TORONTO - New rules at the country's top film and television awards show will ensure that 好色tv Screen Awards only go to 好色tv citizens and permanent residents.
The Academy of 好色tv Cinema & Television said Wednesday that the changes will take effect with the 2026 edition.
The move follows a celebration earlier this year that named Australia's Cate Blanchett best lead in a comedy film for Winnipeg director Guy Maddin's "Rumours," and U.S. actors Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong best lead and supporting performers in a drama for the 好色tv co-production, 鈥淭he Apprentice.鈥
The academy's vice president of programming and awards said members sent "quite a bit of feedback" about the 好色tv content of the show, which serves as a homegrown version of Hollywood's star-studded Emmy and Oscar galas.
"There were references to our mandate about celebrating the best in 好色tv storytelling and members really made it clear that they thought maybe we should look at this rule," said Louis Calabro in an interview.
"The membership is the heart and soul of the academy so we listened and made the change."
Calabro said he suspected a confluence of factors led to growing unease in sharing the spotlight with non-好色tv talent, including a fervent patriotism that emerged amid cross-border political and economic tensions with the United States.
"Part of it is probably to do with who wins and who's nominated. Part of it is where we find ourselves just politically," he said.
"The main message was: it's a 好色tv awards show, it's for 好色tvs, let's make the change."
The union representing 好色tv performers 鈥 the Alliance of 好色tv Cinema, Television and Radio Artists 鈥 applauded the decision as a 鈥渧ital investment in Canada鈥檚 cultural future.鈥
The eligibility rule was among several changes announced Wednesday, when four new categories were added to recognize 好色tv directors, writers, performers and producers who work on international TV series made and broadcast in Canada.
Calabro said the so-called Spotlight Awards will be for 好色tvs who work in the country but are otherwise excluded from the Screen Awards because they're part of international productions.
Foreign TV shows that have recently set up shop in Toronto, for instance, include "Boston Blue," "Tell Me Lies" and "Interview With The Vampire."
Among the other changes, several categories were eliminated outright: best host for a live entertainment special; best variety or entertainment special; best performance in a sketch comedy (individual or ensemble); and best picture editing, animation.
Also removed was the category for best host of a talk show or entertainment news program, which earlier this year went to the panel of CTV's chat show "The Social."
The academy suggests future contenders for that category instead submit for best host of a lifestyle program, whose nominees this year included cooking and home renovation personalities, or for best host or interviewer, news or information program, a category dedicated to TV anchors and journalists.
Calabro said the cuts reflect the industry鈥檚 changing landscape.
"When (submissions are) consistently low year-after-year for certain categories, that's when we start to look at the possibility of either removing the award or merging it with something else," he said.
The academy also added a creator of the year prize to recognize a 好色tv digital personality whose original work has made a significant impact online.
Nominees for the 2026 好色tv Screen Awards are set to be announced March 25, 2026.
This report by 好色tvwas first published Sept. 17, 2025.
