We also operate 37 radio stations that serve local communities from Cornwall to Vancouver. Corus Radio is all about personality and connecting with local listeners and communities. Our stations reach approximately 12 million Canadians each week.
We are part of a radio industry that employs people and is a fundamental part of the local culture of virtually every riding in Canada, including that of every member of this committee. If you think about it, there are very few industries that can say that.
Radio stations are at the core of each community, providing entertainment, news, and public affairs programming, as well as important information such as weather and highway conditions. In a multimedia world, radio remains relevant and is one of the only ways local businesses and government can get their messages out to the community on a timely basis.
In particular, Corus's radio stations support and give voice to their communities. John Derringer's 13 Days of Christmas on Q107 Toronto is an example of how we support hundreds of local, provincial, and national charities across Canada. CHED's Santas Anonymous in Edmonton leads a campaign of 3,000 volunteers to collect, wrap, and deliver toys to as many as 25,000 children each Christmas. It has been doing so since 1955. Dave FM 107.5 runs Dave Cares, a service that promotes local charity events in the Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge communities of Ontario.
Local radio also promotes local musicians and artists. Corus runs initiatives such as the Canadian Artists Selected By You awards, and the Fox Vancouver Seeds independent music competition. In September 2010 Corus launched the first-ever integrated music-based social media platform to support new independent music on air and online. In Peterborough, our station The Wolf is showcasing local music acts through annual music festivals, such as Wolfstock and The Gift of Christmas.