TMU alumni, faculty, and instructors earn 30+ Canadian Screen Awards
Alumni, faculty and instructors from Toronto Metropolitan University’s The Creative School made a major impact at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards (external link, opens in new window) , earning over 60 nominations and securing more than 30 wins across film, television and digital media. Presented annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (external link, opens in new window) , the Canadian Screen Awards celebrate excellence in Canadian screen-based storytelling and recognize the artists, creators and industry professionals shaping the country’s film, television and digital industries.
This year the RTA School of Media (opens in new window) and the School of Image Arts (opens in new window) community received nominations across a wide range of categories, including Best Motion Picture, Best Sports Program or Series, Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series, and more!
The nominations and wins reflect the breadth of storytelling and production talent emerging from TMU The Creative School community, with alumni and faculty contributing to acclaimed Canadian productions both behind the scenes and on screen.
Among the standout winning productions was the Canadian post-apocalyptic thriller film, 40 Acres directed by RTA graduate, R.T. Thorne, which earned 10 wins including Achievement in Direction, Achievement in Cinematography and Original Screenplay.
But that was only part of this year’s recognition. Read on for the full list of winners and nominees from TMU Creative School community at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards.
Complete List of Winners:
Best Sports Program or Series
- RTA Contract Lecturer, Paul Sidhu - Raptors Delight
Best Live Action Short Drama
- IMA Alum, Giran Findlay - Year of the Dragon
- IMA Alum, Lina Li - Year of the Dragon
Best Direction, Documentary Program
- Former RTA Contract Lecturer, Alison Duke - Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story
Best Live Sports Event
- RTA Alum and Contract Lecturer, Joel Darling - 4 Nations Face-off Championship: Canada vs USA
- RTA Alum + Program Advisory Committee member, Rob Corte - 4 Nations Face-off Championship: Canada vs USA
- RTA Alum, Brian Spear - 4 Nations Face-off Championship: Canada vs USA
Best Writing, Documentary
- Former RTA Contract Lecturer, Alison Duke - Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story
Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series
- RTA Alum and Wall of Famer. J.J. Johnson - Odd Squad
- RTA Alum and Wall of Famer, Blair Powers - Odd Squad
- RTA Alum and Wall of Famer, Matthew J.R. Bishop - Odd Squad
- RTA Alum, Kirsten Hurd - Odd Squad
Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series
- RTA Alum and Wall of Famer, Matthew Hornburg - Old Enough
- RTA Alum, Program Advisory Committee Member and Wall of Famer, Mark J.W. Bishop - Old Enough
- RTA Alum, Kirsten Hurd - Old Enough
Best Writing, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition
- RTA Alum, Jake Benaim - Canada's Drag Race - Go Off Queen
Best Writing, Animation
- RTA Alum, Meghan Read - Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - I am Jackie Robinson
Best Original Music in a Feature Length Documentary
- RTA Contract Lecturer, Tom Third - Modern Whore
Achievement in Direction
- RTA Alum, R.T. Thorne - 40 Acres
Original Screenplay
- RTA Alum, R.T. Thorne - 40 Acres
Best TV Movie
- RTA Alum, Vanessa Aprile-Welfe - Dying in Plain Sight
Best Comedy Special
- RTA Alum, Anton Leo - People of Comedy
Best Lifestyle Program or Series
- RTA Alum, Kim Bondi - Drag Brunch Saved My Life
Best Live Entertainment Special
- RTA Alum, Jordan Rudder - The 2025 JUNO Awards
- RTA Alum, Erica McMaster - The 2025 JUNO Awards
Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy
- Image Arts Film Alum, Darrell Faria - This Hour Has 22 Minutes
Best Direction, Comedy
- Image Arts Alum, Zoe Hopkins - North of North
Best Writing, Children's or Youth
- RTA Alum, Catherine Hernandez - The Unstoppable Jenny Garcia
Barbara Sears Award for Best Visual Research
- MFA Documentary Media Alum, Judy Ruzylo - Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery
Best Picture Editing, Factual
- RTA Alum, Chelsea Bennett - 50,000 First Dates: A True Story
Best Picture Editing, Documentary
- Image Arts Film Alum, Eugene Weis, CCE - Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story
Best Picture Editing, Comedy
- Image Arts Alum, Baun Mah - Late Bloomer
Best Sound, Lifestyle, Reality, or Entertainment
- RTA Alum, Levi Linton - Canada’s Drag Race
Achievement in Sound Editing
- Image Arts Film Alum, Ed Douglas - 40 Acres
Best Feature Length Documentary
- Image Arts Film Alum, Chris Yurcovich - Endless Cookie
Best Editing in a Feature Length Documentary
- Image Arts Film Alum, Nicole Bazuin - Modern Whore
Complete List of Nominees:
The Creative School Faculty/Alum |
Nominated Work |
Nominated Category |
Alireza Khatami |
The Things You Kill |
Achievement in Direction Best Motion Picture Original Screenplay |
Giran Findlay and Lina Li |
Year of the Dragon |
Best Live Action Short Drama |
Paul Sidhu |
Raptors Delight |
Best Sports Program or Series |
Joel Darling |
4 Nations Face-off Championship: Canada vs USA Hockey Day in Canada |
Best Live Sports Event Best Sports Program or Series |
Mark Bishop |
Old Enough |
Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series |
Matthew Hornburg |
Old Enough |
Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series |
Alison Duke |
Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story Michelle Ross: Unknown Icon |
Best Direction, Documentary Program Best Writing, Documentary |
Alicia Chirrey |
Dragon's Den |
Best Reality/Competition Program or Series |
J.J. Johnson |
Odd Squad
Jane |
Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series Best Direction, Children's or Youth Spotlight Award for Best Series Spotlight Award for Best Writing |
Blair Powers |
Odd Squad Jane |
Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series Spotlight Award for Best Series |
Emily Houghton |
CBC Kids Reads 2025 |
Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series |
Rob Corte |
2025 Stanley Cup Final: Oilers vs Panthers Game 6 4 Nations Face-off Championship: Canada vs USA |
Best Live Sports Event |
Dawn Landis |
2025 Women's World Hockey Championships Gold Medal Game |
Best Live Sports Event |
Meghan Redwood |
2025 Women's World Hockey Championships Gold Medal Game |
Best Live Sports Event |
Jay Onrait |
SC with Jay Onrait |
Best Sports Program or Series |
Greg Bonnetta |
SC with Jay Onrait |
Best Sports Program or Series |
Tanya Blake |
Crime Scene Investigators |
Best Factual Series |
Harbinder Singh |
Battle of the Generations - Battle 30 Dragons' Den - Episode 1 |
Best Direction, Reality/Competition |
Jake Benaim |
Canada's Drag Race - Go Off Queen |
Best Writing, Lifestyle or Reality/Competition |
Amy Brown |
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - I am Gwen Ifill |
Best Writing, Animation |
Meghan Read |
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - I am Jackie Robinson |
Best Writing, Animation |
Craig Anderson |
Top Chef Canada - Origin Stories |
Best Picture Editing, Reality/Competition |
Brianna Todd |
Don't Come Upstairs Sway |
Best Sound, Documentary or Factual Achievement in Sound |
Tom Third |
Modern Whore |
Best Original Music in a Feature Length Documentary |
Jesse Storey |
The Amazing Race Canada |
Best Achievement in Casting, Non-Fiction |
Patty Sullivan |
Mittens & Pants |
Best Voice Performance |
Christin Simms |
Jane |
Spotlight Award for Best Series |
Matthew Bishop |
Jane |
Spotlight Award for Best Series |
Matthew Bishop |
Odd Squad |
Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series |
Gabriella de la Torre |
ACTRA Toronto at TIFF |
Best Web Program or Series, Non-Fiction Best Host, Web Program or Series |
Ryan Thompson |
Etalk Live at the Oscars |
Best Web Program or Series, Non-Fiction |
Jesse Pollock |
Jesse Pollock (TSN/BarDown) |
Creator of the Year |
Gabe Knox |
North of North - Top of the World (CBC, Northwood Entertainment, Mile End Kicks |
Best Sound, Fiction
|
Marco Furgiuele |
Honey Bunch |
Achievement in Sound Mixing |
Nam Kiwanuka (and team) |
The Thread with Nam Kiwanuka |
Best News or Information Program or Series |
Tomi Joseph Raji |
Marketplace: The Secret Cost of Housing |
Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program |
Avery Haines |
W5’s Avery Haines Investigates: Our Son the Terror Suspect |
Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program |
Joseph Loiero |
W5’s Avery Haines Investigates: Our Son the Terror Suspect |
Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program |
Lori Greenberg |
Canada’s Drag Race |
Best Reality/Competition Program or Series |
R.T. Thorne |
40 Acres |
Achievement in Direction |
R.T. Thorne |
40 Acres |
Original Screenplay |
Vanessa Aprile-Welfe |
Dying in Plain Sight |
Best TV Movie |
Vanessa Aprile-Welfe |
Dateless to Dangerous: My Son's Secret Life |
Best TV Movie |
Anton Leo |
People of Comedy |
Best Comedy Special |
Ryan Bobkin |
Blue Heron |
Best Motion Picture |
Kim Bondi |
Drag Brunch Saved My Life |
Best Lifestyle Program or Series |
Jordan Rudder |
The 2025 Juno Awards |
Best Live Entertainment Special |
Erica McMaster |
The 2025 Juno Awards |
Best Live Entertainment Special |
Kirsten Hurd |
Odd Squad |
Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series |
Kirsten Hurd |
Old Enough! |
Best Children's or Youth Non-Fiction Program or Series |
Brian Spear |
4 Nations Face-off Championship: Canada vs USA |
Best Live Sports Event |
Darrell Faria |
This Hour Has 22 Minutes |
Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy |
Zoe Hopkins |
North of North |
Best Direction, Comedy |
Catherine Hernandez |
The Unstoppable Jenny Garcia |
Best Writing, Children's or Youth |
Judy Ruzylo |
Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery |
Barbara Sears Award for Best Visual Research |
Chelsea Bennett |
50,000 First Dates: A True Story |
Best Picture Editing, Factual |
Eugene Weis, CCE |
Bam Bam: The Sister Nancy Story |
Best Picture Editing, Documentary |
Baun Mah |
Late Bloomer |
Best Picture Editing, Comedy |
Levi Linton |
Canada's Drag Race |
Best Sound, Lifestyle, Reality, or Entertainment |
Ed Douglas |
40 Acres |
Achievement in Sound Editing |
Chris Yurcovich |
Endless Cookie |
Best Feature Length Documentary |
Nicole Bazuin |
Modern Whore |
Best Editing in a Feature Length Documentary |
The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University
The Creative School is a dynamic faculty that is making a difference in new, unexplored ways. Made up of Canada’s top professional schools and transdisciplinary hubs in media, communication, design and cultural industries, The Creative School offers students an unparalleled global experience in the heart of downtown Toronto.
