Suze Morrison 

MPP, Toronto Centre 

 
 
 
August 19, 2020

Peter Crawley
A. Farber & Partners Inc.
1220 Sheppard Ave E, Suite #300
North York, ON M2K 2S5

Dear Mr. Peter Crawley,

I am writing to you as Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre

regarding G98.7FM. It is my position that the CRTC must uphold the original
mandate of CKFGFM-G987FM and ensure that it continues to provide its
irreplaceable service as a Black-owned, Black-led and Black-serving radio
station.

In the current political climate — with a raging pandemic that is disproportionately

affecting Black and lower-income Ontarians, a critical ongoing discussion about
addressing systemic anti-Black racism in our institutions, widespread protests
and public calls to ensure Black Ontarians get the equity and justice they
deserve, and the governments of Canada, Ontario and Toronto participating in
an ongoing global focus on Black communities through the International Decade
for People of African Descent — it is truly vital to progress and social cohesion
that Black Ontarians are able to continue counting on G98.7FM as an
indispensable venue and vehicle for critical discussions facing their communities.

When G98.7FM first began broadcasting in November of 2011, it was only the
second major Black-owned radio station in Toronto’s history. Now, nine years
later, it is the only on-air station that serves Black communities. For the better
part of a decade, G98.7FM has been a lifeline for Black Ontarians seeking
information on issues of importance to their communities and the broader body
politic. It has been a critical hub for Ontario’s many Black communities — from a
multitude of Caribbean, Latin American and African diasporic communities who
are newer to Canada and longing for connection and news from both their first

1
home and their adopted home, to Afro Nova Scotian transplants with deep roots
in Canada, to African-Americans who now call Canada home, to even more
Black Ontarians from diverse backgrounds.

G98.7FM has been a beacon of opportunity to Black Ontarians, particularly

young people. It has provided a generation of Black youth with a major media
platform where they can not only see themselves, their communities, their voices,
experiences and their dreams reflected, but where they can see members of their
community in power, showing them what is possible. G98.7FM has been at the
epicentre of entertainment, education, inspiration, and community organization in
Ontario’s Black communities for a decade.

During the pandemic, Black communities have turned to G98.7FM for updates on
how COVID-19 has changed the landscape of their lives, and how best to adapt.
Grapevine, G98.7FM’s flagship call-in program, offers community members the
opportunity to get their questions answered by guests in the know — public
servants, members of government, health care experts and more.

As you are no doubt aware, the FM dial in Toronto is at capacity, and the
opportunity for a prime frequency like 98.7 is a huge draw for broadcasters with
deep pockets looking to expand their reach. When CKLN (Ryerson Radio) lost
their licence in 2011, the underrepresented community it served was deeply
impacted by the loss of a radio station that was pivotal to the many voices it
reflected.

Similarly, FLOW93.5FM — which was Black-owned and operated in the early

2000s, served many of the functions G98.7FM now serves. It is not an
exaggeration to say that FLOW93.5FM helped launch and boost the successful
careers of hundreds — if not thousands — of Black Canadians in all facets of the
music, entertainment, media and culture industries. Recording artist Jully Black,
CTV anchor Nathan Downer and media personality Mark Strong are just a few of
the many big names in Canadian arts, media, culture and entertainment that got
their start thanks to the existence of FLOW93.5FM as a Black-owned,
Black-operated, Black-empowering radio station.

The sale of FLOW93.5FM to owners outside the Black community led to the
hollowing out of it’s Black staff contingent and eventually transformed the station
from a Black-owned and operated community hub, to a station with a small
minority of Black staff and no community orientation or mission.

2
A decade ago, the CRTC rightly recognized that the sudden loss of such an
invaluable community resource could cause devastating and potentially
irreversible harm to Black communities in Ontario, and to the entire Canadian
cultural landscape, especially in the long-run. This is why G98.7FM was born,
and it is why the original CRTC-approved license for G98.7FM and the
ownership, management and content conditions associated with it, are central to
the ability of Black Ontarians to advocate and organize for ourselves, and cannot
be changed without serious consequences.

The sale or transfer of G98.7FM ownership to a non-Black ownership group

would cause irreparable harm to the ability of G98.7FM to perform these critical
functions, just as it did to FLOW93.5FM a decade ago. We must learn from this
history, as Fitzroy Gordon and the founding G98.7FM team did, or we will be
doomed to repeat it.

G98.7FM is presently licensed as ‘Worldbeat’ and through an existing loophole,

new owners could switch content serving Black communities to alternate
programming that falls within this category. This loss, both as a practical
resource for Black communities and as a symbol, would be devastating. As I
noted earlier, the harmful effect of this potential blow to community health, and
community faith in Canadian multiculturalism and institutions, cannot be
overstated and could very well take multiple generations to repair.

Given the social and political landscape of our communities, our province, our
nation and our world, the need for Black representation in every sector has never
been more important. It is critical that G98.7FM remain Black-owned and
operated, and continue to be the cultural hub for Black communities across the
province.

Thank you for your attention and consideration on this matter.

Sincerely, 
 

 
Suze Morrison 
MPP, Toronto-Centre, Official Opposition Critic for Housing