| CFPO-FM | |
| Frequency: | 95.7 MHz |
| Country: | CA |
| Area: | National Capital Region |
| Format: | Indigenous Peoples' radio (Talk, Pop, Rock and R&B) |
| Owner: | First Peoples Radio |
| Branding: | 95.7 Elmnt FM |
| Erp: | 9,100 watts |
| Haat: | 117.4m (385.2feet) |
| Class: | B1 |
| Website: | ottawa.elmntfm.ca |
| Callsign Meaning: | First Peoples Ottawa |
CFPO-FM (95.7 FM, 95.7 Elmnt FM) is an indigenous peoples' radio station in Ottawa. Owned by First Peoples Radio, a subsidiary of Dadan Sivunivut, it broadcasts music and talk programming targeting the First Nations community. Music is both from mainstream and indigenous artists.
CFPO-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 9,100 watts. The transmitter is atop Tower C at Place de Ville on Queen Street at Lyon Street in Ottawa.[1]
On June 14, 2017, the CRTC awarded licences for five new Indigenous radio stations in Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.[2] The new stations would replace the Voices Radio network (whose licenses were revoked in 2015 due to long-term compliance issues).[3] The Ottawa (CFPO-FM) and Toronto (CFPT-FM) licences were awarded to First Peoples Radio, a subsidiary of APTN, with the Ottawa station inheriting Voices Radio's 95.7 FM frequency.[4]
In June 2018, it was announced that the two First Peoples Radio stations would brand as Elmnt FM, and air a mixture of music and talk programming, including pop, rock and R&B music. At least 25% of the music played by the station will be by indigenous Canadian musicians.
The station officially launched on October 24, 2018, as CFPO-FM.[5]
The 95.7 MHz FM frequency in Ottawa had previously been used by Voices Radio's CKAV-FM-9 since the 2000s until it left the air in 2014.[6]
In May 2024, the CRTC rejected an application by First Peoples Radio requesting that $2 million in tangible benefits funding being paid by Stingray Group be redirected for two years to support CFPO-FM and its Toronto sister station CFPT-FM. FPR chairman Jean LaRose said the application was a last ditch effort to keep the stations operational due to the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on advertising revenue. Staff at the stations had been cut from 26 to 6 leaving no on-air personalities. As a result of the CRTC decision "we have to see just how far we can go and decide whether we have to close in the coming months if we’re not seeing growth in advertising revenue,” said LaRose.[7]