Fraser Valley – CIVL-FM is the Community Engagement Award winner from the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA) for 2026, recognizing the station’s sustained impact in arts, culture, and community broadcasting in the Fraser Valley from among the 100+ stations in Canada.
CIVL’s 29th Canada-wide recognition highlights its role in developing local artists, training students, and delivering independent programming across Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and the surrounding communities.
“This award reflects the work of hundreds of volunteers, artists, and contributors, and the dozens of organizations who have helped build CIVL into something much larger than a traditional campus station,” said Aaron Levy, CIVL’s Executive Director.. “It speaks to what’s possible when community media is treated as infrastructure, not just a platform.” View the successful submission here.
This win arrives at a time of growing uncertainty for campus and community radio across Canada. Stations are navigating shifting enrollment patterns, evolving funding models, and increasing financial pressure. In a recent national caucus of 23 stations, CIVL was the only station reporting a current decline in student fee revenue (10%) – an early signal of challenges that may extend across the sector.
In response to these conditions, CIVL will release its 20-year documentary publicly for the first time this summer, tracing the station’s development, examining the broader role of community broadcasting in regions underserved by traditional media infrastructure. Doc trailer available here.
“The documentary captures what’s been built here, but also what’s at stake,” Levy added. “If community broadcasting continues to lose ground, it won’t be replaced by anything equivalent.”
CIVL is encouraging community members and supporters to contribute directly to sustaining its operations and programming:
In parallel, submissions for the 11th Fraser Valley Music Awards (FVMA) are now open through June, continuing CIVL’s work to support and recognize emerging and established artists in the region.
Additional details, including screening events and the full documentary release date, will be announced in the coming weeks and you can visit civl.ca/support to learn more.
