The WGC Screenwriting Awards (previously Canadian Screenwriting Awards) are administered by the Writers Guild of Canada, and are awarded to the best script for a feature film, television or radio project produced within the Guild's jurisdiction, written by a guild member in good standing, and broadcast or released in North America or screened at a Canadian film festival for the first time in the previous year.
In addition to the film, television and radio categories, special awards presented by the WGC include the Sondra Kelly Award for projects written by women, the Denis McGrath Service Award for distinguished contributions to the organization, and the Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize for the best unproduced new screenplay. In 2025, the program also took over administration of the Margaret Collier Award, a lifetime achievement award for television writing previously presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television under the Gemini Awards and the Canadian Screen Awards.Nicholas Sokic, "Andrew Wreggit to receive WGC’s Margaret Collier Award". Playback, March 18, 2025.
Awards 2006 Children & Preschool — Mary Crawford and Alan Templeton, King: "Stolen Voices""Screenwriting award winners". Playback, May 1, 2006. Comedy & Variety — Brent Butt and Paul Mather, Corner Gas: "Dog River Vice" Documentary — Robert Duncan, Woodward's: The Competition Drama, Half-Hour — Susin Nielsen, Robson Arms: "Dancing the Horizontal Mambo" Drama, One Hour — Susan Coyne, Bob Martin and Mark McKinney, Slings & Arrows: "Steeped in Blood" Feature Film — Wil Zmak, The Dark Hours Radio Drama — Jason Sherman, Graf: "Episode 1" Youth — Jeff Biederman, Life with Derek: "The Party" Alex Barris Mentorship Award — Josh Miller Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize — Jason Hreno, Two Mountains Writers Block Award — Fred Yackman
2007 Children & Preschool — Kate Barris, If the World Were a Village"Away from Her, Afghanada earn scriptwriting awards". CBC News, April 24, 2007. Comedy & Variety — Brent Butt and Kevin White, Corner Gas: "Outside Joke" Documentary — Barry Stevens, The Bomber's Dream Drama, Half-Hour — Laura Kosterski, Naked Josh: "Beating the Rap" Drama, One Hour — Susan Coyne, Bob Martin and Mark McKinney, Slings & Arrows: "That Way Madness Lies" Feature Film — Sarah Polley, Away from Her MOW & Miniseries — John W. Doyle and Lisa Porter, Above and Beyond Radio Drama — Andrew Moodie, Greg Nelson, Adam Pettle and Jason Sherman, Afghanada: "Episode 4" Youth — Brent Piaskoski, Naturally Sadie: "Rashomon" Showrunner Award — Brad Wright Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize — Ryan Redford, Bone Writers Block Award — Sondra Kelly, Sugith Varughese
2008 Children & Preschool — Kenn Scott, Iggy Arbuckle: "Petition Impossible"Etan Vlessing, "Writers hand awards to Corner Gas, Motor City". Playback, April 28, 2008. Documentary — Barri Cohen, Toxic Trespass Drama Series, Half-Hour — Mark Farrell and Robert Sheridan, Corner Gas: "Seeing Things" Drama Series, One Hour — Denis McGrath and Robert Wertheimer, Across the River to Motor City: "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" Feature Film — Travis McDonald, Normal MOW or Miniseries — Ian Weir, Dragon Boys Radio Drama — Jason Sherman, Adam Pettle and Greg Nelson, Afghanada: "Episode 12" Variety — Kevin White, Mark Critch, Irwin Barker, Gavin Crawford, Gary Pearson, Jennifer Whalen, Carolyn Taylor, Albert Howell, Dave Nystrom, Geri Hall, Todd Allen and Tim McAuliffe, This Hour Has 22 Minutes: "Season XIV, Episode 17" Youth — Brent Piaskoski, Naturally Sadie: "In or Out of Africa" WGC Showrunner Award — Peter Mohan Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize — Tony Elliott, Stranger Than You Alex Barris Mentorship Award — Allan Magee WGC Writers Block Award — Jack Blum, Jeremy Hole and Ann MacNaughton
2009 Animation — Shane Simmons, Ricky Sprocket: Showbiz Boy: "The Perfect Family""Corner Gas, 22 Minutes pick up TV screenwriting honours". CBC News, April 20, 2009. Children & Preschool — Christin Simms, Captain Flamingo: "Comic Slip" Documentary — John Walker, Passage Episodic, Half-Hour — Brent Butt, Corner Gas: "Full Load" Episodic, One Hour — Adam Barken, Flashpoint: "Who's George?" Feature Film — Don McKellar, Blindness MOW & Miniseries — Andrew Wreggitt, Mayerthorpe Radio Drama — Greg Spottiswood, Afghanada: "The Lotus Eater" Short Film — Kellie Ann Benz, Awkward Variety — Mark Critch, Gavin Crawford, Kyle Tingley, Jennifer Whalen, Albert Howell, Tim McAuliffe, Dean Jenkinson, Geri Hall and Nathan Fielder, This Hour Has 22 Minutes: "Season XVI, Episode 1" Youth — Brent Piaskoski, The Latest Buzz: "The Gala Issue" Showrunner Award — Mark Farrell Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize — Riley Adams, Cold Rush Writers Block Award — Karen Walton
2010 Animation — Shelley Scarrow, Total Drama Action: "The Sand Witch Project"Diane Wild, "WGC Screenwriting Award winners announced". TV, eh?, April 19, 2010. Children & Preschool — Kate Barris, Max & Ruby: "Max Says Goodbye" Documentary — Robert Lower, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet: 40 Years of One Night Stands Episodic, Half-Hour — Garry Campbell, Less Than Kind: "The Daters" Episodic, One Hour — Robert C. Cooper, Stargate Universe: "Time" Feature Film — Jacob Tierney, The Trotsky MOW & Miniseries — John Krizanc, The Summit Radio Drama — Barbara Samuels, Afghanada: "Episode 61" Short Subject — Jessie Gabe, Being Erica: "Webisodes" Variety — Ed Macdonald, Mark Critch, Gavin Crawford, Kyle Tingley, Albert Howell, Dean Jenkinson, Joanne O’Sullivan, Tara Doyle, Erik van Wyck, Mike Allison and Joey Case, This Hour Has 22 Minutes: "Season XVII, Episode 6" Youth — Anita Kapila, How to Be Indie: "How to Be a Mehta" Alex Barris Mentorship Award — Peter Mitchell Showrunner Award — Heather Conkie Writers Block Award — Rebecca Schechter
2011 Animation — Karen Moonah, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!: "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Maps""Konyves wins screenwriting award for Barney's Version". CBC News, April 11, 2011. Children & Youth — Barbara Haynes, The Latest Buzz: "The Extreme Shakespeare Issue" Comedy — Chris Sheasgreen, Less Than Kind: "Coming Home" Documentary — Christine Nielsen, The Pig Farm Drama — Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern, Flashpoint: "Jumping at Shadows" Feature Film — Michael Konyves, Barney's Version Shorts & Webseries — Lisa Hunter, You Are So Undead Showrunner Award — Tassie Cameron Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize — Denise Blinn, 1936 Writers Block Award — Peter Grant
2012 Animation — Darrin Rose, Scaredy Squirrel: "Nothing But the Tooth"Danielle Ng See Quan, "Scribes exchange pens for prizes at WGC Screenwriting Awards". Playback, April 24, 2012. Children & Youth — Alice Prodanou, My Babysitter's a Vampire: "ReVamped" Comedy — Craig David Wallace, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil: "A Farewell to Curtis' Arm" Documentary — Gary Marcuse, Waking the Green Tiger: A Green Movement Rises in China Drama — Larry Bambrick, Flashpoint: "Shockwave" Movies & Miniseries — Bruce Smith, John A.: Birth of a Country Shorts & Webseries — Patrick Tarr, Murdoch Mysteries: The Curse of the Lost Pharaohs Showrunner Award — Mark McKinney Alex Barris Mentorship Award — Barbara Samuels Writers Block Award — Chuck Lazer
2013 Animation — Dan Williams and Lienne Sawatsky, Sidekick: "I, Sidebot"Danielle Ng See Quan, "LTK, L.A. Complex scribes win at WGC screenwriting awards". Playback, April 22, 2013. Children & Youth — John May and Suzanne Bolch, How to Be Indie: "How to Make a Christmas Miracle" Comedy — Kim Coghill, Less Than Kind: "Jerk Chicken" Documentary — Mitch Miyagawa, A Sorry State Drama — Martin Gero, The L.A. Complex: "Down in L.A." Movies & Miniseries — Andrew Wreggitt, The Phantoms Shorts & Webseries — Julie Strassman-Cohn and Jill Golick, Ruby Skye P.I.: The Haunted Library: "#Creepy" Showrunner Award — Mark Ellis, Stephanie Morgenstern Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize — Adam Garnet Jones, Wild Medicine Writers Block Award — Anne-Marie Perrotta, Simon Racioppa, Lienne Sawatsky
2014 Animation — Hollis Ludlow-Carroll, Almost Naked Animals: "The Rotation Situation"Julianna Cummins, "The F Word, Orphan Black win at WGC awards". Playback, April 29, 2014. Children & Youth — Lisa Hunter, Finding Stuff Out: "Babies and Families" and Cole Bastedo, Mr. Young: "Mr. Love Letter" Comedy — Marvin Kaye and Chris Sheasgreen, Less Than Kind: "I'm Only Nineteen" Documentary — Barry Stevens, Sector Sarajevo Drama — Will Pascoe, Orphan Black: "Variations Under Domestication" Movies & Miniseries — Elan Mastai, The F Word Shorts & Webseries — Jill Golick and Julie Strassman, Ruby Skye P.I.: The Haunted Library: "The Final Clue" Alex Barris Mentorship Award — Susin Nielsen Showrunner Award — Peter Mitchell Writers Block Award — Maureen Parker
2015 Animation — Simon Racioppa and Richard Elliott, Fangbone!: "The Warbrute of Friendship"Filipe Dos Santos, "Tony Elliot, Jason Leaver among WGC Award winners". Playback, April 28, 2015. Children & Youth — Melody Fox, The Haunting Hour: The Series: "Mrs. Worthington" Comedy — Andrew De Angelis, Mr. D: "Old School" Documentary — Michael McNamara, The Cholesterol Question Drama — Tony Elliott, Orphan Black: "Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est" Movies & Miniseries — Nicolas Billon, Elephant Song Shorts & Webseries — Jason Leaver, Out with Dad: "Outed" Showrunner Award — Bruce Smith Sondra Kelly Award — Alison Lea Bingeman Writers Block Award — Denis McGrath
2016 Children — Evan Thaler Hickey, Numb Chucks: "Witless to the Prosecution"Craig Takeuchi, "Writers Guild of Canada awards top Canadian screenwriters of 2016". The Georgia Straight, May 5, 2016. Comedy — Amanda Walsh, Schitt's Creek: "The Cabin" Documentary — Josh Freed, Deluged by Data Drama — Russ Cochrane, Orphan Black: "Newer Elements of Our Defense" Feature Film — James Kee, Sarah Larsen, Doug Taylor and Pascal Trottier, A Christmas Horror Story MOW & Miniseries — Clement Virgo and Lawrence Hill, The Book of Negroes Shorts & Webseries — Michael Konyves, Goldfish Tweens & Teens — Jennica Harper, Some Assembly Required: "Rocket with a Pocket" Showrunner Award — Frank van Keeken Sondra Kelly Award — Penny Gummerson Writers Block Award — Peter Mohan Alex Barris Mentorship Award — Clive Endersby
2017 Best New Series Script — Alexandra Zarowny, Wynonna Earp: "Bury Me with My Guns On" Children's — Tim McKeon, Odd Squad: "Drop Gadget Repeat" Comedy — Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney, Letterkenny: "Super Soft Birthday" Documentary — John Walker, Quebec My Country Mon Pays Drama — Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern, X Company: "August 19th" Feature Film — Sherry White, Maudie MOW & Miniseries — Adam Barken, Bruno & Boots: Go Jump in the Pool Tweens & Teens — Ian MacIntyre, Degrassi: Next Class: "#TeamFollowBack" Sondra Kelly Award — Diana Frances Jim Burt Screenwriting Prize — Daniel Whidden, Valhalla Showrunner Award — Aaron Martin Denis McGrath Award — Andrew Wreggitt
2018 Best New Series Script — Moira Walley-Beckett, Anne with an E: "I Am No Bird, and No Net Ensnares Me"Lauren Malyk, "Polley, Filiatrault, Nealon among WGC Awards winners". Playback, May 1, 2018. Children's — Sean Jara, Mysticons: "Sisters in Arms" Comedy — Jared Keeso and Jacob Tierney, Letterkenny: "Relationships" Documentary — Mark Leiren-Young, The Hundred-Year-Old Whale Drama — Aubrey Nealon, Cardinal: "John Cardinal" Feature Film — Jason Filiatrault, Entanglement MOW & Miniseries — Sarah Polley, Alias Grace: "Part 5" Shorts & Webseries — Karen McClellan, Spiral: "The Girl in the Dream" Tweens & Teens — Matt Kippen, The Stanley Dynamic: "The Stanley Cheer" Showrunner Award — Michael MacLennan Alex Barris Mentorship Award — Sherry White Sondra Kelly Award — Sarah Dodd
2019 Best New Series Script — Daegan Fryklind, The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco: "Presidio"Connie Thiessen, "Writers behind Schitt’s Creek, Cardinal, among winners at WGC Screenwriting Awards". Broadcast Dialogue, April 30, 2019. Children's — Josh Sager, Jerome Simpson, Wishfart: "I Wear This Hat Ironically"