This channel was launched on October 17, 1997 under the joint ownership of Atlantis Communications and E. W. Scripps Company. Atlantis merged with Alliance Communications to form Alliance Atlantis Communications in 1998 and the stake of HGTV was then acquired. After several ownership changes throughout the years while maintaining the same format, the channel has been owned by Corus since 2016.
The network's programming draws partially from the U.S. version of the channel, but it also carries original Canadian-produced series, some of which have in turn also been picked up for broadcast by the U.S. network or others internationally, as well as a smaller selection of home renovation programming acquired from other producers in the United States or the United Kingdom.
Corus will lose the rights to the HGTV brand and its U.S. programming at the end of 2024, at which point the existing channel will rebrand as Home Network, retaining rights to its Canadian-produced series.[2] A new, separate HGTV channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media will launch in Canada on January 1, 2025.
History
In September 1996, Atlantis Communications subsidiary Your Channel Television Inc., owner of Life Network, and minority partner E. W. Scripps Company were granted a television broadcasting licence by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for a channel called HGTV-TV Canada. The decision described the channel as focused on "programming that presents practical, hands-on advice and instruction about homes and gardens", and would "revolve around five key themes: building and remodelling, decorating and interior design, gardening and landscaping, crafts and hobbies and special interests."[3]
HGTV Canada logo used from 1997 to 2012.
The channel was launched as HGTV on October 17, 1997.[4] Channels also launched that day were History Television, Teletoon, and Prime. In June 1998,[5] Atlantis Communications announced that it planned to merge with Alliance Communications, another fellow television and film producer and broadcaster, owners of History Television and Showcase at the time,[6] to form a new company called Alliance Atlantis Communications. The CRTC approved the merger in May 1999.[6]
On October 27, 2010, the channel's ownership changed again as Shaw Communications gained control of HGTV as a result of its acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media.[10][11]
A high definition feed launched on January 31, 2011, which was eventually made available through all major television providers.[12]
HGTV Canada logo used from 2012 to 2015.
On April 1, 2016, Shaw Media was sold to Corus Entertainment, making HGTV Canada a sibling to additional channels such as W Network.
End of HGTV output and rebranding (2024–present)
On June 7, 2024, Corus announced it had been informed by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) that the latter would be ending its trademark licensing and program output agreements for some WBD-branded channels at the end of 2024.[13] Three days later, Rogers Sports & Media announced it had reached an agreement with WBD for the Canadian rights to its lifestyle brands including HGTV beginning in January 2025.[14] Rogers subsequently announced it intends to launch its own HGTV linear channel on January 1, 2025.[15]
Corus said in its June announcement that it intended to continue operating many of the affected channels under new brands with their existing Canadian programming along with "alternate foreign content supply".[13] In September, Corus announced that the current HGTV channel would relaunch as "Home Network" on December 30, 2024; its new schedule will feature new and renewed series featuring Canadian personalities such as Bryan Baeumler and Scott McGillivray (who have direct relationships with Corus despite also having been featured on the American HGTV channel), as well as new international acquisitions. Some repeats of HGTV U.S. programming will continue airing into 2025.[16][17]
Some of its original Canadian-produced series have also been acquired by the U.S. version of the network; in particular, Property Brothers has been among the U.S. version's top programs.[18]
Some of the assets listed above are majority-owned, wholly-owned, by Corus Entertainment, or are under license. Refer to full asset list for detailed information.
