CTV Inc. said Wednesday that two of its stations in Ontario will close, as it is not applying for renewal of their broadcast licences.

The network said the licences of CKNX-TV in Wingham, Ont., and CHWI-TV in Wheatley, Ont., plus a rebroadcaster in Windsor, will expire in August. The stations operated under the A-Channel brand.

"This decision was difficult but necessary," said Paul Sparkes, CTVglobemedia's executive vice-president of corporate affairs. "The traditional economic model for Canadian television is broken. The financial pressures facing our conventional television operations are further compounded by the commission's decision to turn down requests to implement a fee-for-carriage regime for local television in October 2008."

Sparkes said the broadcaster may have to consider similar action in other markets.

With the closure of the stations, CTV said news related to southwestern Ontario will come out of its A-Channel in London, Ont.