Smithsonian Networks, a subsidiary of Paramount Global’s MTV Entertainment Group division, owners of the American channel of the same name from which its brand and programming is licensed, serve as a minority partner.

In April 2006, John S. Panikkar (co-founder of the channel's original owner, High Fidelity HDTV), was granted a licence by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to launch MeridianHD, described as "a national, English-language Category 2 high definition (HD) specialty programming undertaking... that would consist of programs dedicated exclusively to the exploration of geography, people, places and cultures.

[3] The channel broadcast factual programming relating to geography, people, and cultures such as The Bee Travelers, Earth Diaries, The Last Chapter of the Vietnam War, and Eurasian Empires.

Upon the closure of the American service of the same name in 2009, High Fidelity HDTV rebranded the channel as eqhd on August 23, 2010.,[4] focusing largely on the same genre of programming.

[5] On July 15, 2013, it was announced that Blue Ant Media had reached a deal to rebrand eqhd as a Canadian version of Smithsonian Channel.