The station signed on along with sister station CFJP-TV in Montreal in 1986[3] as part of what was then the TQS network. It was owned by the family of Jean Pouliot, then-owner of CFCF-TV. The A in the callsign stands for Adélard, Pouliot's middle name.
Originally a full satellite of CFJP, it began airing its own programming on September 3, 1989. However, like all other TQS/V/Noovo stations, it was (and still is) largely a semi-satellite of CFJP. As an owned-and-operated station of the network, CFAP was part of the takeover of TQS by Remstar Corporation.
Digital television
CFAP-DT ceased broadcasting in analogue on August 17, 2011, and signed on to digital on August 27, 2011, on UHF channel 39, using virtual channel 2.