Canadian rating systems
The TV rating systems in Canada are based on the
Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) policy on violence in television
programming.
Canadian English ratings
Rating
Age
E
Exempt: Includes news, sports, documentaries, and other information programming.
C
Children: Intended for younger children under the age of 8 years. Pays careful attention to
themes that could threaten their sense of security and well-being.
C8+
Children over 8 years old: Contains no portrayal of violence as the preferred, acceptable, or
only way to resolve conflict; does not encourage children to imitate dangerous acts that they
may see on the screen.
G
General: Considered acceptable for all age groups. Appropriate viewing for the entire family;
contains very little violence—physical, verbal, or emotional.
PG
Parental guidance: Intended for a general audience, but may not be suitable for younger
children (under the age of 8), because it could contain controversial themes or issues.
14+
Over 14 years: Could contain themes where violence is one of the dominant elements of the
storyline, but it must be integral to the development of plot or character. Language usage could
be profane and nudity present within the context of the theme.
18+
Adults: Intended for viewers 18 years and older, and might contain depictions of violence,
which, while related to the development of plot, character, or themes, are intended for adult
viewing. Could contain graphic language and portrayals of sex and nudity.
While violence is the most important content element to
be rated, the rating also takes into consideration other
program content, such as language, nudity, sexuality,
and mature themes.
When setting controls on the Canadian rating systems,
you can choose either the Canadian English ratings or
the Canadian French ratings.
Canadian English rating description
Changing the TV Settings
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