Quebec city radio station CHOI-FM says it will appeal a decision by Canada's regulatory agency not to renew its licence.

The broadcast regulator has said it will not renew the station's licence, which expires next month, because offensive and insulting on-air content violates the Broadcasting Act.

The CRTC says it has received 92 complaints regarding the radio station. The station's troubles are largely due to morning show host Jeff Fillion's outspoken comments.

Jeff Fillion

He's talked on-air about the relationship between breast size and intelligence in reference to a local TV announcer.

In its decision, the CRTC cited several of Fillion's comments, including that psychiatric patients should be euthanized, that African students at Laval University are the children of brutal dictators, and comments about rival radio host Robert Gillet.

Gillet is suing Fillion for connecting him with a juvenile prostitution ring in Quebec. Gillet was convicted of paying for sex with a 17-year-old prostitute, but is appealing the ruling.

Patrice Demers, the manager of Genex Communications, the company that owns CHOI, says the key issue is freedom of expression.

"I agree that freedom of speech has a limit. It is not to the CRTC to decide what is the limit," said Demers.

Constitutional lawyer Julius Gray disagrees, saying the commission has the power.

"Well I think the decision ultimately must be an adjudicative one. The CRTC is adjudicative and you can go to the federal court from that," said Gray.

CHOI's owners say they will fight the decision in court. The station will be removed from the airwaves on Aug. 31.