CJLY-FM

CJLY-FM, known on-air as Kootenay Co-op Radio, is a Canadian community radio station, which broadcasts at 93.5 FM in Nelson, British Columbia. The station also has rebroadcasters on 96.5 FM in Crawford Bay and 107.5 FM in New Denver, and 101.5 in Slocan Valley and Castlegar.

The station is one of several new community radio stations launched in the Kootenay region in the 2000s. Others include CHLI-FM in Rossland, CFAD-FM in Salmo, CJHQ-FM in Nakusp and CIDO-FM in Creston.

History

CJLY was started by volunteers in December 1996 and incorporated as a non-profit service co-operative in June 1998 in Nelson. It started intermittent broadcasting in the Nelson region in February 1999, with a 28-day special event broadcast license, and finally went on the air full-time the following autumn. after being granted a permanent CRTC license in August 2000.

On November 6, 2000, the station began broadcasting about 18 hours a day at a power of 75 watts. In November 2004, CJLY expanded its range and began broadcasting in the Kootenay Lake region, north of Nelson, on a new FM frequency, 96.5 FM. In fall 2008, CJLY began broadcasting in the community of New Denver at 107.5 FM.