QR Calgary — CHQR

QR Calgary (CHQR) is a commercial news and talk radio station based in Calgary, Alberta, broadcasting on 770 AM, 107.3 CFQX-HD2, and online.

Back on air since November 17, 1964 under Corus Entertainment, the station caters to adults 35–64 across Southern and Central Alberta with a steady mix of local news, politics, and sports.

The daily lineup relies heavily on open talk, interviews, and community updates. Commuters get traffic and major news during morning and evening rush hours, while nights lean into sports talk. Weekends bring "The Roy Green Show", where Roy Green grills politicians, while Shaun Simpson and the sports crew deliver game breakdowns with solid locker room access.

As a talk station, you will not hear a regular music playlist here. The audio stays functional with news stingers, traffic beds, and sports intros, outside the occasional holiday special spinning 70s to 90s classic rock or pop.

According to the last publicly disclosed Numeris PPM report (Fall 2022) tracking puts the station at 120,000 to 160,000 weekly listeners in the 12+ group, with 35,000 to 50,000 tuning in daily. Most folks flip the dial here for urgent local reporting, weather warnings, and live game commentary.

The newsroom holds several RTDNA Canada Awards for Best News Information Program and Spot News Coverage, earned through their boots-on-the-ground reporting during the 2013 Calgary floods and major regional wildfires.

Compared to ad-free CBC Radio One or rapid-fire news loops like CityNews 660, QR Calgary packs 12 to 16 minutes of ad spots per hour while giving personality-led talk and sports plenty of room to breathe.

Having followed Alberta’s dial for years, I see QR Calgary as a primary talk fixture in the region. Its 50,000-watt AM signal covers massive distance, even if downtown high-rises occasionally mess with reception. While daytime political talk leans conservative, its live play-by-play for the Calgary Flames and Stampeders is hard to match for local sports fans.