Just in time for the Toronto International Film Festival, the CBC is trying its hand at entertainment reporting with an online portal for Canadians to brush up on celebrities, events, film and fashion news.

Launched Tuesday, CBC Live will be home to news and reviews on TIFF, the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards, Culture Day celebrations and other premiere events.

The site was developed out of a need to facilitate a direct, interactive relationship with the CBC audience, John Wimbs, director of publicity, CBC tells MiC.

“This isn’t just about being a new online channel, it’s about building meaningful relationships with the people who can’t get enough of their favourite stars,” he says. “The possibilities are endless for all kinds of innovative online programming.”

CBC Live’s debut date accompanied CBC’s coverage of the 26th Annual Gemini Awards, which took place on Wednesday, with a live-stream event program hosted by Tom Green in the “Tom Green Room.”

According to a representative at CBC, the site offers standard display advertising opportunities as well as ads on its video content. It’s also offering advertising integrations across CBC’s media platforms, social media and events.

The CBC will be using TIFF as a platform to create awareness as it rolls out a red carpet from Sept. 8 to 18 for consumers to have their pictures taken by CBC Live paparazzi. Surprise carpet appearances by CBC personalities are scheduled to occur during the festival to raise awareness of the online channel.