Awards shows everywhere have seen a slide in viewership in recent years amid a shifting media landscape and industry uncertainty.
And the Canadian Screen Awards has never been a ratings powerhouse compared with the Oscars and the Emmys that draw far larger local TV audiences. So Canada’s film and TV awards has come up with a novel way to stem a chronic ratings decline amid virtually unlimited channel choice: top Canadian broadcasters CBC, Bell Media, and Corus have partnered to simultaneously broadcast final prize-giving for the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards on May 31 from Toronto.
The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, which organizes the awards show, has struck a deal to see the CSAs air and stream on the CBC, CBC Gem, Crave, CTV, Global Television and StackTV. And the Canadian Academy and the CBC, Corus and Bell Media will collaborate closely to produce the awards shows both in front and technically behind the camera.
The Canadian Academy and the CBC, which has carried the CSAs in recent years on its linear and streaming platforms, have tried other experiments to boost or safeguard ratings in recent years amid the pandemic and other industry disruptions. That includes doing prize-giving as virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pre-taping CSAs as one-hour specials that included segments taped in Los Angeles with Canadian celebrities, and even going without hosts and focusing on pre-taped comedy skits.
In 2012, the Canadian Academy went as far as to replace separate Gemini and Genie award shows with a single film and TV awards event in the CSAs traditionally held after the Academy Awards stateside. Last year, the CSAs returned to a live format for its 13th edition, with The Apprentice, a film about a young Donald Trump, dominating the national film and TV awards from Toronto.
“At this pivotal and transformational moment for our industry, it is invigorating to see three powerhouse Canadian broadcasters unite to present The 2026 Canadian Screen Awards,” Tammy Frick, CEO of the Canadian Academy, said in a statement on Friday about the broadcast partnership for her event. “This unprecedented collaboration underscores the strength of our creative community, and the importance of celebrating Canadian stories on a national stage,” she added.
Actor and comedian Andrew Phung will host the CSAs’ 14th edition this year. Nominations for the Canadian awards show will be announced on March 25.
