The station was in operation from 1954 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television, and then continued until 2012 as a network-owned rebroadcaster of CBLT in Toronto.
CJIC also introduced television to the eastern part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula in the United States; the American television networks did not arrive there until WPBN-TV, the NBC affiliate in Traverse City, signed on a satellite station in 1959 (WTOM) to bring its programming to the Upper Peninsula.
Soon after taking control, Huron established a twinstick station, CKCY, affiliated with the CTV Television Network.
[2] All four ceased to exist as separate stations on October 27, 2002, becoming rebroadcasters of Toronto's CBLT, with CJIC's call sign changing to CBLT-5.
These transmitters would close on July 31, 2012, due to budget cuts affecting the CBC.