Maybe Canadian fans must all contact CTV and ask them about it – politely, of course. Does all of Canada get US stations as well (I'm Down Under so I have no idea.)
From what I've read, Castle is a big hit in Canada so it is difficult to fathom but writing amd asking for their reasons might help and it shouldn't harm. Good luck with it all!

Maybe you could email them Beckett's quote about reality TV from this past episode? I guess it's good that you can get ABC but it does mean a later night! (although here in Australia I DID stay up to watch Knockout after the tennis at 2 am! Serious OCD!) It also means later feeds for other reasons which I shall not go into!

The lead in show is The Voice (yet another (no) talent reality show), also premiering the same night as Smash (not reality).  Given that Smash is about the production of a fictional broadway musical, they do rather go together.  

I suppose we should be grateful that there is another channel to which to shift Castle, rather than CTV deciding to drop it altogether.  

Anybody with cable up here is likely to be able to access it on ABC if there isn't a local CTV II affiliate station.  But lots of people don't have cable and are too far away from a major US centre to get ABC over the air – the Prairies come to mind.  So they may be SOL.

Time to start hoping for an early demise for Smash – another Charlie's Angels, the Playboy Club or Pan Am?

I had a good long post about this and then it didn't go through and I lost it.

It's annoying, I agree. I enjoyed watching the 7pm show and know that this will be worse for East viewers who now will have to watch on ABC (is this not included on most standard satellite/cable packages?), which is LATE for them.

However, I think this is simply a strategic move for CTV. Castle is an established show with a solid audience. With the exception of the East viewers who do not have time shifting, they probably figure that audience will find and follow the show to CTV2. I imagine it's much easier to build an audience for a new show on the more mainstream CTV network. If Smash flops, hopefully Castle will move back. If Smash succeeds, worse case is that they keep Castle where it is.

Unfortunately, this is just a symptom of having only a couple major Canadian networks (Global, CTV…CityTV picks up a few American shows…but the most popular end up on the major two). They end up with duplicate time slots and have to do something with the extra shows. I imagine they get the most bang for their buck when they can air the shows at the same time as the American nets and simulcast from those channels as well. Moving to an earlier timeslot is another option, but that just bumps something else out of its timeslot. I don't see 7pm as a great time slot, as many are still cleaning up from dinner or putting kids to bed during that hour. CTV made a really smart move when it acquired the local networks and rebranded them. It doubled their primetime slots…and allows them to juggle a bit when airing new shows or seasonal shows like American Idol.

I don't like the change, but I don't think it has anything to do with Castle not performing well for CTV or uncertaintly about the future of the show. Criminal Minds has never been on the bubble and they moved it over to CTV2 (I think it's still there…haven't watched live in a few weeks).

This all said, I hope this in the East can get CTV to realize their mistake and at least get Castle for them at a decent time! I can handle waiting until 10….but if it were at 11, I'd have to seriously reconsider because I do have to get up in the morning!

Toronto said:

You know, as a brief reminder, it's only 25 bucks on iTunes for the whole season — no commercials, and it comes online 12 hours after broadcast.  This is hardly a terrible grief. 

Always supposing one has access to a high speed internet connection. If you don't it takes ages (as in up to 2 hours) to download.

Looks like with Smash not being such a Smash, CTV has decided to move Castle back to it's place on the main network. Smash will be on CTV2. Timeslot stays Mondays at 10pm, but the east coast feed should be available again at 7pm (my cable guide confirms this too).

The change never bothered me too much, but I'm glad to see CTV recognize what a good performer Castle is by moving it back to its original programming slot. Now, for me to get home from work in time to watch the 7pm feed!