The Canada Broadcasting Corporation was established on the 2nd November 1936, a Crown corporation (like the BBC) assuming the responsibility for national radio broadcasting from the previous state-owned CRBC. Television was introduced from the 6th September 1952, initially in Montreal and Toronto, but country-wide by 1958, with colour introduced in 1966 and fully available by 1974. In 1978 CBC became the first broadcaster globally to use a satellite to link the whole country.

It broadcast the first 26 episodes of Doctor Who in 1965, but did not show any further adventures until the series return in 2005, being the first channel outside the UK to do so. It was also credited as a co-producer due to advance funding for the series. The channel continued to show the series through to Journey's End (though it missed out Voyage of the Damned), after which broadcasts from The Next Doctor onward were via SPACE. The channel was known to frequently edit episodes to fit their scheduled, which included the 44 minute international print of their final new episode.

The channel also funded (and received a co-production credit) for the first series of Torchwood.