Heated Rivalry dominates 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, winning best actor and best drama series

Heated Rivalry wins big at Canadian Screen Awards, taking top prizes for best dramatic actor and drama series

Arctic sitcom North of North wins best comedy

The fan-favourite hockey drama Heated Rivalry dominated the Canadian Screen awards Sunday winning the evening's top prizes including best drama series and best lead performer for Hudson Williams.

The series entered the night riding on a red-hot winning streak after collecting 13 awards from its 18 nominations during Saturday night's gala for scripted television. It left with a total of 16 Screen Awards in its inaugural season.

Another Canadian juggernaut, the CBC/Netflix Arctic sitcom North of North, won best comedy series and best lead performer for Anna Lambe, adding to the seven awards it snagged during Saturday's gala including best writing and best supporting performer.

The Nunavut-shot series garnered 20 nominations.

And the acclaimed comedy, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie claimed the night's top prize of best motion picture, besting R.T. Thorne's post-apocalyptic thriller, 40 Acres.

Toronto-born, musician and composer, Jay McCarrol took home the award for best performance in a leading role for the feature film continuation of the cult-classic series. Sunday's victories brought the movie's total award count to six, including best supporting performance in a comedy for Matt Johnson, who also directed and co-wrote the film.

Fans lined the red carpet at the CBC Broadcast Centre in Toronto, where the event was held, hoping to catch a glimpse of Heated Rivalry stars, Williams and Sophie Nélisse, whose performances have helped turn the series into a worldwide sensation. The show has been steaming up TV screens with its romance between two hockey players played by Williams and Connor Storrie.

Nélisse, who plays Williams's on-screen girlfriend Rose Landry and who nabbed a Screen Award for best supporting performer on Saturday, was presented with this year’s Radius Award. It's an honour that recognizes individuals whose work has gained international recognition and contributes to Canada’s global reputation.

Sunday's gala was hosted by Calgary-born actor, comedian and Kim’s Convenience star Andrew Phung, who gushed earlier this week about the Canadian content experiencing a wave of mainstream recognition this year.

"There's so many projects that hit critical mass this year," Phung told CBC’s Griffin Jaeger at Thursday's rehearsal. "Eyes are on our industry, eyes are watching our projects, fans have found things they love.... I'm just so excited to be a part of it — and honestly, it's genuinely an honour to be able to host this night."

Sunday night's ceremony also honoured comedian, Mike Myers. The Toronto-born star was on hand to receive the Icon Award, recognizing his ongoing contributions to the industry both at home and abroad.

Best known for his career-defining roles in Austin Powers and Wayne's World, the Saturday Night Live alum also became known recently for popularizing the cultural phrase "elbows up" in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to annex Canada.

His former on-screen partners and hollywood heavyweights, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Will Arnett all paid tribute to Myers in a clip played ahead of him receiving his statuette.

An emotional Myers, gave credit to his parents during his acceptance speech.

"I want to thank my mum and dad for moving to Canada and for stressing the importance of being silly," he said while choking back tears. He wrapped his speech by saying, "Canada, I don't know what to say dude. I'd literally be nothing without you."

Myers' appearance was fitting on a history-making night for the Canadian Screen Awards. For the first time, the ceremony was broadcast across multiple networks and streaming platforms, including CBC, CTV and Global. Organizers billed the expanded broadcast as a celebration of Canadian culture and a show of support for homegrown talent.

Arguably, few artists embodied that homegrown spirit more than Catherine O'Hara. The beloved Canadian actor, who died in March, was honoured during Sunday's ceremony with a heartfelt tribute from her longtime friend and Schitt's Creek and SCTV co-star Eugene Levy.

The celebration of O'Hara's decades-long career also served as the introduction to the evening's emotional in memoriam segment, featuring a performance by Tia Wood that paid tribute to the artists and industry figures who died over the past year.

Below is a list of the nominees and winners in the major categories presented at Sunday night's ceremony.

Performance in a Leading Role, Drama | Meilleure interprétation dans un premier rôle, drame

Performance in a Leading Role, Comedy | Meilleure interprétation dans un premier rôle, comédie

Best Lead Performer, Drama Series

Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism

Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award

For a complete list of 2026 Canadian Screen Awards winners and nominees, please visit the official site here.

Kayla McLean is a web journalist with CBC News in Toronto. She grew up in Brampton, Ont., and received her bachelor of arts degree in media production at Toronto Metropolitan University. Before joining CBC in 2024, she worked as a breaking news reporter at Global News Toronto — covering everything from crime, sports, festivals and politics. She also reported for Global News's current affairs show, The New Reality, covering stories with a focus on racial equality and climate justice. She also previously held positions as a chase producer and writer CTV News Channel.

With files from The Canadian Press