On April 4, 2012 an approximate 80% budget cut to the International service from $12.3 million a year to $2.3 million a year was announced by RCI Director Hélène Parent. In the 2012 federal budget, a 10% funding reduction was announced for the domestic broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada. Radio-Canada subsequently translated this to an 80% reduction to the International service under its financial and managerial control.These changes will effectively end broadcasting by RCI via shortwave and satellite. RCI News service (as a separate news service from the CBC-SCR derived news) will end, and the Brazilian and Russian sections will be cut.
All shortwave transmissions (including those from the Sackville Relay station), satellite, and all broadcast programming will end on June 24.
China Radio International, an important user of RCI Sackville will have to find a new shortwave relay site.
A skeleton remainder will provide some limited online services in five languages, including Spanish, Arabic, French, English, and Mandarin.
The last Radio Canada International shortwave transmission, will be on Sunday, June 24 at 2329 UTC, RCI Portuguese 13760 and RCI Spanish 11990 15455 kHz. {CEST Monday June 25 at 0129 hrs}2300-2329 SAC 13760 250 163 HR 4/4/1.0 12,13 NW,13S,14,15W PORTUGESE
2300-2329 SAC 11990 250 176 HR 4/4/1.0 12SE,13NW,13S,14,15W,16NE SPANISH
2300-2329 SAC 15455 250 176 HR 4/4/1.0 12NE,12S,13NW,13S,14,15 W SPANISH
9625 kHz CBC North Quebec shortwave:
Small low-power FM transmitters are planned for selected communities
affected by the cessation of SW transmissions.
(Wolfgang Bueschel, Germany/BC-DX Top News & Jacques Bouliane/RCI)