RTDNA Canada Announces 2025 Central Region Awards Finalists

RTDNA Canada is pleased to recognize excellence in digital and broadcast journalism with the Regional Awards of Excellence.

RTDNA Canada Awards honour the best journalists, programs, platforms, stations, and newsgathering organizations in audio, digital and video. 

Regional awards winners will be announced in September, 2025.

Congratulations to the finalists for their excellent work! 

2025 RTDNA Awards Central Region Finalists

AUDIO

Best Podcast 

  • CBC Ottawa – Catcalls, eyerolls and butt slaps: What’s it like to be a woman in the trades?
  • CBC Montreal – What is the history of squatting in Montreal? Good Question, Montreal
  • CHCH – Sportsline: Former CFL kicker Dan Giancola recounts near-death experience

Breaking News (Large Market)

  • CBC Montreal – Breaking News: July 10, 2024, McGill Encampment Dismantled
  • 640 Toronto – “100-year storm” paralyzes Toronto

Breaking News (Small/Medium Market)

  • CBC Quebec – Quebecers reflect on death of former Prime Minister – and neighbour – Brian Mulroney

Excellence in Editing 

  • CBC Toronto – Touring Little Jamaica’s rich musical history

Excellence in Sports Reporting 

  • CBC Toronto – Canada is now a hammer throwing nation. But Toronto athletes can’t train

Feature News (Small/Medium Market)

  • CKIA – Des citoyens lancent un café solidaire à Sainte-Foy
  • CICW – Public meeting regarding draft bylaw for backyard chickens in Guelph/Eramosa turns into constitutional debate

Feature News (Large Market)

  • News Talk 580 CFRA – The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll: The Legacy of Matthew Perry
  • CKUT – Viewpoints 129: Urban Agriculture
  • CBC TorontoThe last few hours inside The Ontario Science Centre

News – Live Special Events 

  • CBC Toronto – Solar Eclipse
  • CBC Quebec – Quebec under spell of 2024 total eclipse frenzy, Breakaway Live Broadcast — April 8, 2024

Radio Newscast (Small/Medium Market)

  • 570 NewsRadio – 7 am newscast, December 5, 2024
  • CBC Kitchener-Waterloo – The 7:30 News on CBC Kitchener-Waterloo
  • CBC Windsor  – 6:30 am newscast, June 25, 2024

Radio Newscast (Large Market)

  • CBC Toronto – Suing TikTok
  • CBC Montreal – Best Radio Newscast: October 24, 7:30 AM
  • 640 Toronto – An Unbelievable Encounter: 10 am news on 640 Toronto

DIGITAL

Breaking News (Large Market)

  • CBC Montreal – Spectacular water main break floods downtown Montreal streets
  • CBC Toronto – Severe summer storm floods Toronto
  • CP24.com – Toronto Underwater Flooding closes DVP, leaves thousands without power

Excellence in Data Storytelling 

  • CBC Montreal – Montreal’s vacant buildings keep burning down despite efforts
  • CBC Ottawa – Paid to stay home: Suspended police officers cost Ontario taxpayers $134M over past decade
  • CTV News Ottawa – Virtual Tour of Ottawa LRT Line 2

Excellence in Social 

  • CBC Toronto – CBC Toronto
  • CBC Montreal – Fact checking Montreal’s housing crisis claims on TikTok

Feature News (Small/Medium Market)

  • CBC Hamilton – Jamaican widow wants ‘better’ treatment of Canada’s seasonal agricultural workers in wake of husband’s death
  • CBC Kitchener-Waterloo – ‘Canada is my home’: Afghan woman who fled abuse deported from Canada
  • CBC Windsor – Windsor facility denies it used trespassing order because Paul Ziman expressed concerns about his mom

Feature News (Large Market)

  • CBC Montreal – A boy needed stitches after swimming in a man-made lake in Montreal. Did a fish attack him?
  • CityNews Toronto – Man pushed to the ground by Toronto undercover officer suffering from headaches, lack of sleep
  • CBC Ottawa – Montfort Misidentified

News – Live Special Events 

  • CBC Quebec – Breathtaking total solar eclipse wows skywatchers in Quebec
  • CTV News Ottawa – 2024 Solar Eclipse Livestream  
  • CBC Toronto – Mississauga Votes

Opinion 

  • CBC Montreal – I’m learning how to live with the reality of war and the beauty of motherhood

Overall Excellence in Digital 

  • CBC Kitchener-Waterloo – www.cbc.ca/k-w
  • The Green Line – Toronto’s Housing Crisis
  • CP24.com – CP24.com

MULTIPLATFORM

Continuing Coverage (Small/Medium Market)

  • CBC Quebec – Students, immigrants out of options as Quebec caps funding for French classes
  • CBC Thunder Bay – Grassy Narrows First Nation’s ongoing fight for mercury justice
  • CTV News Kitchener – ‘It was me’: University Stabbing Terror Attack Guilty Plea

Continuing Coverage (Large Market)

  • CityNews Toronto – 911 Delays: Lengthy call centre wait times leave callers in crisis
  • CBC Montreal – Pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University
  • Global Toronto – Metrolinx’s LRT trouble

Enterprise Journalism (Small/Medium Market)

  • CBC Hamilton – Prisoners in Hamilton put in segregation at far greater rate than any other Ontario jail, data shows
  • CTV News Windsor – Breach of Trust: Newborn data snooping scandal
  • CBC Thunder Bay – Families in Thunder Bay accuse landlord of illegally shutting off power, threats amid calls for better protections

Enterprise Journalism (Large Market)

  • CBC Toronto – Supervised drug consumption site: A community divided
  • CBC Ottawa – Housing First: when the foundation cracks
  • CityNews Toronto – Former tenant of illegal rooming houses speaks out

Excellence in Innovation, Sponsored by Dejero

  • CBC Ottawa – The Voice in their Hands
  • CityNews Toronto – South Riverdale hosts Toronto’s first gender-diverse open water swim program

Investigative Excellence

  • CTV News Kitchener – ‘It Almost Sounds Criminal’: Allegations of Unpaid Wages & Contracts Come to Light
  • TVO – The Thread with Nam Kiwanuka: International Students, The Housing Crisis
  • CBC Ottawa – Belleville at a Breaking Point 

VIDEO

Audio-Visual Storytelling 

  • CBC Thunder Bay – Gone fishin’ in Thunder Bay
  • CBC Montreal – Quebec pauses to watch stunning solar eclipse
  • CTV News Northern Ontario – Stories From The North: Sugar Shack

Breaking News (Small/Medium Market)

  • CBC Kitchener-Waterloo – Apparent tornado touches down in Ayr, Ont. downing trees and power lines and damaging business 

Breaking News (Large Market)

  • CTV News Ottawa – Breaking News –Mass Killing in Barrhaven
  • CBC Montreal – Massive watermain break floods Montreal streets
  • CityNews Toronto – Midtown Toronto Shooting
  • Global Toronto – 3 people dead after shooting near daycare centre in North York

Excellence in Editing 

  • Global News – “Ronald McDonald House Charities”
  • CBC Montreal – A baker’s wife, a ball gown and someone named Bob
  • CBC Toronto – Toronto’s Little Jamaica: Sharing its music history through tours

Excellence in Sports Reporting

  • CBC Montreal – Why some Montreal soccer clubs are changing how they train referees
  • CityNews Montreal – Making a splash in water polo
  • CityNews Toronto – Bowden Francis: On the mound and behind the camera

Excellence in Video

  • CityNews Toronto – Touring graffiti alley 
  • CBC Toronto – Toronto wants more electric vehicles on the road. What’s the holdup?
  • CBC Montreal – This group of islands is Montreal’s ‘hidden gem’ that you can reach by public transit 

Feature News (Small/Medium Market)

  • CTV News Northern Ontario – Chi-Cheemaun Ferry Kicks Off 50th Season
  • CTV News Windsor – 57 Years in the Making: A father and son reunited
  • CTV News Kitchener – American Nightmare Becomes Canadian Dream Come True: Surprise of Lifetime for WWE Superfan

Feature News (Large Market)

  • The Green Line – Why you’re at risk every time you cross this intersection in Scarborough
  • Global News Montreal – Eddy Nolan Tribute
  • CTV News Montreal – The end of the Expos
  • CBC Montreal – Renowned Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin says reconciliation has replaced hate with love

News – Live Special Events 

  • CHCH News – Total Eclipse 2024
  • CBC Toronto – Mississauga Votes: Election Night Special
  • CityNews Toronto – Mississauga Mayoral Debate

Opinion 

  • CBC Ottawa – Good Nose: A love letter to the ‘Persian nose’
  • CityNews Montreal – My Nonna’s battle with Alzheimer’s
  • CityNews Montreal – My hijab: Quebec teacher loses her job after Bill 21

TV Newscast (Small/Medium Market)

  • CTV News Kitchener – Voyeurism, Fireworks, Shootings & Encampments

TV Newscast (Large Market)

  • Global Toronto – Global Toronto News at 6
  • CBC Toronto – CBC Toronto News at 6
  • CBC Montreal – Total solar eclipse wows Montrealers 

VJ – Video

  • CityNews Toronto – Illegal dumping mystery
  • CHCH – Eclipse Observers in Niagara Falls
  • CBC Montreal – Beaconsfield High School band picked to play Montreal jazz fest

About RTDNA Canada

RTDNA Canada is a progressive organization offering a forum for open discussion, best practices, educational information, and industry news. The Association speaks for the leaders and members of Canada’s radio, television, and digital news operations on issues that impact news coverage and journalists. RTDNA Canada fosters training, career development, national and regional awards recognition, and active dialogue with the membership. 

The RTDNA Code of Journalistic Ethics, adopted by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, is used to measure fairness and accuracy in our profession.

Click HERE to become a member.

Contact Information:

Tina Cortese
Central Region, Co-Chair, RTDNA Canada
tina@1059theregion.com

Ramneek Gill
Central Region, Co-Chair, RTDNA Canada
ramneek.gill@bellmedia.ca

Karen MacDonald 
Central Region, Co-Chair, RTDNA Canada
Karenmacdonald325@gmail.com

RTDNA Canada 
awards@rtdnacanada.com

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