The 2026 Canadian Screen Awards recognized excellence in unscripted television, with "Canada's Drag Race" taking home an impressive seven awards during the Friday night ceremony. Among the accolades, it secured the title for Best Direction of a Reality/Competition Series, reflecting the show's critical acclaim and popularity.
In addition to Best Direction, the Crave series garnered awards for Best Writing, Production Design, Casting, Editing, and Sound. The show's hosts—Brooke Lynn Hytes, Brad Goreski, and Traci Melchor—were honored with Best Host or Presenter for a Factual or Reality/Competition Show. This year marked a strong performance for "Canada's Drag Race," continuing its legacy after winning eight awards, including Best Reality/Competition Series, last year.
The award for Best Reality/Competition Series this year, however, went to "The Traitors Canada," indicating a competitive field within the genre. Despite this, the celebration of drag culture did not end with "Canada's Drag Race." The show "Drag Brunch Saved My Life," also available on Crave, picked up two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Lifestyle Program or Series and Best Lifestyle Host for Priyanka, who had previously won the first season of "Canada's Drag Race."
Other notable winners of the evening included the documentary "Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story," which received five awards. The film explores the impact of Sister Nancy’s iconic reggae hit "Bam Bam," known as one of the most sampled vocals in music history, and won for Best Directing, Writing, Editing, Sound, and Original Music for a Documentary Program.
The long-running satirical show "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" also made a mark, receiving three awards including Best Sketch Comedy Show, as well as accolades for Best Direction and Best Writing in the variety or sketch comedy category. The Canadian Screen Awards honored various sectors of the film and television industry, with a ceremony dedicated to broadcasting news and sports held earlier in the day.
CityNews Toronto was recognized at this separate ceremony, winning two awards: Best Local News Anchor for Cynthia Mulligan and Best Local Reporter for Afua Baah. Additionally, CTV's investigative journalism program "W5" won two awards for Best News or Information Series and Best Photography. For the first time, APTN National News achieved recognition as the Best National Newscast, marking a significant achievement in Canadian journalism.
In the sports category, Sportsnet's Dan Shulman won Best Sports Play-by-Play Announcer for his commentary on Toronto Blue Jays games. Kevin Bieksa was awarded Best Sports Analyst for his role on "Hockey Night in Canada." Sportsnet's broadcast of the 4 Nations Face-off Championship between Canada and USA was awarded Best Live Sports Event, while Franklin Rubinstein earned recognition for Best Direction of a Live Sports Event for TSN's coverage of the 2025 World Junior Gold Medal Game.
The Canadian Screen Awards ceremony was part of a week-long celebration of the industry, with the main televised event set to air on Sunday evening on CBC, CTV, Global, and their respective streaming services. This year’s impactful nominations and wins reflect the diverse Canadian talent across various formats of storytelling, from reality television to impactful documentaries and news reporting.
