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.

Events

March Date Event Source11The 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 personnel 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."NBA suspends season until further notice after player tests positive for the coronavirus" from ESPN (March 11, 2020)12Following 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."Major League Soccer suspends season 30 days amid coronavirus scare" from Pro Soccer USA (March 12, 2020)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.18CBC 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."CBC temporarily replaces local evening TV news amid coronavirus pandemic". CBC News, March 18, 2020.Dave Stewart, "CBC News Network pre-empting P.E.I.'s Compass due to situation with coronavirus". The Guardian, March 18, 2020.

April Date Event Source20The 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."Postponed Canadian Film Fest finds new home on Super Channel". Canadian Press, April 20, 2020.26CTV, Global, Citytv, CBC, V, Family, and other Canadian local and specialty channels 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."Canadian broadcasters to air 'Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble' special in support of front-line workers". Canadian Press, April 20, 2020.Debra Yeo, "'Stronger Together' COVID-19 special becomes most watched non-sports broadcast ever in Canada". Toronto Star, April 27, 2020.

July Date Event Source 16 Launch of the Water Television Network.

Programs

Programs debuting in 2020 Start date Show Channel Source January 2 Restaurants on the Edge Cottage LifeGreg David, "marblemedia announces launch of Restaurants on the Edge". TV, eh?, December 3, 2019. January 5 Endlings CBC Television 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. January 5 High Arctic Haulers January 6 Nurses Global Corey Atad, "New Medical Drama 'Nurses' Joins Global's Winter 2020 Lineup". ET Canada, November 12, 2019. January 8 Fortunate Son CBC Television January 22 Making it Home with Kortney and Dave HGTV Greg David, "Preview: Kortney and Dave pay it forward in Making it Home". TV, eh?, January 20, 2020. February 3 Wall of Chefs Food Network Greg David, "Food Network Canada announces Wall of Chefs". TV, eh?, November 28, 2019. February 4 Great Chocolate Showdown Jillian Morgan, "Food Network Canada sets premiere for 'Great Chocolate Showdown'". RealScreen, December 6, 2019. February 11 La Maison-Bleue Ici TOU.TV "Les épisodes de La maison bleue mis en ligne jeudi". La Presse, February 11, 2020. February 16 Landscape Artist of the Year Canada Makeful Dana Gee, "Top British landscape TV hit gets a fresh coat of Canadian paint". Vancouver Sun, February 13, 2020. February 20 Tribal APTN "First Nations crime series Tribal comes to APTN". The Globe and Mail, February 20, 2020. February 26 Transplant CTV Greg David, "Joseph Kay returns to TV with a new family in CTV's Transplant". TV, eh?, February 24, 2020. February 27 Fridge Wars CBC Television Rita DeMontis, "Scrapping it out on the competition series Fridge Wars". Toronto Sun, February 26, 2020. February 27 The Wedding Planners Citytv Greg David, "Citytv's new original drama series, The Wedding Planners, premieres March 27". TV, eh?, February 25, 2020. March 4 The Oland Murder CBC TelevisionJohn Doyle, "Whodunnit: CBC hits the true-crime jackpot with The Oland Murder". The Globe and Mail, March 2, 2020. March 6 Happily Married (C'est comme ça que je t'aime) Ici Radio-Canada Télé Marc-André Lemieux, "C'est comme ça que je t'aime : une touche bien personnelle". Le Journal de Montréal, March 8, 2020. March 8 David Rocco's Dolce Italia Telelatino March 14 Movie Night in Canada CBC TelevisionDebra Yeo, "CBC turns 'Hockey Night in Canada' into 'Movie Night in Canada'". Toronto Star, March 17, 2020. March 22 I Do, Redo CTVDebra Yeo, "Redone weddings in 'I Do, Redo' are about healing old wounds, says Jessica Mulroney". Toronto Star, March 12, 2020. March 25 All-Round Champion TVOntario Greg David, "Marblemedia announces re-commission of All-Round Champion". TV, eh?, February 7, 2020. April 5 What're You At? with Tom Power CBC Television Jordan Pinto, "CBC switches up Sunday nights, puts Tom Power in primetime". Playback, April 3, 2020. April 16 Hot Docs at Home Victoria Ahearn, "Hot Docs to screen some films through CBC after festival postponed". Canadian Press, April 6, 2020. April 22 Junior Chef Showdown Food Network Canada Greg David, "Young chefs showcase their culinary skills in Food Network Canada's Junior Chef Showdown". TV, eh?, March 13, 2020. May 8 Good People CBC Gem Chris Brown, "Former Hatter Mark Sakamoto sharing stories of Good People". CHAT-TV, May 8, 2020. May 15 Dead Still Citytv 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. May 30 Budweiser Stage at Home Citytv Karen Bliss, "Live Nation Canada, Budweiser Set At-Home Televised Series With Black Crowes, The Trews". Billboard, May 25, 2020. June 19 Queens CBC Gem 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. July Slo Pitch OutTVGo Kelly Townsend, "Slo Pitch EPs on opportunities in short-form LGBTQ content". Playback, August 17, 2020. July 2 Canada's Drag Race Crave July 21 My Stay-at-Home Diary TVOntario Jeremy Dickson, "Line please? How to cast during a quarantine". KidScreen, April 28, 2020. September 17 Escouade 99 Club Illico September 27 Family Home Overhaul HGTV Melissa Hank, "Family Home Overhaul is the feel-good renovation show we need now". Canada.com, September 22, 2020. October 7 Trickster CBC Television October 8 Departure Global "'Departure', 'The Equalizer' And 'neXt' All Coming To The Global TV Fall 2020 Lineup". ET Canada, June 23, 2020. October 18 Because News CBC Television "Because News, Canada's funniest news quiz show hits TV screens this fall". CBC News, September 10, 2020. Enslaved November 1 Rosemary Barton Live CBC News Network Craig Takeuchi, "New CBC shows with Rosemary Barton and Vassy Kapelos to boost political and COVID-19 coverage". The Georgia Straight, October 20, 2020. Unknown date Backyard Beats TVOntario Kelly Townsend, "TVOkids turns up the volume on Bristow's Backyard Beats". Playback, May 9, 2019. Broad Appeal: Living with E's CBC Gem Eric Volmers, "Mary Walsh and Cathy Jones will not go gentle into old age in web series as Mrs. Eulalia and Mrs. Enid". Calgary Herald, March 31, 2021. Group Sext OutTV Jordan Pinto, "Canada's OUTtv greenlights, renews 10 projects". RealScreen, November 25, 2020. The New Reality Global Striking Balance TVOntario Meaghan Brackenbury, "Watch: Sahtu's biosphere reserve shines in national TV series". Cabin Radio, October 1, 2020.

Programs ending in 2020 End date Show Channel First aired Status Source March 30 Lâcher prise Ici Radio-Canada Télé 2017 Ended Richard Therrien, "La quatrième saison de Lâcher prise sera la dernière". La Presse, December 17, 2019. April 7 Schitt's Creek CBC Television 2015 May 11 Cardinal CTV 2017 June 7 The Weekly with Wendy Mesley CBC Television, CBC News NetworkCanceled June 10 I Do, Redo CTV2020 November 11 Trickster CBC Television November 20 Exhibitionists 2015 Ended

Changes of network affiliation Show Moved from Moved to Being Ian BBC Kids Knowledge Network

Television films and specials