Queer Stories Dominate 2026 Canadian Screen Awards
Hockey romance series Heated Rivalry leads with 18 nominations as 2SLGBTQ+ projects make major impact at Sunday's awards ceremony.
Queer projects are making a significant showing at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, which take place Sunday at Toronto's Canadian Broadcasting Centre, hosted by comedian Andrew Phung.
Heated Rivalry, the queer hockey romance series that captured audiences across Canada, earned 18 nominations in major television categories. The series tells the love story of characters Shane Hudson and Ilya Rozanov, centering on a relationship with a happy ending — something showrunner Jacob Tierney credits as a key reason for its broad appeal.
Notable nominations for the series include Best Drama Series (Tierney and Brendan Brady), Best Direction and Best Writing for Drama (Tierney), and Best Lead Performer in a Drama for both Hudson Williams and François Arnaud. Supporting performers Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova and Sophie Nélisse are also nominated for their work on the show.
Digital media series Settle Down leads the digital field with nine nominations, while documentary Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance received recognition in its category. Last year marked a strong year for 2SLGBTQ+ stories in Canadian production, and the nominations reflect that shift in representation across film, television, and digital media.