Why is it that we never hear about any of them until they are on the air and broadcasting?
Not true Kat. Both 1200 and Red FM (CKYE) 93.1 went through all the formalities with the CRTC that everyone else is required to do (application, public notice, hearing, etc.). In fact when they were approved last year the Vancouver Sun ran a 2 page spread about them, so I would say there wasn't really any lack of exposure.
As for Jon's comments, my job involves using a taxi twice a day. As most people know the vast majority of cabbies in Vancouver are of East Indian decent. All I hear on their car radios now is Red FM. Before Red FM arrived on the scene it was either 1550 or 1600 with their inferior signals in Vancouver (destroyed by static and trolley bus lines). So the plan to bury those 2 U.S. stations appears to be working based on those cab drivers listening habits.