What Time Is Dancing with the Stars On in Canada? Citytv Times and Why It Runs Behind ABC
Short version:
- Citytv is the Canadian home of Dancing with the Stars, and Citytv schedules it into its own grid rather than matching ABC minute for minute.
- ABC airs it live at 8 p.m. ET, Tuesdays for the rest of Season 35 — and Canadians with an ABC affiliate in their package see that feed live.
- Because the two slots do not line up, simultaneous substitution does not kick in, which is why the ABC broadcast stays watchable here.
| Where | Night | Time (ET) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABC (and US affiliates on Canadian cable) | Tuesdays | 8 p.m. | Live, confirmed by ABC |
| Disney+ (US) | Tuesdays | 8 p.m. | Live simulcast in local time zones |
| Citytv (Canada) | See listings | 9 p.m. for the Season 35 start | Reported by Channel Canada — not posted on Citytv's own schedule |
| Hulu | Next day | — | US service; not available in Canada |
What time is Dancing with the Stars on in Canada?
The answer splits in two, depending on which feed you watch.
On ABC it is 8 p.m. ET, live. ABC's own release puts Season 35 at 8:00–10:03 p.m. EDT/PDT and 7:00–9:03 p.m. CDT, simulcast on Disney+ in local time zones. On Citytv, Channel Canada's premiere calendar lists a 9 p.m. ET start for the Season 35 opener. We could not find that slot posted on Citytv's own schedule, so treat the 9 p.m. figure as reported rather than confirmed — not confirmed at time of writing.
Which Canadian channel has Dancing with the Stars?
Citytv. Rogers has carried the title for several seasons and kept it in its 2026–27 lineup, alongside the other American franchises it licenses.
That is the short version of a much larger puzzle every fall, because the three big Canadian networks divide the American schedule between them. Our network-by-network guide for fall 2026 maps which of CTV, Global and Citytv holds each title.
Why is Dancing with the Stars a day behind in Canada?
Because Citytv is scheduling it, not mirroring it. A Canadian broadcaster buys the rights to a US show and then places it wherever its own grid has room, which can mean a different hour, a different night, or both.
ABC opened Season 35 with a two-night event on Sept. 15 and 16. Channel Canada's listings place the Citytv start on the Wednesday, which lines Citytv's opener up against ABC's second night rather than its first. Anyone who wanted the premiere in real time had to go to the ABC feed.
Does simultaneous substitution affect Dancing with the Stars?
Only when the times match exactly. Simultaneous substitution is the Canadian rule that lets a Canadian station replace the American signal with its own — same show, same minute, Canadian ads. It requires the two broadcasts to run in the same slot.
When Citytv airs the show an hour later or a night later, that condition is not met, so the ABC feed passes through untouched. For viewers this is the good outcome: you get the live American broadcast and a second chance on Citytv.
Can you stream Dancing with the Stars in Canada?
Not through the American routes. Disney+ carries the live simulcast in the United States, and Hulu holds the next-day episodes — Hulu does not operate as a separate service in Canada, and we have not seen Disney+ Canada carriage confirmed for Season 35.
Citytv's own app and website are the Canadian path, and they require a TV provider sign-in for most live content. If you are weighing up which subscriptions actually earn their keep here, our Crave versus Netflix Canada comparison and our HBO-on-Crave explainer cover the two biggest ones.
When does Dancing with the Stars air for the rest of the season?
Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. After the two-night opener, every listed Season 35 episode from Sept. 22 through Nov. 17 sits on a Tuesday at the same hour.
Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough co-host, with Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough judging. Night one gave the male celebrities their first dances and eliminated one of them; night two did the same for the women.
For what else is landing across Canadian services this week, see today's Canadian release rundown, Tuesday's, and the full Sept. 14–20 day-by-day list. On the Canadian-made side, our sister site has next week's homegrown reality schedule and a fall premiere date tracker.
FAQ
Can I watch the ABC broadcast in Canada?
Yes, if your provider carries an American ABC affiliate. Since Citytv is not airing it in the same slot, there is no substitution to block it.
Is Dancing with the Stars on Disney+ in Canada?
Disney+ carries the live simulcast in the United States. We have not found confirmation of Canadian carriage for Season 35 — check the Disney+ Canada listing before subscribing for it.
Why does Citytv show it later than ABC?
Citytv licenses the show and slots it into its own schedule. Canadian networks do this with plenty of American titles, which is why air times here rarely match the US ones.