CBC, Bell and Corus will join forces to air Canadian Screen Awards

Andrew Phung, winner of Best Lead Performer for comedy show "Run the Burbs," poses for a photo at the Canadian Screen Awards, in Toronto, Sunday, June 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

TORONTO — In a move reminiscent of “Heated Rivalry,” some of Canada’s biggest broadcast competitors are hooking up in the name of boosting homegrown culture.

CBC, Bell and Corus will join forces to air the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards in a first-of-its-kind simulcast aimed at expanding the show’s national reach.

The Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television announced Friday that the awards will air simultaneously on CBC, CBC Gem, Crave, CTV, Global and STACKTV on May 31 at 8 p.m. ET.

“The timing is just right. Everyone’s really supporting Canadian sovereignty and collaboration. It’s a little bit like the perfect storm,” said Academy CEO Tammy Frick in an interview.

“These things might not have happened 10, 15 years ago because of external circumstances, but people are focused on supporting Canada. Canadian stories are important.”

Calgary-born actor and comedian Andrew Phung — an eight-time Screen Award winner known for his roles in CBC’s “Kim’s Convenience” and “Run the Burbs” — will host the ceremony, which celebrates the best in Canadian film, TV and digital media.

In previous years, the Screen Awards have only aired on CBC and CBC Gem.

After the Academy approached all major Canadian broadcasters with the idea, Frick said Bell and Corus came on board faster than she thought they would. Rogers is not participating, and did not immediately provide comment.

“It’s OK to be competitive and still work together, so I think that’s the key here. High tides lift all boats. I think in this situation, all the broadcasters appreciate and recognize content that’s available on their competitors’ platform,” says Frick.

“It’s just an opportunity for them to come together and say to Canadians, ‘We want you to watch. We want you to have access and access is really drawing in the public as well, not just being in our own little silo.’”

Frick said she expects the mania around Crave’s hit gay hockey drama “Heated Rivalry” to bring added attention to this year’s awards.

“The buzz around this show has just been so amazing. That helps uplift everybody. There’s always a ripple effect.”

She couldn’t confirm whether any “Heated Rivalry” cast members will attend the ceremony, as they are in the early stages of planning the production.

Last year’s Screen Awards nearly didn’t air on television at all. The show was initially planned as a streaming-only event before a late programming change saw it broadcast on both CBC TV and CBC Gem. Organizers said the reversal was driven by the NHL playoffs ending earlier than anticipated, freeing up a TV slot.

Frick said the Academy started a conversation with CBC last year about the simulcast in an effort to “capture the cultural memory.”

“It’s about making sure those cultural moments are relevant and giving Canadians a chance to just pause for a moment to have access and say, ‘This is ours and this stuff really matters.’”

Frick said Bell and Corus were “extremely optimistic and enthusiastic” about working together on the broadcast.

“As sometimes an industry shrinks, you have to create new ways of doing things, people become more innovative. There’s a lot more conversation around how people can collaborate,” she said.

“And this is a perfect example of just knowing how important it is to uplift Canadian stories and support Canadian talent. So that was not a big sell.”

Organizers said they will continue the conversation with all of Canada’s broadcasters next year and beyond.

Frick said the push for a broadcaster consortium was also driven largely by a desire to meet the audience where they’re consuming content.

“Not everyone goes to one spot now to watch TV shows or pay attention to what’s happening in the film world,” says.

She jokes this year’s Screen Awards will be inescapable.

“They have no choice (but to watch),” she quips. “Tune in or else.”

The Academy says details about the broadcast will come in the lead-up to Canadian Screen Week, which takes place from May 27 to May 31 in Toronto.

Nominees for this year’s awards will be announced on March 25.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2026.

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press

CTV News, Crave and CP24 are owned by Bell Media, which is a division of BCE.