Vancouver: In filing an application for a new television licence in Vancouver, Rogers Broadcasting has sparked a new competition.

Marguerite Vogel, the crtc’s regional director in Vancouver, confirms the commission will invite competing bids for a potential new licence, though there is no guarantee a new station will be granted at all.

According to Vogel, an official call for other bidders could go out as early as June.

In the last go-around that resulted in the launch of Vancouver Television in 1997, Rogers applied to operate a multicultural channel. It’s unclear how the new application differs, if at all, from the application two years ago.

Rogers representatives did not return calls by press time.

In the last competition, Baton Broadcasting (operator of Vancouver Television) beat out Rogers, Craig Broadcasting, ChumCity and CanWest Global, which was going for a Victoria affiliate for its Global Vancouver signal.