CBC is investing more in local and regional news coverage.

The broadcaster has added up to 25 journalists in more than a dozen communities, with a particular focus on Western Canada. According to the network, the move is part of CBC News’ aim to bridge the gap in communities where there is no CBC or other news media presence. The new positions also complement its strategy to reach more Canadians with the launch of the 12 new FAST channels announced earlier this year, which focus on news from each community.

For audiences in Atlantic Canada, CBC is introducing four late-night TV shows in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The programs will be broadcast on CBC TV, CBC Gem, and CBC’s regional streaming channels. On the audio front, the broadcaster is increasing its offering with four daily local podcasts: This is Vancouver (pictured), This is Manitoba, This is Toronto, and This is Nova Scotia. These join the seven existing weekly podcasts for Vancouver Island, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatchewan, Ottawa, Montreal, and Prince Edward Island, which are available on CBC Listen and other streaming audio platforms.

CBC expands its news coverage after the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted Google a five-year exemption from the Online News Act after the tech co. filed an application to be exempt from the Act, which requires technology companies that make Canadian news content available to fairly compensate news organizations. Instead, the CRTC ordered Google to pay $100 million to Canadian news outlets each year. The Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC), a federally incorporated nonprofit organization, is responsible for distributing the funds (which need to be paid within 60 days of the CRTC’s decision that was made on Oct. 28) to eligible Canadian news organizations in the country.