miners struck nationwide. Paris saw International Labor Day riots.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army had discharged over 180,000 reservists since the 1918 armistice.

In Mexico, President Carranza's government collapsed as Obregón's forces entered Mexico City.

The world you'd have woken up to that Thursday was deeply unsettled. Adding to the cultural fabric of the moment, the number 1 song in the USA that week was "Your Eyes Have Told Me So" by John McCormack.

Just months earlier, on January 17, the United States had entered a new era as alcohol prohibition took effect under the 18th Amendment, reshaping daily life across the country.

Only three years prior, the United States had abandoned its policy of neutrality by formally declaring war on Germany on April 6, 1917, a decision that would permanently expand its role on the world stage.

The Station Behind Canada's First Broadcast: XWA's Origins

Behind the turbulence of that May morning stood a station years in the making. Marconi experiments at XWA began as early as 1914, when the station received an experimental license.

By March 1919, staff were already conducting radiophone transmission tests from the William Street Studios in Montreal.

The equipment driving those early broadcasts was a 500W YC-3 military transmitter, adapted for wireless telephony and operating at 1,200 metres (250 KHz). Receiving stations were established at Ottawa's Naval Radio Station, with a secondary receiver at the Château Laurier.

XWA didn't jump straight into entertainment, either. Programming evolved gradually from standard code practice into gramophone records, news, and weather reports. In November 1920, concerts were announced via wireless telephone using records played on a mechanical gramophone placed near a microphone.

The federal government granted XWA its commercial license in December 1919, making it the world's first commercially licensed radio station. The station would later be rebranded as CFCF in November 1922, carrying the reputed meaning of "Canada's First, Canada's Finest." Today, visitors can explore the broader history of early broadcasting milestones through online trivia tools that cover science and history categories.

How XWA Became CFCF, Canada's First Commercial Station

XWA's transformation into CFCF didn't happen overnight—it unfolded through a series of milestones that redefined broadcasting history.

On November 4, 1920, the station officially became CFCF, a name reportedly standing for "Canada's First, Canada's Finest." By May 1, 1921, it briefly operated as VE9AM before receiving its official commercial broadcaster license as CFCF on May 15, 1922.

That same year, a studio relocation moved operations to the Canada Cement Building at Phillips Square, giving the station a stronger foundation for growth.

Sponsored programming had already taken shape earlier, with local retailers receiving on-air acknowledgments in exchange for supplying records and equipment. These moves collectively established CFCF as more than a pioneering call sign—they cemented its identity as the world's first fully licensed commercial radio station. CFCF eventually ceased operations on January 29, 2010, leaving KDKA as the sole surviving station from that foundational era of broadcasting.

In 1929, the station formed a network affiliation with NBC Radio, bringing popular American programs and stars to Canadian listeners and significantly expanding its reach and programming content.

French-Language Radio Joins the Canadian Airwaves

While English-language radio was still finding its footing, CKAC in Montréal launched French-language programming in 1922, becoming North America's first licensed radio station to broadcast French content. You can trace this milestone back to the commercial boom that saw private stations double from 39 to 77 between 1922 and 1932. CKAC delivered live music, debates, and sports, driving Francophone Programming adoption across provinces.

Regional Expansion followed quickly, pushing French stations beyond Québec into Ontario and New Brunswick. The Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission then formalized French network infrastructure after 1932, with CBF Montréal anchoring the effort. By December 11, 1937, Canada's official French radio network launched, eventually evolving into Ici Radio-Canada Première and reaching 90% of Canadian francophones within decades. This growth was made possible by the rapid public uptake that had already seen radio sets nationwide climb from fewer than 10,000 to nearly 300,000 by the end of the 1920s. The network further expanded in 1938 with the addition of CBV Quebec City and CBJ Chicoutimi, bringing French-language broadcasting to new regional audiences.

Why the Government Stepped In: The 1932 Broadcasting Commission

By 1932, Canada's radio landscape had grown into a thriving yet unregulated industry, with private stations broadcasting across the country in both French and English and thousands of Canadians tuning in during what many called a "radio craze." The federal government had stayed largely hands-off, letting commercial interests drive programming decisions while American broadcasters eyed Canadian markets for northern expansion. By 1930, four Canadian stations had become NBC and CBS affiliates, bringing American network programming directly into Canadian homes.

Several key developments triggered government intervention:

1. The Privy Council confirmed federal jurisdiction over broadcasting in early 1932
2. Prime Minister Bennett immediately pursued a public mandate through legislation
3. Parliament passed the Canadian Broadcasting Act on May 26, 1932
4. The Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission launched with a $2 annual listener licence fee

Depression-era funding shortages, however, quickly hampered the Commission's ability to build its proposed national station network. Lobbying efforts also played a significant role, as Graham Spry and Alan Plaunt formed the Canadian Radio League to campaign among influential groups and political leaders for implementation of the Aird Report's public broadcasting recommendations.

From XWA to the CBC: The Broadcast Legacy That Shaped Modern Canada

The story of Canadian broadcasting stretches far beyond the Commission's 1932 mandate—it begins more than a decade earlier, when Montreal's XWA became the country's first licensed broadcasting station in 1919. That technical legacy carried forward through CN Radio's multi-station network, the CRBC's regulatory framework, and ultimately the CBC's creation in 1936 as a Crown Corporation.

Each shift built upon the last, expanding coverage and refining cultural transmission across a geographically fragmented nation. You can trace a direct line from XWA's experimental broadcasts to the CBC's nationally coordinated programming.

What started as isolated signals reaching limited urban audiences evolved into a structured public broadcaster connecting Canadians coast to coast—transforming radio from a novelty into an essential institution of national identity and shared experience. A pivotal moment in this evolution came on July 1, 1927, when the nation united around the Diamond Jubilee of Confederation through its first-ever national broadcast. The urgency of this national mission was further codified when the 1928 Aird Report recommended a publicly owned, coast-to-coast network built on Canadian content.