XM Radio Canada was the operating name of Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (or CSR), a Canadian communications and media company, which was incorporated in 2002 to broadcast satellite radio in Canada. Following the merger of Sirius XM Radio in the United States, XM Canada and its competitor Sirius Canada reached a deal in late 2010 to merge into SiriusXM Canada, which was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on April 11, 2011 and completed on June 21, 2011. History On August 19, 2003, Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., the parent company of CSR, filed its initial application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for a broadcast licence to provide subscription based digital radio service in Canada. In June 2005, the CRTC awarded the company a six-year licence to commence broadcasting in Canada. XM Radio Canada started transmissions across Canada on November 22, 2005, and launched officially on December 1, 2005. Clear Channel's channels were eliminated from XM Radio Canada on April 17, 2006. On April 1, 2007, XM Radio Canada began simulcasting the U.S. service, with the exception of Clear Channel's channels. On November 30, 2007, XM Radio Canada announced that they have over 350,000 subscribers. The Best Of Sirius package (NFL, NASCAR, Howard 100, Howard 101) was not included on XM Radio Canada's offerings in September 2008, even though the Sirius channels were poured to XM Radio Canada during the merger of XM and Sirius channels on November 12, 2008. On November 24, 2010, CSR announced that it has proposed an all-stock merger with its competitor, Sirius Canada, subject to approval by shareholders and the CRTC. The CRTC approved the merger on April 11, 2011. Corporate Structure XM Radio Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. (CSR Holdings). CSR Holdings is a publicly traded company on the TSX Exchange. The executive chairman and founder is John Bitove, a Canadian businessman, who owns 58% of CSR Holdings, while the American company Sirius XM owns 23% of CSR Holdings. The remaining 19% forms the publicly traded float on the TSX stock exchange. XMSR granted an exclusive 15 year licence (including a 5-year renewal) to XM Radio Canada to broadcast and distribute its content and to use its XM brand name. XM Radio Canada has strategic alliances with Corus Entertainment, Telesat Canada, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Telus, Rogers Communications and Air