The Canadian Screen Award for Best Ensemble Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series is an award category, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to honour ensemble performance in sketch comedy or variety entertainment programs.
Beginning with the 6th Gemini Awards in 1992, the academy introduced a single award for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series, whose winners or nominees could be either an individual or an ensemble;"And the nominees are..." Hamilton Spectator, March 7, 1992. separate awards for Best Individual Performance in a Comedy Program or Series and Best Ensemble Performance in a Comedy Program or Series, which blended both sketch comedy ensembles and scripted sitcom casts, were introduced for the 16th Gemini Awards in 2001.
The ensemble category was discontinued when the Gemini Awards transitioned into the Canadian Screen Awards in 2013; with the 4th Canadian Screen Awards in 2016, however, a new category was reintroduced for Individual or Ensemble Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series. In 2019 and 2020 the category was effectively merged with the category for Best Sketch Comedy Show, with the cast and the producers all honoured together as nominees or winners, but the ensemble performance category was spun back off again in 2021.
The Academy has since reintroduced the Comedy Ensemble category to honour situation comedy casts, separately from the category for sketch comedy ensembles.
The category was eliminated in 2025, ahead of the 14th Canadian Screen Awards,Cassandra Szklarski, "Canadian Screen Awards say foreign film and TV stars no longer eligible under new rule". Toronto Star, September 17, 2025. and was instead merged back into Best Sketch Comedy Show as in 2019 and 2020.
Winners and nominees
Year Actors Series Ref 2016 4th Canadian Screen Awards Kathleen Phillips, Pat Thornton, Patrice Goodman, Kevin Vidal, Alice Moran, Rob Norman, Norm Macdonald Sunnyside Julianna Cummins, "Room cleans up at final night of 2016 Screenies". Playback, March 13, 2016. Cathy Jones, Shaun Majumder, Mark Critch, Susan Kent This Hour Has 22 Minutes Kayla Lorette, Marty Adams, Caitlin Howden, Tim Baltz, Sam Richardson, Steve Waltien The Second City Project Rick Mercer Rick Mercer Report 2017 5th Canadian Screen Awards Gord Downie, Rob Baker, Johnny Fay, Paul Langlois, Gord Sinclair The Tragically Hip: A National Celebration Alessia Cara 2016 Juno Awards Mark Critch, Cathy Jones, Susan Kent, Shaun Majumder, Meredith MacNeill This Hour Has 22 Minutes Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, Jennifer Whalen Baroness von Sketch Show Whitehorse (Luke Doucet, Melissa McClelland) 2016 Juno Awards 2018 6th Canadian Screen Awards Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, Jennifer Whalen Baroness von Sketch Show Mark Critch, Cathy Jones, Susan Kent, Shaun Majumder, Meredith MacNeill This Hour Has 22 Minutes Emma Hunter, Miguel Rivas, Aisha Alfa, Marilla Wex, Dave Barclay The Beaverton Rick Mercer Rick Mercer Report 2019 7th Canadian Screen Awards Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, Jennifer Whalen, Jamie Brown Baroness von Sketch Show Camille Beaudoin, Eric Rebalkin, James Higuchi, Aimée Beaudoin, Jeff Halaby, Mark Meer, Matt Alden, Howie Miller, Sheldon Elter, Joleen Ballendine Caution: May Contain Nuts Mark Critch, Cathy Jones, Susan Kent, Trent McClellan, Michael Donovan, Peter McBain, Steven DeNure, Mark Gosine, Jenipher Ritchie This Hour Has 22 Minutes 2020 8th Canadian Screen Awards Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, Jennifer Whalen, Jamie Brown, Graham Ludlow, Jeff Peeler Baroness von Sketch Show Laszlo Barna, Melissa Williamson, Jeff Detsky, Luke Gordon Field, Nicole Butler, Jocelyn Geddie, Scott Montgomery, Emma Hunter, Miguel Rivas The Beaverton Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, Franco Nguyen, Bruce McCulloch, Susan Cavan, Paula J. Smith TallBoyz Mark Critch, Cathy Jones, Susan Kent, Trent McClellan, Michael Donovan, Peter McBain, Mark Gosine, Ann Loi, Jenipher Ritchie This Hour Has 22 Minutes 2021 9th Canadian Screen Awards Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, Jennifer Whalen Baroness von Sketch Show Maggie Cassella, Katie Rigg, Carolyn Taylor, Gavin Crawford, Lea DeLaria, Colin Mochrie, Kinley Mochrie, Deb McGrath We're Funny That Way: The Virtual Pride Special Cathy Jones, Mark Critch, Susan Kent, Trent McClellan This Hour Has 22 Minutes 2022 10th Canadian Screen Awards Guled Abdi, Vance Banzo, Tim Blair, Franco Nguyen TallBoyz Mark Critch, Cathy Jones, Trent McClellan This Hour Has 22 Minutes Jon Dore Humour Resources Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, K. Trevor Wilson, Ennis Esmer, Keith Pedro, Daniel Woodrow, Mike Rita, Brittany Lyseng Roast Battle Canada 2023 11th Canadian Screen Awards Mark Critch, Trent McClellan, Aba Amuquandoh, Stacey McGunnigle This Hour Has 22 Minutes Guled Abdi, Tim Blair, Vance Banzo, Franco Nguyen TallBoyz Nicola Correia-Damude, Adam DiMarco, Carlos Gonzalez-Vio, Sydney Scotia, Gregory Prest, Paolo Santalucia, Chris Robinson, Kwasi Thomas, Andrew Wheeler, Sharon Crandall, Vanessa Lauren Fox Pillow Talk Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, K. Trevor Wilson, Ennis Esmer, Salma Hindy, Sophie Buddle, Ron Josol, Jean Paul Roast Battle Canada 2024 12th Canadian Screen Awards Mark Critch, Trent McClellan, Aba Amuquandoh, Stacey McGunnigle, Chris Wilson This Hour Has 22 Minutes Connie Thiessen, "Canadian Screen Awards winners: TV Program & Performance". Broadcast Dialogue, May 29, 2024. Nicola Correia-Damude, Matt Mazur, Carlos Gonzalez-Vio, Sydney Scotia, Gregory Prest, Paolo Santalucia, Chris Robinson, Kwasi Thomas, Andrew Wheeler, Sharon Crandall Pillow Talk Ennis Esmer, Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, K. Trevor Wilson, Allie Pearse, Bren D'Souza, Tyler Morrison, Crystal Ferrier Roast Battle Canada Isabel Kanaan, Aldrin Bundoc, Joy Castro, Nicco Lorenzo Garcia, Justin Santiago Abroad 2025 13th Canadian Screen Awards Mark Critch, Trent McClellan, Aba Amuquandoh, Stacey McGunnigle, Chris Wilson This Hour Has 22 Minutes Ennis Esmer, Russell Peters, Sabrina Jalees, K. Trevor Wilson, Hisham Kelati, Mark Little, Marito Lopez, Sophie Buddle Roast Battle Canada Isabel Kanaan, Joy Castro, Justin Santiago, Nicco Lorenzo Garcia, Aldrin Bundoc Abroad Gaitrie Persaud, Graham Kent, Margaret Rose, Samantha Wyss, Sivert Das, Wesley Magee-Saxton, Yousef Kadoura, Courtney Gilmour The Squeaky Wheel: Canada
References