Canadian Screen Awards Forge Historic Broadcasting Alliance
In an unprecedented move that signals a new era of collaboration among Canada's media giants, the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards (CSAs) will be simulcast across three major national networks: CBC, CTV, and Global. This landmark partnership, set to air on May 31 at 8 p.m. ET, represents a dramatic departure from the awards show's long-standing tradition of exclusive broadcast on CBC.
A Break from Tradition Driven by Audience Growth
For the past thirteen years, the televised gala celebrating excellence in Canadian film, television, and digital media aired solely on the CBC. The shift to a multi-network simulcast follows a significant viewership surge in 2024. After initially losing CBC's linear television network due to a scheduling conflict with NHL playoffs, the CSAs were streamed on CBC Gem. However, when the playoffs concluded earlier than expected, the gala was broadcast on CBC television, attracting 929,000 viewers—a remarkable 45 percent increase from the previous year. Streaming views on CBC Gem also soared by 91 percent.
"The real catalyst to this change was audience – viewership has really changed," emphasized Tammy Frick, CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, which oversees the CSAs. "These are broadcasters who are competitors, but once we sat down with Bell and Corus to explain the vision behind it, they came onboard very quickly. They understood right away that we need to make the show feel bigger."
A Cultural Moment of Unity
While not entirely without precedent—the 2020 Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble benefit concert during the pandemic was also simulcast by multiple networks—this new alliance is seen as emblematic of a current cultural moment. With Canadian culture perceived as under threat from political rhetoric emanating from the United States, the collaboration reflects a growing desire to assert national identity.
"I think a lot of Canadians are having these 'aha' moments where we want to take ownership of our culture – this is a moment that all of us can say is ours, that it belongs to us," Frick noted. "There are a lot of moving parts to it, but it's wonderful that our broadcasters can all work together to promote this cultural moment."
Notable Absence and Eligibility Revisions
One major media player, Rogers Media—operator of the Citytv network and Citytv+ streaming service—is absent from this year's partnership. Frick indicated that while discussions were held, Rogers was not in a position to participate for the 2025 edition but expressed hope for re-engagement in 2027.
The simulcast is not the only significant change for the CSAs this year. In response to last year's awards, where three top acting prizes went to non-Canadian performers, the Canadian Academy has revised its eligibility rules. Henceforth, all categories honoring certified Canadian productions will be restricted to Canadian citizens or permanent residents only.
"We have a really intense conversation after each edition of the awards with the industry, so that was a response of people across the sector saying, hey, hold on a minute," Frick explained. "Those are the big changes made after last year, and we'll gather again after this edition to see what needs to be tweaked and what we can improve upon."
Host and Broadcast Details
This year's CSAs will be hosted by acclaimed Canadian actor and comedian Andrew Phung, an eight-time CSA winner for his roles in CBC sitcoms Run the Burbs and Kim's Convenience. Further broadcast specifics, including whether the show will be aired live or feature pre-recorded segments, will be announced closer to Canadian Screen Week, scheduled from May 27 to May 31 in Toronto.
The nominees for the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards are set to be revealed on March 25, building anticipation for this historic, unified celebration of Canadian creative talent.
