2020 in Canadian television

The following is a list of events affecting Canadian television in 2020. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings.

List of years in Canadian television:

Events

March
Date Event Source
11 The NBA has suspended the remainder of its 2019–2020 season "until further notice" after Rudy Gobert, a player for the Utah Jazz, tested positive for the coronavirus, resulting in a game in which the Jazz were facing the host city Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena to be cancelled just as they were about to start (all personal associated with the Jazz organization are quarantined until they are cleared), effectively leaving a large hole in the schedules of NBA TV, Sportsnet, Citytv, TSN, CTV/CTV 2, French-language RDS, and the league's regional sports network partners, as it pertains to the Toronto Raptors broadcasts. [1]
12 Following the NBA's lead of the day prior, several other sports leagues across Canada the United States announce a temporary suspension of play in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Major League Soccer suspends all games for 30 days due to the coronavirus pandemic, while the NHL announces an indefinite suspension of league activity, which was later followed in the day by Major League Baseball's announcement that it has suspended its spring training games and delayed the start of their 2020 regular season (originally scheduled to begin March 26) by at least two weeks. The suspension of the three leagues adds another large schedule void for CBC/SRC, Sportsnet, Citytv, TSN CTV/CTV 2, RDS, and TVA, as well as the leagues' regional sports network partners. [2][3]
Both the Juno Awards of 2020, which would have been broadcast on March 15, and the 8th Canadian Screen Awards, which would have been broadcast on March 29, also have their ceremonies cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Both awards eventually announce their winners via livestreaming. [4][5]
18 CBC Television temporarily suspends production of local newscasts on nearly all of its owned-and-operated stations, replacing them with a simulcast of the national CBC News Network in order to "temporarily pool our resources into one core news offering"; the sole exception is the CBC North service in the territories, due to the need to serve indigenous-language communities. However, this move faces criticism in some regions, with politicians and media figures arguing that locally focused news and information is especially critical in a time of emergency. The move is partially reversed by the end of March, with local newscasts resuming in most markets. [6][7]

April
Date Event Source
20 The Canadian Film Festival and Super Channel announce a partnership which will see television broadcasts in May of the feature and short films that had been slated to premiere at the CFF prior to its cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [8]
26 CTV, Global, Citytv, CBC Television and V partner on Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble, a special broadcast to raise money for Food Banks Canada due to increased demand for food bank services during the pandemic. The special featured musical performances by Céline Dion, Shania Twain, Alessia Cara, Michael Bublé, Bryan Adams, Jann Arden, Sarah McLachlan, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Barenaked Ladies, Arkells and William Prince, as well as spoken word appearances by Margaret Atwood, Tessa Virtue, Eric McCormack, Jason Priestley, Howie Mandel, Rick Mercer, Russell Peters, Will Arnett, Chris Hadfield, David Suzuki, Rick Hansen, Hayley Wickenheiser, Connor McDavid, Bianca Andreescu, Mike Myers, Geddy Lee, and Penny Oleksiak. It ranks as the most-viewed non-sports broadcast in Canadian television history, with 11.5 million viewers. [9][10]

Programs

Programs debuting in 2020
Start date Show Channel Source
January 2 Restaurants on the Edge Cottage Life [11]
January 5 Endlings CBC Television [12]
January 5 High Arctic Haulers
January 6 Nurses Global [13]
January 8 Fortunate Son CBC Television [12]
February 3 Wall of Chefs Food Network [14]
February 4 Great Chocolate Showdown [15]
February 20 Tribal APTN [16]
February 26 Transplant CTV
February 27 Fridge Wars CBC Television
February 27 The Wedding Planners Citytv
March 4 The Oland Murder CBC Television [17]
March 14 Movie Night in Canada [18]
March 22 I Do, Redo CTV [19]
April 5 What're You At? with Tom Power CBC [20]
April 16 Hot Docs at Home [21]
May 15 Dead Still Citytv [22]
June 19 Queens CBC Gem [23]
July 2 Canada's Drag Race Crave [24]
July Slo Pitch OutTVGo [25]
September 17 Escouade 99 Club Illico
September 27 Family Home Overhaul HGTV [26]
October 7 Trickster CBC Television
October 8 Departure Global [27]
October 18 Because News CBC Television [28]
Enslaved [29]
November 1 Rosemary Barton Live CBC News Network [30]
Unknown date Group Sext OutTV

Programs ending in 2020
End date Show Channel First aired Status Source
April 7 Schitt's Creek CBC Television 2015 Ended [31]
May 11 Cardinal CTV 2017 [32]
June 7 The Weekly with Wendy Mesley CBC Television, CBC News Network Canceled [33]
June 10 I Do, Redo CTV 2020 [34]
November 11 Trickster CBC Television [35]

Changes of network affiliation
ShowMoved fromMoved to
Being Ian BBC Kids Knowledge Network

Television films and specials
Airdate Show Channel Source
April 26 Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble CTV, Global, Citytv, CBC, V [9]
June 24 Queer Pride Inside CBC Gem [36]
December 18 The Christmas Setup CTV Drama Channel [37]

Deaths

The year also saw the death of wrestlers Rocky Johnson, Bobby Kay, Steve Gillespie, all of whom performed in televised leagues.

References
  1. “NBA suspends season until further notice after player tests positive for the coronavirus” from ESPN (March 11, 2020)
  2. “Major League Soccer suspends season 30 days amid coronavirus scare” from Pro Soccer USA (March 12, 2020)
  3. Brett Cyrgalis (March 12, 2020). "NHL set to suspend season amid coronavirus outbreak". New York Post. News Corp.
  4. "Junos in Saskatoon cancelled, with organizers citing concerns over COVID-19". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. March 12, 2020.
  5. "Canadian Screen Awards Canceled Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". The Hollywood Reporter. March 12, 2020.
  6. "CBC temporarily replaces local evening TV news amid coronavirus pandemic". CBC News, March 18, 2020.
  7. Dave Stewart, "CBC News Network pre-empting P.E.I.'s Compass due to situation with coronavirus". The Guardian, March 18, 2020.
  8. "Postponed Canadian Film Fest finds new home on Super Channel". Canadian Press, April 20, 2020.
  9. "Canadian broadcasters to air ‘Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble’ special in support of front-line workers". Canadian Press, April 20, 2020.
  10. Debra Yeo, "‘Stronger Together’ COVID-19 special becomes most watched non-sports broadcast ever in Canada". Toronto Star, April 27, 2020.
  11. Greg David, "marblemedia announces launch of Restaurants on the Edge". TV, eh?, December 3, 2019.
  12. Dutt, Aruna (November 21, 2019). "Get ready for a year full of drama: here's what's coming to CBC in 2020". CBC. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  13. Corey Atad, "New Medical Drama ‘Nurses’ Joins Global’s Winter 2020 Lineup". ET Canada, November 12, 2019.
  14. Greg David, "Food Network Canada announces Wall of Chefs". TV, eh?, November 28, 2019.
  15. Jillian Morgan, "Food Network Canada sets premiere for 'Great Chocolate Showdown'". RealScreen, December 6, 2019.
  16. "First Nations crime series Tribal comes to APTN". The Globe and Mail, February 20, 2020.
  17. John Doyle, "Whodunnit: CBC hits the true-crime jackpot with The Oland Murder". The Globe and Mail, March 2, 2020.
  18. Debra Yeo, "CBC turns ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ into ‘Movie Night in Canada’". Toronto Star, March 17, 2020.
  19. Debra Yeo, "Redone weddings in ‘I Do, Redo’ are about healing old wounds, says Jessica Mulroney". Toronto Star, March 12, 2020.
  20. Jordan Pinto, "CBC switches up Sunday nights, puts Tom Power in primetime". Playback, April 3, 2020.
  21. Victoria Ahearn, "Hot Docs to screen some films through CBC after festival postponed". Canadian Press, April 6, 2020.
  22. Debra Yeo, "He shoots dead people: Acorn TV’s delightful ‘Dead Still’ blends the macabre art of post-mortem photography with period mystery". Toronto Star, May 15, 2020.
  23. Debra Yeo, "It’s the summer of drag! Two new shows ‘Queens’ and ‘Canada’s Drag Race’ fill out roster". Toronto Star, June 12, 2020.
  24. "These Are 'Canada's Drag Race' Season 1 Queens". Out. May 14, 2020.
  25. Kelly Townsend, "Slo Pitch EPs on opportunities in short-form LGBTQ content". Playback, August 17, 2020.
  26. Melissa Hank, "Family Home Overhaul is the feel-good renovation show we need now". Canada.com, September 22, 2020.
  27. "‘Departure’, ‘The Equalizer’ And ‘neXt’ All Coming To The Global TV Fall 2020 Lineup". ET Canada, June 23, 2020.
  28. "Because News, Canada's funniest news quiz show hits TV screens this fall". CBC News, September 10, 2020.
  29. Melissa Vincent (October 18, 2020). "Documentary epic Enslaved, starring Samuel L. Jackson, tells a story that is 400 years overdue". The Globe and Mail.
  30. Craig Takeuchi, "New CBC shows with Rosemary Barton and Vassy Kapelos to boost political and COVID-19 coverage". The Georgia Straight, October 20, 2020.
  31. Andreeva, Nellie (October 3, 2019). "Fox Television Stations acquire 'Schitt's Creek'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  32. Brioux, Bill (12 May 2020). "Cardinal snowshoes off into the sunset". brioux.tv. Brampton, Ontario. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  33. "CBC suspends remaining episodes of The Weekly after 'incident' with host Wendy Mesley". CBC News. June 12, 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  34. Ahearn, Victoria (June 11, 2020). "Bell Media pulls Jessica Mulroney series after dispute with influencer". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  35. "CBC says second season of Trickster will not go forward". The Globe and Mail. January 29, 2021.
  36. Peter Knegt, "This Pride, come inside for a digital queer cabaret unlike anything else". CBC Arts, June 22, 2020.
  37. Leanne Cusack, "The Christmas Setup filmed in Ottawa and Almonte, lauded as holiday rom-com with representation". CTV News Ottawa, December 18, 2020.
  38. Diane Strandberg (April 3, 2020). "Coquitlam teen actor Logan Williams – young Flash in the TV series – dies suddenly". Tri-City News.
  39. Ahearn, Victoria (April 5, 2020). "Actress-activist Shirley Douglas, daughter of medicare's Tommy Douglas, dies". CTV News. Toronto: Bell Media.
  40. Joyce Inez Davidson-Susskind
  41. Martin Pasko, 'Superman,' 'Batman: The Animated Series' Writer, Dies at 65
  42. La chanteuse Renée Claude emportée par la COVID-19 à l’âge de 80 ans (in French)
  43. Monique Mercure, 1977 Palme d'Or Winner, Dies at 89
  44. La comédienne Michelle Rossignol s’éteint à 80 ans (in French)
  45. Le comédien André Cartier est décédé à 74 ans (in French)
  46. Flanagan, Ryan (2020-11-08). "Alex Trebek has died at age 80". CTVNews. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
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