Degrassi: The Next Generation has become the first TV program available on a pay-per-download basis in Canada through Puretracks.com.

For Americans, legally downloading TV episodes on iTunes is nothing new, but it’s been an option unavailable to Canadians.

‘It’s hard to deny that the Degrassi franchise is something of a Canadian institution at this point, and I think it’s quite fitting that it would be the first show available via this distribution method to Canadians,’ says Chris Jackson, director of digital media and merchandising for Degrassi: TNG producer Epitome Pictures.

Not enough time has passed since the Aug. 14 launch to measure response to the offering, according to Puretracks CEO Alistair Mitchell, but he says being the first to offer Canadians downloadable TV is an important watershed for Puretracks, which started in 2003 as a music service.

‘It just made an immense amount of sense for us to be able to include other types of digital entertainment content,’ he says.

Mitchell says Puretracks approached Epitome and broadcaster CTV partially because of the show’s wide appeal – especially among the coveted teenage demo – but also because it’s a homegrown hit.

‘We wanted to begin with Degrassi mostly because we’re a Canadian company ourselves and we looked for content that struck a chord with us,’ he says. No doubt it is also easier to work out rights issues for a Canadian series than American ones.

Degrassi is sold in more than 150 countries, and has been available in the U.S. since September 2006 on iTunes, where 14,000 episodes were downloaded in their first 10 days of availability.

Season three of Degrassi: TNG is currently available on Puretracks, with additional seasons expected to be offered at regular intervals starting this fall. Single eps cost $1.99, with the full 22-ep season going for $29.99. Jackson says Epitome is next eyeing its series Instant Star for download distribution.

Season six episodes of Degrassi: TNG became available for free streaming on The CTV Broadband Network the morning following their regular broadcast. Season seven of the franchise airs on CTV this fall.