2026 Atlantic Journalism Awards Winners:
PRINT/DIGITAL
Breaking News
Gold – Nicole Sullivan – Cape Breton Post, NS, ‘I felt sick’; Cape Breton police investigating swastikas across from Jewish cemetery
Silver – Tara Bradbury – The Telegram, NL, Gander man arrested after DNA cracks Toronto cold case
Bronze – James Reid – allNewfoundlandLabrador, NL, Auditor General Uncovers Wasted Funds On Travel Nursing Agencies
Enterprise Reporting
Gold – Derek Montague and Justin Brake – The Independent, NL, Labrador gynecologist accused of malpractice
Silver – Lindsay Jones and Greg Mercer – Globe and Mail, NS, Jack and Lilly Sullivan
Bronze – Josh Lewis – Eastern Graphic, PEI, Health PEI Series
Features
Gold – Lindsay Jones – Globe and Mail, NS, MSC Baltic III
Silver – Aaron Beswick – The Chronicle Herald, NS, ‘He was a legend, one of the best’: North Atlantic claims two N.S. fishermen
Bronze – Spoorthy Raman – Mongabay, NL, Newfoundland’s puffins are perilously
attracted to artificial light
Photojournalism Feature
Gold – Greg Locke – Globe and Mail, NL, Ice bath therapy on Signal Hill, Newfoundland
Silver – Jeorge Sadi – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, Long-standing Africville activist says he will fight latest eviction notice
Bronze – Kevin McBain – South Shore Bulletin, NS, AAA Atlantic championships
Photojournalism News
Gold – Keith Gosse – The Telegram, NL, Senior Saviours
Silver – Greg Locke – Globe and Mail, NL, Newfoundland Wildfires
Bronze – Keith Gosse – The Telegram, NL, Tactical Takedown
Magazine Covers
Gold – Dru Kennedy – Atlantic Salmon Journal, NB, Atlantic Salmon Journal’s Winter Cover
Silver – Glen Strickey and Roxanna Boers – Saltscapes Magazine, NS, Chasing the aurora borealis
Bronze – Heather Fegan and Gwen North – Atlantic Books Today, NS, Natalie MacMaster Has a Story to Tell
AUDIO
Documentary Program
Gold – Mariam Mesbah and Lindsay Bird – CBC Atlantic Voice, NB, The Graduate
Silver – Lindsay Bird and Caroline Hillier – CBC Atlantic Voice, NL, Looking for Eliza
Enterprise Reporting
Gold – Tom Ayers – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, Lack of trust in the public trustee?
Silver – VOCM News; Linda Swain and Sara Strickland – VOCM, NL, On the Ground of the CBN Wildfires
Feature
Gold – Sarah Keaveny Vos – CBC Prince Edward Island, PEI, Kindergarten to Grade 12 – Lessons in Life
Silver – Lindsay Bird and Sarah Keaveny Vos – CBC Atlantic Voice, NL, The Art of Life
Bronze – Viola Pruss – CBC New Brunswick, NB, Covered Bridges
Information Program
Gold – Christina Harnett, Erin MacInnis, Portia Clark, Katy Parsons, Jerry West, Cynthia Gatti and Phlis McGregor – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, Information Morning Nova Scotia with Portia Clark
Silver – 95.7 NewsRadio Team Halifax; Vanessa van des Nes, Dan Ahlstrand, Mark Hodgins, Chris Halef, Blake Priddle and Shelli Summers – 95.7 NewsRadio, NS, 95.7
NewsRadio 20th Anniversary Special
Newscast (radio)
Gold – Tara Clow – Acadia Broadcasting – Moncton CKNI The Bend, NB, New Brunswick Wildfires
Silver – 95.7 NewsRadio Team Halifax; Mark Hodgins, Chris Halef and Dan Ahlstrand – 95.7 NewsRadio, NS, Susie’s Lake Wildfire Aug 12th, 2025 4 pm Newscast
Bronze – Caitlin Snow – Acadia Broadcasting – CKHY / CKHZ Halifax, NS, Nova Scotia Wildfires
Podcast
Gold – Matt Stickland – Grand Parade, NS, Grand Parade Goes to Quebec
Newscast (television)
Gold – Vincent Lehouillier – Radio-Canada, NB, Téléjournal Acadie
Silver – Tracy Lightfoot – CBC Prince Edward Island, PEI, CBC News: Compass, Premier Resigns
Silver – David Squires, Amy Smith, Tom Murphy and Ryan Snoddon – CBC Nova
Scotia, NS, A tribute show to Colleen Jones
Feature
Gold – Bailey Howard – NTV News, NL, Ahead by a Century: 100 Years of MemorialUniversity
Silver – Jocelyn Elsdon and Michael Heenan – CBC News, NB, Swamp Water
Bronze – Jodi Cooke – NTV News, NL, We the North
VIDEO
Breaking News
Gold – Marykate O’Neill – NTV News, NL, Concern for Trepassey’s Breakwater as Powerful Storm Batters Province
Silver – Reeti Meenakshi Rohilla – Global New Brunswick, NB, Man Charged with First-Degree Murder, Saint John, N.B.
Bronze – Becky Daley – NTV News, NL, Badger Fire Evacuation Lifted
Enterprise Reporting
Gold – Ella MacDonald – Global Halifax, NS, Unheard. Unserved; Maritime Women’s Health in Crisis
Silver – Allyson Dubé and Yves Levesque – Radio-Canada, NB, Mauvais climat de travail à la prison de Saint-Hilaire
Bronze – Ben Cleary – NTV News, NL, Power to the People: The Upper Churchill Contract
ANY MEDIUM
Arts & Entertainment Reporting and Writing
Gold – Wendy Bergfeldt – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, Miner’s Houses, Glace Bay
Silver – Rhea Rollmann – The Independent, NL, What the water holds
Bronze – Kevin Yarr – Saltscapes Magazine, NS, Music is the language of hope
Climate Action Reporting and Writing
Gold – Cloe Logan – Canada’s National Observer, ON, Planned New Brunswick gas plant could threaten vital migratory bird corridor
Silver – Brian Owens – Atlantic Salmon Journal, NB, Fish Can’t Walk
Bronze – Jeremy Hull – Saltscapes Magazine, NS, Castles made of sand
Business Reporting and Writing
Gold – Brian McLaughlin – The Telegraph-Journal, NB, Is Time of Day Pricing The Next Frontier for NB Power?
Silver – Alex Bill – allNewfoundlandLabrador, NL, Puddister Sells Pennecon To Ontario Industrial Firm
Bronze – James Reid – allNewfoundlandLabrador, NL, CoLab Drums Up US$72 million For AI Growth
Civic Affairs Reporting and Writing
Gold – Haley Ryan – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, Tenants of Halifax mobile home park set water meter precedent across Nova Scotia
Silver – Carole Morris-Underhill – Valley Journal-Advertiser, NS, ‘A disaster waiting to happen’: No winter warming centre planned for Windsor
Bronze – Logan MacLean – The Guardian, PEI, PEI water woes
Commentary
Gold – Paul MacNeill – Eastern Graphic, PEI, Emails Show What’s Wrong with PSB
Silver – Ainsley Hawthorn – CBC Newfoundland and Labrador, NL, This isn’t the first time American leaders have suggested annexing Canada
Bronze – Bill McGuire – Island Farmer, PEI, Griffon Editorial: Tariffs, lemmings, curling & censorship; AVC’s decision betrays PEI’s core values
Indigenous Affairs Reporting and Writing
Gold – Cassidy Chisholm – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, How adding names to archival images has been healing We’koqma’q First Nation
Silver – Heidi Atter – The Independent, NL, Innu welcome first students into Innuaimun immersion Kindergarten
Bronze – John Chilibeck – Brunswick News, NB, Show of work
Video Journalism
Gold – Colleen Connors – CBC Newfoundland and Labrador, NL, Show of work
Silver – Becky Daley – NTV News, NL, Recovery work continues on grounded MSC Baltic III
Bronze – Skye Bryden-Blom – Global Halifax, NS, Show of work
Legal Affairs Reporting and Writing
Gold – Tim Bousquet – Halifax Examiner, NS, The Wrongful Conviction and Execution
of Daniel Sampson
Silver – Gareth Hampshire – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, N.S. abuse victims reveal lifelong
trauma from father’s sexual violence
Bronze – Lindsay Jones and Tu Thanh Ha – The Globe and Mail, NS, Atlantic Registry
Social Justice Reporting and Writing
Gold – Cameron Kilfoy – The Telegram, NL, ‘I am a Newfoundlander’: MUN residency policy stands in the way of a young woman’s hope to become a physician
Silver – Celina Aalders – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, Intimate Partner Violence: show of work
Bronze – Judith Mendiolea Lelo de Larrea – PNI Atlantic News, NS, Unfair cost and burden: how the pink tax puts women at a disadvantage
Sports Reporting and Writing
Gold – Terry Roberts and Darryl Murphy – CBC Newfoundland and Labrador, NL, Here’s how a ‘ragtag’ Placentia team captured N.L.’s first Canadian junior softball title
Silver – Madiha Mughees – Halifax Examiner, NS, ‘Cricket is where you’re able to
assert a cultural identity’: Going to bat for a rapidly growing sport in Halifax
SPECIAL AWARDS
AJA Hall of Fame Award
Stephen Kimber – Freelance Journalist and Author, NS
Jim MacNeill New Journalist Award
Gold – Giuliana Grillo De Lambarri – CBC Nova Scotia, NS, Show of work
Silver – Yumna Iftikhar – The Independent, NL, Show of work
Bronze – Shauna Bernard – The Telegram, NL, Show of work
Student Journalist Awards
Gold – Melissa Mbeba – NSCC Ivany Campus, NS, Mothering Within
Silver – Marlo Ritchie – University of King’s College, NS, Remand numbers in Nova Scotia’s jails could soar under new law, warn experts
Silver – Olivia Nitti and Tedi Buffett – University of King’s College, NS, Finding sanctuary
The Mike Critch Excellence in Crime Reporting Award
Gold – Ryan Cooke and Katie Breen – CBC Newfoundland and Labrador, NL, Pure Hell
Silver – Ella MacDonald – Global Halifax, NS, The Murder of Devon Marsman
Bronze – Tara Bradbury – The Telegram, NL, A Conversation That Never Came