CJF Dr. Eric Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism
About the CJF Dr. Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism
The CJF Dr. Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism honours a Canadian organization that embodies exemplary journalism with a resulting impact on the community it serves.
On the 25th anniversary of the CJF in 2015, the Excellence in Journalism Award was named after Dr. Eric Jackman, the founder of the CJF, a business leader and award-winning clinical psychologist. Jackman—along with the founding directors—developed the criteria for this award, which reflects his passion and deep commitment to the CJF’s mission, and recognizes his vision, guidance and continued contribution to strengthening journalism.
Since 1996, the CJF has celebrated news organizations that embrace ideals of journalistic excellence – accuracy, independence, accountability, courage and originality – with this annual award.
Winners, since 2007, are selected in two categories: large media and small media. Applicants can enter either category, determined by the size of staff for reporting, production, technical and presentation support and the staff they can draw upon within any larger organization of which they are a part:
– large media organization (more than 50 full-time employees)- small media organization (50 full-time employees or less)
Entrants must indicate which of these two categories they represent. There is a $200 application fee for large media organizations and a $100 application fee for small media organizations.
Submission Requirements
– Entries will be judged on a specific story or series of stories produced by each organization during the 2025 calendar year.
– Only material published or broadcast in 2025 may be submitted.
– Only one entry will be accepted from a single Canadian print media outlet, broadcast program or online news organization.
– Entries may have up to THREE individual items on a common theme. Can include: articles, editorials, blogs, photographs, cartoons, videos, radio broadcasts, interactive graphics, multimedia projects.
In addition to a short summary of the proposal, the following questions should be addressed (with the weight each represents):
– Detail the resources in time and numbers dedicated to the work submitted, compared to the overall resources of the news organization. Describe the extent of work that went into the production of the story or series. (30%)
– Explain why your news organization selected this topic. (10%)
– Describe with supporting evidence the distinctiveness of the story (e.g. impact of the story/stories, specific communities affected, exceptional resourcefulness demonstrated by an individual reporter or reporters in a breaking news event, innovative technologies used to deliver the story). (30%)
– From this list of standards for excellence in journalism, select up to three that are most applicable to your submission and explain why you selected each of them: Originality, Courage, Independence, Accuracy, Social Responsibility, Accountability, Diversity. (30%)
In evaluating each entry, the jury will consider:
– Quality of Writing/Storytelling
– Clarity of Work Submitted – Stated Impact on Community
Judging Methodology
The judging panel is comprised of four to eight jurors (with bilingual representatives), who review all submitted entries through an online portal, rank the entries and then attend a face-to-face meeting or participate via conference call with their rankings to agree upon the finalists and recipient of the award. The finalists will be announced in April and May. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The recipient is announced at the CJF Awards ceremony in June.
The finalists are announced in April or May. The recipient is determined by a jury.
Please contact CJF president and executive director Natalie Turvey should you have any questions.
Applications for 2026 are now open. The deadline for applications is January 23, 2026.
CJF Dr. Eric Jackman Awards for Excellence in Journalism, Small Media Category Winner
The Local
CJF Dr. Eric Jackman Awards for Excellence in Journalism, Large Media Category Winner
Global News
RECIPIENTS
2025
Global News (large media) for The New Reality: The Business of Indigenous Kids in Care, an investigation into the treatment of Indigenous youth in the child-welfare system, that revealed startling allegations that some of the most vulnerable children are being preyed upon by some for-profit, group-home companies.
The Local (small media) for Divided City, its groundbreaking neighbourhood-level analysis of life expectancy in Toronto that revealed stark disparities across the city, especially between richer and poorer neighbourhoods.
2024
The Winnipeg Free Press (large media) for The Inquest Files, which reported on two decades of inquests into fatal shootings involving several Manitoba police forces. This series examined the barriers and delays faced by one Anishnaabe family to participate in an inquest, exposing how expert witness testimony favours law enforcement and revealing judges’ unwillingness to make tangible recommendations.
The Montreal Gazette (small media) for a series highlighting the preventable nature of six deaths at the Lakeshore General Hospital emergency room and exposing how the West Island Health Authority covered up the circumstances surrounding these deaths: Staff haunted by suicide at the Lakeshore Hospital ER; Whistleblowers flagged deaths at Lakeshore ER multiple times and Premier “shielded” from harsh realities of Lakeshore ER, sources say.
2023
The Globe and Mail
(large media) For its coverage of the sexual assault scandals at Hockey Canada: with narrative-changing coverage such as, “How Hockey Canada used registration fees to build a fund to cover sexual-assault claims,” “Court filing reveals new details about alleged Hockey Canada group sexual assault”, and “Shut Out.”
(small media) The Eastern Graphic for its year-log examination “Through the Cracks,” which covered mental health and addiction services in Prince Edward Island.
2022
The Globe and Mail
(large media) For “Escape from Afghanistan,” a story documenting journalist Mark MacKinnon’s courageous work on the efforts to evacuate Afghan nationals following the fall of Afghanistan.
(small media) IndigiNews
For its revelatory reporting on the B.C. government’s controversial practice of birth alerts that were declared “illegal and unconstitutional” by lawyers months before the government stopped the program.
2021
The Globe and Mail
(large media)For its series investigating why Canada’s pandemic preparedness system was unable to initially respond effectively to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Narwhal (small media)
For its groundbreaking reporting based on freedom-of-information requests about the beleaguered Site C dam, the most expensive public project in BC’s history.
2020
The Globe and Mail
(large media)For breaking the story of the SNC-Lavalin affair and its follow-up coverage
The London Free Press
(small media)For its “Face It” project exploring the interconnected problems of, and potential solutions to, low-employment participation, a lack of shelter and entrenched addiction in London
2019
CBC News
(large media)For Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo
Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post
(small media)For their joint coverage of the Humboldt Broncos
2018
The Globe and Mail
(large media)”Unfounded” seriesRobyn Doolittle, investigative reporter
The Independent
of Petrolia and Central Lambton(small media)For stories revealing conflicts of interest by the chief administrative officer for the southwestern Ontario town of PetroliaHeather Wright, editor and publisher
2017
The Canadian Press
(large media)”Open Secret” seriesAndrea Baillie, managing editorKristy Kirkup, national affairs reporterHeather Scoffield, Ottawa bureau chiefSheryl Ubelacker, health reporter
The London Free Press
(small media)”Indiscernible” Randy Richmond, reporter
2016
CBC News
(large media)Jennifer McGuire, general manager and editor-in-chiefCecil Rosner, managing editor, CBC Manitoba
Telegraph-Journal (Saint John, N.B.)
(small media)Adam Huras, provincial editor
2015
The Globe and Mail
(large media)David Walmsley, Editor-in-ChiefIngrid Peritz, correspondent, Montreal
The Coast
(small media)Kyle Shaw, Publisher
2014
Toronto Star
(large media)Michael Cooke, Editor
Vancouver Observer
(local media)Linda Solomon, Founder and Editor-in-Chief
2013
Winnipeg Free Press
(large media)Paul Samyn, Editor
The Tyee
(small media)Michelle Hoar, Director of Publishing and Advertising
2012
The Current (CBC Radio)
(large media)Pam Bertrand, Executive ProducerAnna Maria Tremonti, Host
Vancouver Observer
(small media)Linda Solomon, Founder and Editor-in-Chief
2011
Toronto Star
(large media)Michael Cooke, Editor-in-Chief
CBC Manitoba
(small media)Cecil Rosner, Managing Editor
2010
Toronto Star
(large media)Michael Cooke, Editor-in-Chief
Metroland Durham Region
(small media)Joanne Burghardt, Editor-in-Chief
2009
Winnipeg Free Press
(large media)Margo Goodhand, Editor-in-Chief
The Tyee
(small media)David Beers, Editor-in-Chief
2008
The Canadian Press
(large media)Scott White, Editor-in-Chief
The Telegram
(small media)Russell Wangersky, Editor-in-Chief
2007
The Hamilton Spectator
(large media)David Estok, Editor-in-Chief
The Guelph Mercury
(small media)Lynn Haddrall, Editor-in-Chief
2006
The Globe and Mail
Edward Greenspon, Editor-in-Chief
2005
The Hamilton Spectator
Dana Robbins, Editor-in-Chief
2004
CBC News
Tony Burman, Editor-in-Chief
2003
The Record of Waterloo Region
Lynn Haddrall, Editor-in-Chief
2002
CTV News
Kirk LaPointe, Senior Vice-President
2001
CBC – Canada Now – Winnipeg Cecil Rosner, Executive Producer2000
The Ottawa Citizen
Neil Reynolds, Editor
1999
Maclean’s Magazine
Bob Lewis, Editor-in-Chief
1998
The Toronto Star
John Honderich, Publisher
1997
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador Television News and Current AffairsBob Wakeham, Area/Executive Producer
1996
The Telegraph-Journal and Evening Times-Globe of Saint John, New Brunswick
Neil Reynolds, Editor
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