The English-language arm of the Arabic news network Al-Jazeera is formally applying for the right to broadcast in Canada, and local viewers could be able to pick up the all-news station by fall.

If it gets permission from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the federal broadcast regulator, the English-language Al-Jazeera would be available by satellite for digital distribution.

"It is clear to us there is a significant demand for AJE [Al-Jazeera English] in Canada," said Tony Burman, the former head of CBC News who is now managing director of Al-Jazeera English, in a news release.

"Canadians want to understand the world in all of its diversity and cultural richness. Our website receives 22 million visits every month with over 50 per cent coming from North America, and our branded YouTube page is by far the most popular news site on YouTube."

Al-Jazeera English is an arm of Al-Jazeera, the news channel based in Doha, Qatar, that some consider controversial because of, among other things, its reporters' access to Al-Qaeda.

Al-Jazeera has an extensive network of bureaus in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, including places that get little attention from Western news services. It also was the only network to get its reporters into Gaza during the Israeli offensive on the territory in December and January.

Burman says Al-Jazeera English operates separately from the Arabic language station and many of the fears surrounding the channel, including criticisms that it acts as a mouthpiece for terrorism, were unfounded.

The network has a large Washington bureau and plans to open a bureau in Canada if it gets CRTC approval, he said.

Currently, its broadcasts are only available online in North America.

The CRTC has given Canadians 30 days to submit their comments as part of a review process of Al-Jazeera’s application.

With files from the Canadian Press