The National Media Awards Foundation is thrilled to reveal the finalists of the 44th annual National Magazine Awards. This year, we received submissions from 160 various publications across Canada, amounting to over 1000 entries. Our dedicated roster of 114 volunteer judges evaluated these entries, and we are pleased to present this list of 210 finalists.
On June 11th, the winners will be revealed during a virtual ceremony hosted by Sandra E. Martin. Gold winners in writing and visual categories will receive a $1000 cash prize. Please join us in congratulating these incredible finalists!
TOP NOMINEES
| Publication | Nominations |
| The Walrus | 22 |
| Maclean’s | 17 |
| Toronto Life | 15 |
| L’actualité | 10 |
| Cottage Life | 7 |
| Inuit Art Quarterly | 7 |
| Nouveau Projet | 6 |
| The Narwhal | 6 |
INDIVIDUAL NOMINEE HIGHLIGHTS
- Katherine Laidlaw’s “A Family Massacre,” published in Toronto Life, is a finalist in Feature Writing and Investigative Reporting.
- “A Planner’s Guide to Dying,” published in Reader’s Digest Canada, earned nominations in Illustration and Service Journalism.
- With nominations in both Art Direction of a Single Article and LIfestyle Photography is Cottage Life’s “At the End of the Highway.”
- “Heartbreaker,” written by Katherine Laidlaw and published in Toronto Life, received two nominations in the categories of Investigative Reporting and Long-Form Feature Writing: 6000+.
- Last year, Arvin Joaquin was a finalist for Best Emerging Writer. This year, Joaquin’s “Inside the second wave of the HIV epidemic in the Philippines” is a two-time nominee, in Long-Form Feature Writing: 6000+ and Personal Journalism.
- Ryan David Allen is one of this year’s Best Emerging Writer nominees for “Labour of Love,” published in Maisonneuve. “Labour of Love” is also a finalist in the Essays category.
- “Letters to America,” appearing in Maclean’s, is a finalist for Best Editorial Package and Issue Grand Prix.
- BESIDE’s “Nuna” received nominations in Personal Journalism and Photo Essay and Photojournalism.
- “State of erosion: the legacy of Manitoba Hydro,” published by The Narwhal, is a nominee in Photo Essay and Photojournalism and Portrait Photography.
- The Walrus’ “The Age of Surrender” received nominations in Illustration, Long-Form Feature Writing, and Investigative Reporting.
- “The New Lobster Wars,” written by Zoe Heaps Tennant and published in The Walrus, is a finalist in Investigative Reporting and Long-Form Feature Writing: 6000+.
- Brian Banks’ “Tiny Fish to Big Picture,” published by Canadian Wildlife, is a two-time nominee in Long-Form Feature Writing and Profiles.
- The Feathertale Review’s Issue 25 received nominations in the coveted Art Direction Grand Prix and Issue Grand Prix categories. The publication is also in the running for Best Magazine: Art, Literary, and Culture.
- lstw magazine is a finalist for Art Direction grand Prix, Publisher Grand Prix, and Best Magazine: Special Interest.
- SAD Mag’s Issue 29: Sex is nominated for Art Direction Grand Prix and Best Editorial Package.
WRITING & VISUAL AWARDS
LONG-FORM FEATURE WRITING: 6000+ / MEILLEUR ARTICLE DE FOND (6 000+ MOTS)
Promised Lands
Canadian Geographic
Julian Brave NoiseCat
Handling Editor: Aaron Kylie
Crazy Wisdom: A Love Story
Hazlitt
Suzannah Showler
Handling Editor: Haley Cullingham
Les voleurs d’identité
L’actualité
Marc-André Sabourin
Rédactrice : Josée Désaulniers
The 30-year battle to stop the pandemic
Maclean’s
Paul Wells
Handling Editor: Colin Campbell
Comicocratie: comment j’ai tenté d’obtenir ma part de l’industrie culturelle la plus lucrative du Québec
Nouveau Projet
Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard
Rédacteurs : Jean-Philippe Massicotte, Nicolas Langelier
How to Vaccinate 38 Million People
The Walrus
Danielle Groen
Contributor: Tina Knezevic, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Hamutal Dotan
Searching for Mackie
The Walrus
Annie Hylton
Contributor: Nicole Schmidt, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Harley Rustad
The New Lobster Wars
The Walrus
Zoe Heaps Tennant
Contributor: Nicole Schmidt, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Samia Madwar
Heartbreaker
Toronto Life
Katherine Laidlaw
Handling Editor: Malcolm Johnston
Houses of Horror
Toronto Life
Jason McBride
Handling Editor: Emily Landau
Inside the second wave of the HIV epidemic in the Philippines
Xtra Magazine
Arvin Joaquin
Contributors: Rachel Giese, Gordon Bowness, Allison Baker
Handling Editor: Eternity Martis
LONG-FORM FEATURE WRITING / MEILLEUR ARTICLE DE FOND (LONG FORMAT)
Meltdown
Broadview
Susan Nerberg
Contributor: Elena Gritzan, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Caley Moore
Punctuation’s Mark
Canadian Geographic
Alanna Mitchell
Handling Editor: Abi Hayward
Tiny Fish to Big Picture
Canadian Wildlife
Brian Banks
Handling Editor: Matthew Church
The Long Shadow of Elizabeth Wettlaufer
Chatelaine
Katherine Laidlaw
Contributors: Aimee Nishitoba, Samantha De Kruyff, Flannery Dean
Handling Editor: Denise Balkissoon
January 8, 2020
Edify Magazine
Omar Mouallem
Handling Editor: Steven Sandor
The end of growth
Maclean’s
Sarmishta Subramanian
Handling Editor: Colin Campbell
Lumière sur les études noires
Québec Science
Mélissa Guillemette
Collaborateurs : Niti Marcelle Mueth, Natacha Vincent, Sophie Cazanave
Rédactrices : Marine Corniou, Marie Lambert-Chan
A Long-Term Tragedy
The Local
Simon Lewsen
Handling Editor: Nicholas Hune-Brown
The Age of Surrender
The Walrus
Sharon J. Riley
Contributor: Sophie Weiler, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Daniel Viola
Tick Tock
The Walrus
Stephanie Nolen
Contributor: Abi Hayward, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Harley Rustad
FEATURE WRITING / MEILLEUR ARTICLE DE FOND
Dead End
Broadview
Sally Armstrong
Contributor: KC Hoard, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Jocelyn Bell
La nouvelle machine à gagner des élections
L’actualité
Alec Castonguay
Rédactrice : Josée Désaulniers
Revivre après Daech
L’actualité
Fabrice de Pierrebourg
Rédactrice : Josée Désaulniers
A Whole New Kind of Grief
Maclean’s
Christina Frangou
Handling Editor: Dafna Izenberg
‘It should not define us’
Maclean’s
Emily Baron Cadloff
Handling Editor: Charlie Gillis
Stealing Time
Maclean’s
Christina Frangou
Handling Editors: Alison Uncles, Dafna Izenberg
Fight of His Life
Reader’s Digest Canada
Nicholas Hune-Brown
Handling Editor: Lauren McKeon
Could 80,000 family woodlot owners be the key to saving the Acadian forest?
The Narwhal
Lindsay Jones
Handling Editor: Emma Gilchrist
Birth Rights
Today’s Parent
Sahar Fatima
Handling Editor: Ariel Brewster
A Family Massacre
Toronto Life
Katherine Laidlaw
Handling Editor: Emily Landau
SHORT FEATURE WRITING / MEILLEUR ARTICLE COURT
What to Do with Trail Names that Offend?
Canadian Cycling Magazine
Melanie Chambers
Handling Editor: Matthew Pioro
COVID-19 Les acquis des travailleuses sont-ils en péril?
Châtelaine
Marie Bernier
Rédacteurs : Johanne Lauzon, Daniel Chrétien, Nathalie Elliott
Parcs Canada : Restauration écologique extrême
Espaces
Guillaume Roy
Swimming in the Dark
FOLKLIFE
Wendy Burton
Contributors: Margy Gilmour, Mary Ann Richards, Alina Cerminara
Handling Editor: Charles Hart
Threading Memories
Inuit Art Quarterly
Krista Ulujuk Zawadski
Contributors: Elizabeth Qulaut
Handling Editors: Britt Gallpen, Michael Stevens
In defence of equalization
Maclean’s
Stephen Maher
Handling Editor: Colin Campbell
Trust Exercise
Maisonneuve
Stephanie Nolen
Handling Editor: Selena Ross
“I’m the Virus You Named COVID-19. Glad to Meet You”
The Tyee
Andrew Nikiforuk
Handling Editor: David Beers
Black in the Ivory Tower
The Walrus
Hadiya Roderique
Contributor: Tina Knezevic, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Tajja Isen
COLUMNS / CHRONIQUES
On Second Thought
Alberta Views
Paula Simons
Handling Editor: Evan Osenton
Collecting
FASHION
Odessa Paloma Parker
Handling Editor: Bernadette Morra
Chronique Société
L’actualité
Noémi Mercier
Rédactrice : Claudine St-Germain
Paul Wells
Maclean’s
Paul Wells
Handling Editor: Colin Campbell
Éditorial
Québec Science
Marie Lambert-Chan
Collaborateur : Sophie Cazanave
Rédactrices : Marine Corniou, Mélissa Guillemette
Dorothy Woodend on culture
The Tyee
Dorothy Woodend
Handling Editor: Robyn Smith
Chroniques
Ricochet
Yannick Marcoux
Collaborateur : Katia Gaïd
Rédactrice : Gabrielle Brassard-Lecours
“How Tim Hortons Became a Political Prop,” “Why Canada Won’t Go Broke,” and “How Universal Basic Income Could Save the Economy”
The Walrus
Max Fawcett
Contributors: Sebastian Leck, fact-checker (“How Tim Hortons Became a Political Prop,” “How Universal Basic Income Could Save the Economy”); Miriam Lafontaine, fact-checker (“Why Canada Won’t Go Broke”)
Handling Editor: Carmine Starnino
ESSAYS / ESSAIS
Still Up in the Air
Chatelaine
Alicia Elliott
Contributor: Colleen Nicholson
Handling Editor: Denise Balkissoon
Mine for Life
Hazlitt
Rudrapriya Rathore
Handling Editor: Haley Cullingham
Labour of Love
Maisonneuve
Ryan David Allen
Handling Editors: Selena Ross, Madi Haslam
Les vulnérabilités sans fin
Nouveau Projet
Nicolas Langelier
Collaborateurs : Vanessa Allnutt, Véronique Chagnon
Rédactrice : Marie-Michèle Robitaille
For Black Women In Media, A “Dream Job” Is A Myth
Refinery29 Canada
Kathleen Newman-Bremang
Handling Editor: Carley Fortune
To Love Again: A Natural Hair Journey
Room
Téa Mutonji
Handling Editor: Chelene Knight
I Do
Room
Erin Soros
Handling Editor: Rachel Thompson
Plagued
The Fiddlehead
Morgan Charles
Handling Editor: Sue Sinclair
Canadian Media’s Racism Problem
The Walrus
Pacinthe Mattar
Contributors: Nicole Schmidt, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Samia Madwar
The Fault, Dear Reader, Is Not in Our Stars
The Walrus
Carly Lewis
Contributor: Sydney Hamilton, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Daniel Viola
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING / JOURNALISME D’ENQUÊTE
Facebook Banned Mask Ads. They’re Still Running.
BuzzFeed News
Craig Silverman
Handling Editors: Mat Honan, John Paczkowski
The Lone Wolf That Was Loved to Death
Hakai Magazine
Larry Pynn
Handling Editor: Jude Isabella
‘You’re out there alone’: whistleblowers say workplace abuse hides true impacts of B.C.’s trawl fishery
The Narwhal
Jimmy Thomson
Handling Editors: Emma Gilchrist, Carol Linnitt, Arik Ligeti
Murder in Old Barns
The Walrus
Lindsay Jones
Contributor: Nicole Schmidt, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Carmine Starnino
The New Lobster Wars
The Walrus
Zoe Heaps Tennant
Contributor: Nicole Schmidt, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Samia Madwar
The Age of Surrender
The Walrus
Sharon J. Riley
Contributor: Sophie Weiler, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Daniel Viola
A Family Massacre
Toronto Life
Katherine Laidlaw
Handling Editor: Emily Landau
Heartbreaker
Toronto Life
Katherine Laidlaw
Handling Editor: Malcolm Johnston
The Imposter
Toronto Life
Leah McLaren
Handling Editor: Emily Landau
FICTION
Twyla
Canadian Notes & Queries
Alex Pugsley
Handling Editor: Emily Donaldson
While Tehran Was Silent
Hermine
Mehdi M. Kashani
Handling Editors: S. Kennedy Sobol, Abby Gainforth, Nadia Pestrak
Les affaires des autres
Nouveau projet
Stéfanie Clermont
Rédactrice : Véronique Chagnon
Calling You
Prairie Fire
Catherine Hunter
Handling Editors: Lindsey Childs, Carolyn Gray, Janine Tschuncky
Ex-Smoker
Taddle Creek
Sam Shelstad
Handling Editor: Conan Tobias
Water Signs
The New Quarterly
Joshua Wales
Handling Editor: Pamela Mulloy
PERSONAL JOURNALISM / JOURNALISME PERSONNEL
Nuna
BESIDE
Juliana Léveillé-Trudel
Handling Editors: Caroline R. Paquette, Catherine Métayer
A Geography of Queer Woundings
Grain Magazine
Joshua Whitehead
Handling Editor: Lisa Bird-Wilson
Pathfinding
Maisonneuve
Jody Porter
Handling Editors: Selena Ross, Madi Haslam
The Glow of Electrum
The Malahat Review
Daniel Allen Cox
Handling Editor: Iain Higgins
Who Names the Rez Dog Rez?
The Malahat Review
Joshua Whitehead
Handling Editor: Iain Higgins
The Finca
The New Quarterly
Eva-Lynn Jagoe
Handling Editor: Vinh Nguyen
What’s In A Name?
THIS Magazine
Minelle Mahtani
Handling Editor: Tara-Michelle Ziniuk
They Called Me Prisoner 183645
Toronto Life
Ish Aderonmu
Handling Editor: Malcolm Johnston
Our Life, Our Land, Our Voice
Up Here Magazine
Antoine Mountain, Raymond Yakeleya
Handling Editor: Jacob Boon
Inside the second wave of the HIV epidemic in the Philippines
Xtra Magazine
Arvin Joaquin
Contributors: Rachel Giese, Gordon Bowness, editors; Allison Baker, copy editor/fact-checker
Handling Editor: Eternity Martis
POETRY / POESIE
CPR Advertisements of a Populated Landscape / on the boundaries of treaty no. 6
Arc Poetry Magazine
Matthew James Weigel
Handling Editor: Sarah Tsiang
DESIRE / HYENAS
Arc Poetry Magazine
Faith Arkorful
Handling Editor: Sarah Tsiang
Dear Kin / Dear Kin (VI)
EVENT
Shazia Hafiz Ramji
Handling Editor: Shashi Bhat
The Great Flu / Song of Birth and Death / Subject – Verb – Object
EVENT
Patricia Young
Handling Editor: Shashi Bhat
The Anna Margolin Suite: Three poems
EXILE Quarterly
Lisa Richter
Handling Editor: Micheline Maylor
This Being Alive: Last Poems
EXILE Quarterly
Patrick Lane
Handling Editor: Barry Callaghan
Aeroelastic Flutter
Grain Magazine
Alex Manley
Handling Editor: Alasdair Rees
Louise
PRISM International
Emily Riddle
Handling Editor: Emily Chou
Cree Girl Explodes the Political Project Called “Alberta”
Room
Emily Riddle
Handling Editor: Geffen Semach
Walls / Woodshed Hill, Late Winter 2018
The New Quarterly
John Steffler
Handling Editors: Barbara Carter, Evelyn Dekker
PROFILES / PORTRAITS
Tiny Fish to Big Picture
Canadian Wildlife
Brian Banks
Handling Editor: Matthew Church
A Voice of Bells
Hazlitt
Dafna Izenberg
Handling Editor: Haley Cullingham
La reine du roman historique
L’actualité
Jean-Yves Girard
Rédactrice : Josée Désaulniers
Nenshi Falls Back to Earth
Maclean’s
Jason Markusoff
Handling Editor: Charlie Gillis
The Beloved ones
Maclean’s
Shannon Proudfoot, Nadine Yousif
Handling Editor: Colin Campbell
The Man with Plans
Maclean’s
Leah McLaren
Handling Editor: Colin Campbell
50 nuances de gris
Magazine VÉRO
Sophie St-Laurent
Collaborateurs : Marjorie Guindon, Chanelle Riopelle, Marie-Michèle Leduc
Rédactrice : Louise Richer
The Insider
Report on Business Magazine
Joanna Pachner
Handling Editor: James Cowan
Stigma, Sex & Safety
The Positive Side Magazine
Deidre Olsen
Handling Editor: Dan Udy
David Frum Fights the Right
The Walrus
Curtis Gillespie
Contributors: Ariella Garmaise, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Daniel Viola
The Woman Who Built Queen West
Toronto Life
Katrina Onstad
Handling Editor: Emily Landau
SERVICE JOURNALISM / JOURNALISME DE SERVICE
Sortir les PFNL de la marge
Caribou
Guillaume Roy
Rédactrice : Véronique Leduc
How to Green Your #2 Routine
Chatelaine
Ishani Nath
Handling Editor: Maureen Halushak
Have Cottage, Will Travel
Cottage Life
Jackie Davis
Handling Editors: Jackie Davis, Sandi Tower
Take Back the Power
Cottage Life
Martin Zibauer
Handling Editors: Liann Bobechko, Sandi Tower
Comment allez mieux
L’actualité
Marie-Hélène Proulx
Rédactrice : Josée Désaulniers
Sauver la planète, c’est payant
L’actualité
Marc-André Sabourin
Rédactrice : Josée Désaulniers
A Planner’s Guide to Dying
Reader’s Digest Canada
Emily Landau
Handling Editor: Lauren McKeon
The 2020 Home Safety Checklist
Reader’s Digest Canada
Rebecca Philps
Handling Editor: Mark Pupo
The Best New Takeout
Toronto Life
Caroline Aksich
Handling Editor: Rebecca Fleming
Where to Buy Planet Friendly Everything
Toronto Life
Various
Handling Editor: Malcolm Johnston
ILLUSTRATION (INCL. SPOT & PHOTO ILLUSTRATION) / ILLUSTRATIONS
Undiagnosed
Broadview
Gracia Lam
Contributor: Carol Moskot, art director
Diving Dogs
Cottage Life
Graham Roumieu
A Planner’s Guide to Dying
Reader’s Digest Canada
Cornelia Li
Contributors: John Montgomery, art director; Danielle Sayer, associate art director
Still Got It
Reader’s Digest Canada
Christy Lundy
Contributors: John Montgomery, art director; Danielle Sayer, associate art director
Summer Reading
The Walrus
Ashley Mackenzie
Contributors: Meredith Holigroski, art director
Tables Turned
The Walrus
Myriam Wares
Contributors: Paul Kim, art director
Handling Editor: Hamutal Dotan
The Age of Surrender
The Walrus
Jillian Tamaki
Contributors: Meredith Holigroski, art director
Handling Editor: Daniel Viola
The Rise of the Roommate
The Walrus
Hudson Christie
Contributors: Natalie Vineberg, art director
Handling Editor: Tajja Isen
The Wrong Side of the New Age
The Walrus
James Lee Chiahan
Contributors: Natalie Vineberg, art director
Handling Editor: Carmine Starnino
Your Brain on COVID-19
The Walrus
Cornelia Li
Contributors: Natalie Vineberg, art director
Handling Editor: Hamutal Dotan
Split Ends
THIS Magazine
Aliya Ghare
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY / PHOTOGRAPHIE : PORTRAITS
Shaped by the High Seas
BESIDE
Ash Adams
Contributors: Eliane Cadieux, creative director
Does Thomas Chan belong in prison?
Maclean’s
Clay Stang
Contributors: Liz Sullivan, director of photography; Stephen Gregory, art director
In The Absence of Paradise
Maisonneuve
Jeff Bierk
Contributors: Brian Morgan, Rachel Wine, art directors
The Picture Man
The Local
Sarah Boesveld, Rodrigo Moreno
Handling Editor Nicholas Hune-Brown
Meet the people saving Canada’s native grasslands
The Narwhal
Amber Bracken
Contributor: Stephanie Wood
State of erosion: the legacy of Manitoba Hydro
The Narwhal
Aaron Vincent Elkaim
Handling Editors: Carol Linnitt, Stephanie Wood
Taking a Stand
University of Toronto Magazine
Luis Mora
Contributors: Della Rollins, Vanessa Wyse
For Life
Zoomer Magazine
Alkan Emin
Handling editor: Stephanie White
LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY / PHOTOGRAPHIE : ART DE VIVRE
Fan Fare
Air Canada enRoute
Virginie Gosselin and Gabriel Cabrera
Contributors: Stefanie Sosiak, art director; Lori Morgan, photo editor
Handling Editor: Dominique Lamberton
At the End of the Highway
Cottage Life
Grant Harder
Welcome to the Wunderkammer
Cottage Life
Liam Mogan
La tête dans les étoiles
Dînette Magazine
Catherine Simard
Face Forward
FASHION
Timothy Hung, George Antonopoulos
The One & Only Winnie
FASHION
Greg Swales, George Antonopoulos
PHOTO ESSAY & PHOTOJOURNALISM / PHOTOJOURNALISME ET ESSAIS PHOTOGRAPHIQUES
At the Core of the City: Chinatown
Alberta Views
Guillaume Nolet
Contributor: Beate Wichmann, art director
Nuna
BESIDE
Alexi Hobbs
Contributeur: Eliane Cadieux, Directrice de création
The Queen of Eskasoni
Chatelaine
Lindsay Jones, Darren Calabrese
Contributors: Sun Ngo, Maureen Halushak
Saving the right
Maclean’s Magazine
Nick Hawkins
Contributors: Liz Sullivan, director of photography; Stephen Gregory, art director; Lauren Cattermole, designer
Wet’suwet’en matriarchs arressted as RCMP enforce Coastal GasLink pipeline injunction
The Narwhal
Amber Bracken
Contributors: Sarah Cox, Carol Linnitt
State of erosion: the legacy of Manitoba Hydro
The Narwhal
Aaron Vincent Elkaim
Contributors: Carol Linnitt, editor; Stephanie Wood, cultural editor; Raina Delisle, copy editor
Handling Editor: Emma Gilchrist
ONE OF A KIND STORYTELLING / UNIQUE ET HORS CATEGORIE
At the corner of Loss & Renewal
Maclean’s
Amber Bracken, Jason Markusoff, and Drew Maynard
Contributors: Stephen Gregory, art director; Liz Sullivan, director of photography
Handling editor: Charlie Gillis
Ce qui ne se vend(ait) pas
Nouveau Projet
Rémy Bourdillon et Michel Hellman
Rédactrices : Maud Brougère et Véronique Chagnon
Our Grandpa’s Story: Pierre Washie
Root & STEM
Richard Van Camp (Comic, Writer) & Kyle Charles (Comic, illustrator)
Handling Editor: Joel McConvey
Cord
The Malahat Review
Erin Soros
Handling Editor: Iain Higgins
My Mum and Mister Rogers
The Walrus
Cinders McLeod
Contributors: Meredith Holigroski, art director; Ariella Garmaise, fact-checker
Handling Editor: Carine Abouseif
Life and Death in the ICU
Toronto Life
Omar Mouallem
Handling Editor: Malcolm Johnston
BEST EMERGING WRITER
Award sponsored by the Reader’s Digest Foundation
This award is given to the individual whose early work in magazines shows the highest degree of craft and promise. This year’s three nominees are:
Ryan David Allen for “Labour of Love” published in Maisonneuve Magazine.
“‘Labour of Love’ blends memoir and journalism to create a vivid portrait of a father’s alcoholism and humanizes a group that is often overlooked. It adds up to a compelling argument about the folly of viewing public health issues as deficiencies in people’s character, leaving the management of complex health and social issues to untrained individuals and their families, and how the pandemic has affected marginalized communities.” — NMA Jury
Sherina Harris for “The Butterfly Effect” published in The Walrus
“‘The Butterfly Effect’ is a succinct and yet layered exploration of a fascinating topic—tackling climate change, gentrification and conservation—and stands out for its organization and lively detail. Harris expertly weaves storytelling with research and reporting, which not only makes for a compelling read but one that inspires change. It would have been impressive had it been written by a senior writer. That it comes from an emerging journalist makes it all the more remarkable.” — NMA Jury
Jadine Ngan for “A Lonely Year on Campus” published in The Walrus
“Through strong interviews and carefully chosen details, ‘A Lonely Year on Campus’ creates sympathy for post-secondary students, a cohort all too easily dismissed during the pandemic. The writer’s confidence and maturity is abundant, and the article is a pleasure to read.” — NMA Jury
EDITORIAL AWARDS
ART DIRECTION OF A SINGLE ARTICLE / MEILLEURE DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE D’UN ARTICLE
At the End of the Highway
Cottage Life
Bradley Reinhardt
CAFA Awards 2020
FASHION
Danielle Campbell
Beyond Treeline
Mountain Life Annual
Amélie Légaré
Veggie Delight
Today’s Parent
Stephanie Han Kim
Contributors: Simone Olivero, handling editor; Irene Ngo, recipe production; Erik Putz, photographer; Ashley Denton, food styling; Madeleine Johari, prop styling
The Best New Restaurants
Toronto Life
Christine Dewairy, Brian Wong, Daniel Neuhaus
BEST EDITORIAL PACKAGE / MEILLEUR DOSSIER THÉMATIQUE
Hors-série: Manger 100% local
Caribou
Audrey Lavoie, Geneviève Vézina-Montplaisir et Véronique Leduc
Des mots pour traverser la crise
Châtelaine
Œuvre collective, par Michel Tremblay, Nancy Huston, Fanny Britt, David Goudreault, Arlette Cousture, Perrine LeBlanc, Catherine Mavrikakis / Conception : Johanne Lauzon et Daniel Chrétien / direction artistique : Michel C. Tremblay
Painting
Inuit Art Quarterly
Darcie Bernhardt, Heather Campbell, Tarralik Duffy, Anik Glaude, Napatsi Folger, Emily Henderson, Mark Igloliorte, Bronson Jacque, Aija Komangapik, Megan Kyak-Monteith, Matt Hoffman, Elizabeth Qulaut
Relations
Inuit Art Quarterly
Kyle Nakutsiak Aleekuk, Britt Gallpen, Maureen Gruben, Napatsi Folger, Emily Henderson, Bronson Jacque, Sonya Kelliher-Combs, Jessica MacDonald, Natan Obed, Michael Stevens, Chantal Jung, Matt Hoffman, Emily Angulalik
Threads
Inuit Art Quarterly
Napatsi Folger, John Geoghegan, Emily Henderson, Susan Kaplan, Genevieve LeMoine, Michael Stevens, Krista Ulujuk Zawadski, Myra Kukiiyaut, Matt Hoffman, Elizabeth Qulaut
Bye-bye bureaux!
L’actualité
Marie-Hélène Proulx
Letters to America
Maclean’s
Christina Gonzales, Stephen Gregory, Sarah Palmer, Liz Sullivan, Elizabeth Brandt and contributors
SAD Mag Issue 29: Sex
SAD Mag
Madeline Barber, Co-publisher & Editorial Manager and Syd Danger, Co-Publisher & Creative Director
Sprawlzine
Sprawlzine
Ximena Gonzalez, Jeremy Klaszus, Taylor Lambert, Hadeel Abdel-Nabi, Chris Pecora, Sam Hester, Brianna Sharpe, Danielle Paradis, Kaitlynn Copithorne, Len Dueck
Speaking the Truth
University of Toronto Magazine
Scott Anderson, Genevieve Caron, Stacey Gibson, Nazario Graziano, Rahul Kalvapalle, Kurt Kleiner, Brent Ledger, Luis Mora, Della Rollins, Brenda Wastasecoot, Vanessa Wyse
ART DIRECTION GRAND PRIX / GRAND PRIX DE LA DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE
Numéro 09
BESIDE
Eliane Cadieux
Brick 105
Brick, A Literary Journal
Mark Byk
019 – Lumière
Dînette Magazine
Hélène Mallette
issue no5
lstw magazine
Carolyne De Bellefeuille
SAD Mag Issue 29: Sex
SAD Mag
Syd Danger
Issue 25
The Feathertale Review
Jenn Lawrence, Kara Pyle
EDITOR GRAND PRIX
This award honours an individual who is making an outstanding impact on a magazine as an editor. This year’s nominees are Michelle Kelly, Britt Gallpen, and Marie Lambert-Chan.
Michelle Kelly, Cottage Life
“Cottage Life is a dynamic example of the relentless pursuit of innovation during a year of pandemic-related challenges. Michelle Kelly has diversified the number of ways of reaching readers of Cottage Life, notably by creating virtual versions of the brand’s events and by launching a podcast. Kelly demonstrates sound editorial judgement, real business intelligence, and inspiring leadership” — NMA Jury
Britt Gallpen, Inuit Art Quarterly
“Britt Gallpen transformed an arts magazine into a bridge between cultures. Thanks to her efforts, 68% of the writers contributing to Inuit Art Quarterly are Inuit, a major change that demonstrates Gallpen’s keenness to better meet the needs of the audience and the artists showcased in the publication. The result is a publication more vibrant and relevant than ever before” — NMA Jury
Marie Lambert-Chan, Quebéc Science
“At a time when scientific journalism is more crucial than ever in our society, Marie Lambert-Chan has risen to the challenge. For Québec-Science to adapt to the context of a pandemic and meet the needs of its audience, Lambert-Chan quickly forged successful alliances, secured sources of funding, and efficiently reorganized her small team. All of this without losing sight of the high standards of discipline and quality inherent to her publication” — NMA Jury
COVER GRAND PRIX / GRAND PRIX DE LA PAGE COUVERTURE
On the front lines (Maclean’s, June 2020)
Maclean’s
Stephen Gregory, art director; Liz Sullivan, director of photography; Dawn Lim, photographer
Handling Editors: Alison Uncles, editor-in-chief; Colin Campbell, deputy editor
Nouveau Projet 18 – La fin d’un monde.
Nouveau Projet
Laurent Silvani
Collaborateurs : Jean-François Proulx
The Pandemic Issue
Spacing
Julie Fish, photographer; Matthew Blackett, art director
Breastfeeding: What it feels like, signs it’s going well and where to get help
Today’s Parent
Emily Vezer, art director; Kim Shiffman, editor; Hannah Spencer, photographer
Contributors: Siarre Massey & baby Archer, models
Influentials
Toronto Life
Christine Dewairy, Luis Mora
The Truth Issue
University of Toronto Magazine
Luis Mora
Contributors: Della Rollins, Vanessa Wyse, Scott Anderson
ISSUE GRAND PRIX / GRAND PRIX DU NUMÉRO
Numéro 09 Comment vivre notre nordicité ? – How do we embody our nordicity?
BESIDE
Catherine Métayer, Caroline R. Paquette, Mark Mann, équipe éditoriale – editorial team; Eliane Cadieux, directrice de création – creative director; Gabrielle Deronde, designer graphique – graphic designer
The Land Back Issue
Briarpatch
Saima Desai, Nickita Longman, Emily Riddle, Dr. Alexandria Wilson
Esse arts + opinions no. 99 – Plantes | Plants
Esse arts + opinions
Sylvette Babin, Anne-Marie Dubois, Daniel Fiset, Benoit Jodoin, Julia Roberge Van Der Donckt, Amelia Wong-Mersereau. Auteur.e.s : Giovanni Aloi, Amanda Amour-Lynx, Alex Burchmore, Anaïs Castro, Mark Clintberg, Michel F. Côté, Ariane De Blois
Mental Health Issue
FASHION
Bernadette Morra, Danielle Campbell, Eliza Grossman, George Antonopoulos, Lindsay Cooper, Maddison Glendinning, Natasha Bruno, Odessa Paloma Parker, Pahull Bains
Spécial COVID
L’actualité
Stéphanie Aubin, Julie Barlow, Marie-France Bazzo, Marie Boule, Mathieu Carbasse, Alec Castonguay, Mathieu Charlebois, François Delorme, Josée Désaulniers, David Desjardins, Pierre Fortin, Philippe J. Fournier, Charles Grandmont, Chantal Hébert, Emilie Nadeau, Jean-Benoît Nadeau, Edith Pelletier, Karine Picard, Marie-Hélène Proulx, Marc-André Sabourin, Claudine St-Germain, Paule Thibault, Sébastien Thibault, Alain Vadeboncoeur
Letters to America
Maclean’s
Maclean’s team
Technology in a Changing Climate
Root & STEM
Pinnguaq Association
Issue 25
The Feathertale Review
Brett Popplewell, Jenn Lawrence, Kara Pyle, Benson Lee, Corina Milic, Lee Wilson
The Pandemic Diaries
Toronto Life
Various
PUBLISHER GRAND PRIX
This award recognized the publisher that best delivers on their editorial mandate. Here are the nominees for 2020.
Alysa Procida, Inuit Art Quarterly
“A beautiful and challenging magazine about beautiful and challenging art, and a powerhouse fundraiser to boot. No small feat in a pandemic year.” — NMA Jury
Florence Gagnon, lstw magazine
“Did anyone have fun in 2020? If lstw didn’t, no-one did: as other publishers panicked, they pivoted to craft beer and party-by-yourself playlists. As usual, they made it look effortless and so, so cool, in both official languages.” — NMA Jury
Nicolas Langelier, Nouveau Projet
“Thoughtful on the page and off, Nouveau Project proved yet again that a great magazine can be more than that to its audience.” — NMA Jury
GRAND PRIX: BEST MAGAZINE AWARDS
BEST MAGAZINE: NEWS, BUSINESS, GENERAL INTEREST / MEILLEUR MAGAZINE : ACTUALITÉ, AFFAIRES, INTÉRÊT GÉNÉRAL
L’actualite
Maclean’s
Toronto Life
BEST MAGAZINE: SERVICE AND LIFESTYLE / MEILLEUR MAGAZINE : SERVICE ET ART DE VIVRE
Caribou
Châtelaine
Dînette Magazine
Explore Magazine
BEST MAGAZINE: ART, LITERARY, AND CULTURE / MEILLEUR MAGAZINE : ART, LITTÉRATURE ET CULTURE
C Magazine
Inuit Art Quarterly
Literary Review of Canada
The Feathertale Review
BEST MAGAZINE: SPECIAL INTEREST / MEILLEUR MAGAZINE : INTÉRÊT SPÉCIAL
Broadview
Corsé Magazine
lstw magazine
Tusaayaksat Magazine
SPECIAL AWARDS
MAGAZINE GRAND PRIX
The title of Magazine Grand Prix will be given to one publication among the four winners of the Best Magazine awards and presented at the upcoming winners’ celebration in June.
FOUNDATION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
After careful consideration, our Board of Directors made the decision to postpone awarding this prestigious award. Rest assured that applications from 2020 will automatically be kept on file and considered for the 2021 awards season. The winner will then be presented, on stage, at the spring 2022 event. This was a difficult decision, but we look forward to awarding the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement when it is safe for the industry to gather and celebrate.
Cross-Programming Categories
BEST EDITORIAL NEWSLETTER / MEILLEUR INFOLETTRE ÉDITORIALE
Hi, Art!
CBC Arts
Leah Collins
L’actualité politique
L’actualité
Mathieu Carbasse, Alec Castonguay, Pierre Fortin, Philippe J. Fournier, Chantal Hébert, Rafael Jacob, Karel Mayrand et Camille Payant
Le courrier du coronavirus
Le Devoir
Alexis Riopel, Alexandre Shields, Olivier Sylvestre, Claire Dazat
Le courrier américain
Le Devoir
Philippe Papineau, Baptiste Barbe, Stéphane Baillargeon, Carine Touma, Sarah Bouhmedda et Guillaume Saint-Hilaire
LiisBeth: Dispatch
Liisbeth.com Dispatch
Meral Mohammad Jamal, Lana Pesch, pk mutch
Globe Climate Newsletter
The Globe and Mail
Sierra Bein
The Narwhal Newsletter
The Narwhal
Arik Ligeti
The Supplement Newsletter
The Supplement
Samantha McCabe, Alex Nguyen, Sierra Bein
Infolettre Quatre95
URBANIA / Quatre95
Jean-Pierre Bastien, rédaction; Marc-Antoine Jacques, design; Théo Gjini, David Mongeau-Petitpas, intégration
BEST PODCAST: NEWS & POLITICS / MEILLEUR BALADO : ACTUALITÉS ET POLITIQUE
CANADALAND
Canadaland
Jesse Brown, host; Kasia Mychajlowycz, senior producer; Roslyn Kufuor, senior producer; Andréa Schmidt, managing editor; Kevin Sexton, managing editor; Tiffany Lam, Karl Dockstader, Sean Vanderklis, and Justin Ling, contributing reporters
Recall: How to Start a Revolution
CBC Podcasts
Geoff Turner, Jessica Linzey, Francis Plourde, creators; Geoff Turner, showrunner; Arif Noorani, executive producer; Associate Producers: Jessica Linzey, Francis Plourde, associate producers; Geoff Turner, Jessica Linzey, Francis Plourde, writers; et al.
Brainwashed
CBC Podcasts
Michelle Sheppard, host/writer; Writer & Producer: Chris Oke & Lisa Ellenwood, writers/producers; Cesil Fernandes, sound design; Sarah Melton, associate producer; Emilie Quesnel, digital producer;Evan Aagaard, video producer; Ben Shannon, art director; et al.
Satanic Panic
CBC Podcasts
Lisa Bryn Rundle, host; Lisa Bryn Rundle & Ilina Ghosh, script writers; Arif Noorni, executive producer; Tanya Springer, producer; Christopher Oke, editor; Olivia Pasquarelli, scoring and music supervision; Evan Kelly, sound engineer; et al.
Party Lines
CBC Podcasts & CBC News
Elamin Abdelmahmoud, Rosemary Barton, Emma Godmere, Kristin Nelson
Le Casanova de Montréal
QUB radio
Brigitte Noël, Anne-Sophie Carpentier, Étienne Roy
Dérives
Radio-Canada
Olivier Bernard, animateur et réalisateur; Jo-Annie Larue, chef de projet de contenu; Alain Kemeid, conseiller au contentu; Annie Reeves, directrice développement et production audionumérique; et al.
Laissez-nous raconter l’histoire crochie : Décoloniser l’Histoire un mot à la fois
Radio-Canada
Production Terre Innue en collaboration avec Radio- Canada OHdio; Marie Andrée Gill, animation; Brad Gros-Louis & Karine Lanoie-Brien, co-réalisateurs; Concept : Karine Lanoie-Brien, concept; Isabelle Picard, recherche; Lynne Trépanier, prise de son; et al.
Spacing Radio
Spacing
Glyn Bowerman, Neil Hinchley, Matthew Blackett
The Big Story
The Big Story
Jordan-Heath Rawlings, Claire Brassard, Stefanie Phillips, Ryan Clarke
BEST PODCAST: ARTS & CULTURE / MEILLEUR BALADO : ARTS ET CULTURE
Cool Mules
Canadaland
Kasia Mychajlowycz, host/reporter/producer; Jesse Brown, producer/co-writer; Jonathan Goldsbie, research; Nathan Burley, music; Chandra Bulucon, sound design/mixing
The Hopeful
The Hopeful
Shayda Omidvar, Portia Larlee, Claire Brassard, Ryan Clarke
Les pires moments de l’Histoire avec Charles Beauchesne – Saison III
URBANIA
Charles Beauchesne, animation; Charles Beauchesne, Odrée Rousseau, François DeGranpré, texte et recherche; Barbara-Judith Caron, réalisation; Lucie Fournaison et Alexandre Sarkis, montage; Raphaëlle Huysmans et Philippe Lamarre, producteurs exécutifs
Off The Chart: Xtra’s L Word podcast
Xtra Magazine
Erica Lenti, Chelle Turingan, co-hosts; Chelle Turingan, producer/audio editor; Rachel Giese, executive producer; KidKulit, music
BEST ONLINE VIDEO: SHORT / MEILLEURE VIDÉO EN LIGNE : FORMAT COURT
The Original Pandemic
CBC Arts
Lucius Dechausay, Des Mckenzie
Are you making these face mask mistakes?
CBC News
Amara McLaughlin, Roxanna Woloshyn, Anne MacRae, Scott Galley, Tashauna Reid
The race for a vaccine
CBC Toronto
Chris Glover, Paul Borkwood
Marion et les collages féministes
Le Devoir
Daphnée Hacker-B., Cédric Gagnon, Bénédicte Millaud
Cécile et la deuxième vague de COVID-19
Le Devoir
Jasmine Legendre, Matt Joycey, Bénédicte Millaud
Roundup
National Film Board of Canada
Nettie Wild, director; Produced by the National Film Board of Canada
Le choc des cultures
ONFR+
Andréanne Baribeau, Amine Beckoury, Aimé Majeau Beauchamp
Au front, aux soins intensifs de l’Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal
Radio-Canada
Simon Coutu, journaliste; Maryse Gagnon, rédactrice en chef; Frédéric Lacelle, réalisateur; Charlie Debons-Ricard, motion designer
‘We’re still a neighbourhood’: A Toronto couple runs errands for their COVID-19 isolated community
The Globe and Mail
Timothy Moore
BEST ONLINE VIDEO: FEATURE / MEILLEURE VIDÉO EN LIGNE : FORMAT LONG
Lack of racial diversity in medical textbooks could put BIPOC patients at risk
Global News
Aalia Adam, Sumeet Kapila, John Hanley
60 Day Cycle
National Film Board of Canada
Colin Jones, Darcy Wittenburg, directors; Darcy Wittenburg, writer;Produced by the National Film Board of Canada
Perfumed Dreaming
National Film Board of Canada
Kathleen Hepburn, director;Produced by the National Film Board of Canada
Bibelot et bingo : la vieillesse vue autrement
Radio-Canada
Joannie Lafrenière
When fracking and hydro dams collide
The Narwhal
Ben Parfitt, Jayce Hawkins, Carol Linnitt
We Crack Open Dr. Henry’s Model for Taming the Pandemic
The Tyee
Jesse Lupini, Koby Michaels, Lucas Kavanagh, Jeanette Ageson, David Beers
BEST ONLINE VIDEO: MINI-DOC / MEILLEURE VIDÉO EN LIGNE : MINI-DOCUMENTAIRE
Canada’s a Drag: Mx. Wolverine, Toronto
CBC Arts
Lucius Dechausay, Peter Knegt, Mercedes Grundy
The Bomb Captain
CBC Podcasts
Craig Desson, Evan Aagaard, producers/editors; Camera / Cinematography: Evan Aagaard, camera/cinematography; Geoff Turner, Jessica Linzay, Francis Plourde, original reportin; Arif Noorani, executive producer
Amachewespimawin: Shooting for the Cree way of life
CBC Saskatchewan
Madeline Kotzer, Heidi Atter, Ntawnis Piapot, Matt Duguid, Trent Peppler
How the Nova Scotia mass shooting unfolded: 13 hours. 22 dead. 16 crime scenes.
Global News
Emanuela Campanella, James Hawkins, Julieta Tobon, Bryan Royer, Christian Jeri
Fraude Organisé
Rad
Simon Coutu, journaliste; Johanne Lapierre, rédactrice en chef; vidéaste Thomas Christopherson, Patrick André Perron, Carl Mondello, vidéaste; Jean-Philippe Gagnon, monteur; réalisateur Mathieu Waddell, réalisateur; Pasquale Harrison-Julien, chef de pupitre; et al.
Agriculture : le Québec loin de l’autonomie alimentaire
Radio-Canada
Maxime Corneau, journaliste; Étienne Marcoux, réalisateur; François Dubuc, motion designer; Georges Sheehy, François Warnet, Marie-Andrée Cormier, preneurs de son; Catherine Marineau-Dufresne, réalisatrice-coordonnatrice; et al.
Manhunt, Manitoba
The Globe and Mail
Timothy Moore, Melissa Tait
BEST VIRTUAL EVENT / MEILLEUR ÉVÉNEMENT VIRTUEL
Avenue magazine Top 40 Under 40 Meet the Class of 2020
Avenue
Käthe Lemon, RocketHouse (Steve Klintberg-Nagy and Zoe Klintberg-Nagy), Dallas Flexhaug
AZ Awards Gala 2020
Azure Magazine
Nelda Rodger, Elizabeth Pagliacolo, Vicky Lee, Anna Lin, Kari Silver, Evan Pavka, Mahasti Eslahjou, Wyatt Clough, Paddy Harrington, Tristan Marantos, Jessica Allen
Confronting COVID: The National Virtual Town Hall
CBC News
Lara Chatterjee, Angela Naus, Meg Banks, Steve Pennie, Cheryl Brown, Natalie Crowell, Joel Perron
Quel avenir pour les ensembles et paysages patrimoniaux ?
Esquisses, le magazine de l’Ordre des architectes du Québec
Cathy Beauséjour, conseillère en communication (OAQ); Virginie Harvey, coordonnatrice de la formation continue (OAQ); Véronique Bourbeau, directrice des communications et des relations publiques (OAQ); Association des architectes paysagistes du Québec
Ask & Answer: Government Pandemic Support
HuffPost Canada
Althia Raj, host/producer; Amanda De Souza, producer; Stephane Sannuto, director; Allia McLeod, supervising producer; Luisa Cruz, floor director; Sasha Nagy, executive producer
Microfestival – Pierre Kwenders Live
URBANIA
Pierre Kwenders, artiste; réalisateur Gabriel Lajournade, réalisateur; Nicolas Roy-Bourdages, directeur technique; Alexis Demers Aiguilleur Xavier Havitov, ingénieur son; Natan B. Foisy Antoine Benhini, caméramans; Assistant Caméra Francis Robert; assistant caméra; et al.
Credit Changes & Additions
If you would like to make any credit changes or additions, please send details to staff@magazine-awards.com with subject line “NMA Credit Change.” The deadline for credit changes and additions is Monday, May 17, 2021 at midnight ET.
Acknowledgements
The National Media Awards Foundation is incredibly grateful for the support of: the Government of Canada, the Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Creates and Reader’s Digest Foundation. We are also thankful for the support of CCR Solutions, Cision, Magazines Canada and Very Good Studios.
A special thank you to the Rethink Canada team, who created this year’s stunning visuals and animations.
Thank you to Vesselin Stroumsky, for developing the NMAF’s online submissions and judging platforms.
Our deepest gratitude to our roster of volunteer judges, who spent countless hours carefully evaluating the entries in this year’s competition.
