Each year, World Press Freedom Canada (WPFC) pays tribute to those making an outstanding contribution to press freedom in Canada at an annual luncheon to commemorate World Press Freedom Day.

 

Press Freedom Award

The annual Press Freedom award recognizes a nominee whose public interest journalism has cut through a veil of secrecy, legal maneuvers, political intimidation or other tactics designed to stifle their work or put their career or safety at risk. Work must have been published in the previous year.

Career Achievement Award in honour of Spencer Moore

The Career Achievement Award in honour of Spencer Moore recognizes a person who, throughout their career, has displayed an indefatigable pursuit of press freedom and transparency.

The Career Achievement Award is named in honour of the late Spencer Moore, founding member of the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom, who helped build the Committee and launch the annual luncheon.

NEW: Student Achievement Award

World Press Freedom Canada is also thrilled to announce a new award to recognize an outstanding student journalist who has demonstrated a commitment to press freedom.

Nominees for the new Student Achievement Award must have been a registered student at a Canadian post-secondary institution in 2023, whose work showed determination to publish a story in the face of challenges or obstacles to freely reporting on issues that matter to their school community. Work must have been published or aired on either student media outlets or mainstream online or broadcast media outlets in 2023. Unpublished work done for class assignments will not be accepted.

Prizes

The Press Freedom Award winner will receive $3,000 and a certificate from the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. The Career Achievement winner is awarded $1,500. The Student Achievement Award winner will receive $500.

WPFC is honoured to award journalists who continually confront secrecy, defy intimidation, and overcome dangerous obstacles in their pursuit of truth. Without them, stories that reveal the facts and uncover the evidence shaping our collective reality may not be told.

Winners will be announced at our annual Press Freedom Awards Luncheon on May 2, 2024, at the National Arts Centre.

Nominations for the 2024 Press Freedom awards are now closed!

Previous Press Freedom Award winners

2024

  • Melissa Martin
  • Certificates of Merit: Frédérik-Xavier Duhamel, Sara Mojtehedzadeh

2023

  • Vincent Larouche, La Presse
  • Certificates of Merit: Justin Ling, Charlie Pinkerton

2022

  • Co-Winners: Fatima Syed and Tai Huynh, The Local
  • Certificate of Merit: Kathleen Martens

2021

  • Co-winners: Nathan VanderKlippe, The Globe and Mail; Sarah Cox, The Narwhal
  • Certificates of Merit: Kevin Donovan, The Toronto Star, Meghan Potkins & Madeline Smith, The Calgary Herald

2020

  • Kenneth Jackson of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN)
  • Hon. Mention: Michael de Adder, cartoonist, N.B. and N.S. and Joan Baxter, journalist and author, N.S.

2019

  • Michael Robinson of The Telegraph Journal in Saint John, N.B.
  • Hon. Mention: Marie-Maude Denis, of Radio-Canada’s Enquete

2018

  • Justin Brake, The Independent of Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Hon. Mention: Mike de Souza of The National Observer
  • Hon. Mention: Charles Rusnell, Jennie Russell and Gary Cunliffe of CBC Edmonton

2017

  • Patrick Lagacé, La Presse
  • Paul Dornstauder and Geoff Leo, CBC Saskatchewan
  • Hon. Mention: Paula Simons, Edmonton Journal

2016

  • Ben Makuch, VICE News
  • Hon. Mention: Josée Dupuis, Emmanuel Marchand, Radio-Canada
  • Hon. Mention: Linda Gyulai, Montreal Gazette

2015

  • Mohamed Fahmy, Al Jazeera English

2014

  • Katherine Gannon, Associated Press

2013

  • Stephen Maher and Glen McGregor, Postmedia

2012

  • Canadian Science Writers’ Association

2011

  • Citizen Lab, Toronto

2010

  • Michelle Lang, Calgary Herald (posthumously)

2009

  • Daniel Leblanc, Globe and Mail

2008

  • Gilles Toupin and Joël-Denis Bellavance, La Presse

2007

  • Tarek Fatah (author and columnist)

2006

  • Dr. John Hoey and Anne Marie Todkill, Canadian Medical Association Journal

2005

  • Juliet O’Neill, Ottawa Citizen

2004

  • Andrew McIntosh, National Post

2003

  • International Freedom of Information Exchange (IFEX)

2002

  • Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star

2001

  • Corinna Shuller, National Post

2000

  • Robert Tripp, Kingston Whig-Standard

1999

  • Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun

Previous Career Achievement Award in honour of Spencer Moore winners

2024

  • Robyn Doolittle, The Globe and Mail

2023

  • Rachel Pulfer, Journalists for Human Rights

2022

  • Stephanie Nolen, The Globe and Mail

2021

  • Kim Bolan, The Vancouver Sun

2020

  • David Pugliese, The Ottawa Citizen

2019

  • Ken Rubin, Freelance researcher

2018

  • Charles Morrow, The Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom (Posthumously)

2017

  • Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

2016

  • Suzanne Legault, Information Commissioner of Canada

2015

  • Bob Carty, CBC (Posthumously)

2014

  • Arnold Amber, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

Previous Student Achievement Award winners

2024

  • Charles Seguin and Naomie Duckett-Zamor
  • Certificates of Merit: Evan Robins, Faith Greco