Canada’s Youth Media Alliance has announced its nominees for the 2025 Awards of Excellence, who will be on deck hoping for trophies at a May 28 ceremony scheduled to take place at the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.

Sinking Ship Entertainment is well-represented on this year’s shortlist, scoring nods with Jane (Apple TV+), Odd Squad (TVOKids/BBC/PBS), Beyond Black Beauty (Amazon Prime/Family Channel) and Media Stamped (TELUS Optik). WildBrain is also nominated multiple times, particularly in the Best Narrative Film or One-Off Special category, where a pair of its Snoopy specials and a Strawberry Shortcake one-off represent three of the four nominees. 

CBC and TVO earned multiple nods on the broadcasting side of the awards program—as did WildBrain channels Family Jr (The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy), Family Channel (Louise Lives Large) and WildBrain TV (Caillou). And interestingly, all four nominees for Best Program, Live Action Non-Scripted, 6-9 air on TVOKids, including Dream It To Be It and Old Enough.

Here’s a look at the shows that made the cut in several key categories:

Best Program, Animation (Preschool, Ages 3-5)

• “Understanding Tina” – Caillou – produced by IoM Media Ventures (WildBrain Television)
• “Lights! Camera! Save Eagle Creek!” – Luna, Chip & Inkie: Adventure Rangers Go – produced by Knowledge Network, Epic Story Media, TFO, Canada Media Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund (Knowledge Kids, KidoodleTV, YipeeTV, Apple TV+)
• “Sleepover Party Pooper/Great Growl-Mom” – Let’s Go, Bananas! – produced by 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films (CBC)
• “A Big Friend for Little Sadie” – Dino Ranch – produced by Boat Rocker, Industrial Brothers (CBC)

Best Program, Animation (Ages 6-9+)

• “Episode 1” – Butterfly Tale – produced by Les Productions Carpediem (Crave)
• “Episode 1” – SuperKlaus – produced by PVP Media (Family Channel)
• “A Star is Born” – Interstellar Ella – produced by Apartment 11 Productions, Fabrique Fantastique (TVOKids, Knowledge Kids)
• “Pirates of the Cabbage’an” – Total Drama Island – produced by Fresh TV (Cartoon Network)

Best Program, Live Action Scripted (Preschool, Ages 3-5)

• “Bunny Family Wedding” – Mittens & Pants – produced by Windy Isle Entertainment (CBC)
• “The Case of the Uncompromising Community” – Wordsville – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment (TVOKids, WNET)
• “Odd Ones In” – Odd Squad – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment, BBC Studios Kids & Family (TVOKids, PBS, BBC)

Best Program, Live Action Scripted (Ages 6-9)

• “Chickenosaurus Rex part 1” – Dino Dex – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment (TVOKids, Amazon Prime, Knowledge Kids, SRC)
• “Ursus Maritimus” – Jane – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment (Apple TV+)
• “Siblings” – I Woke Up A Vampire – produced by WildBrain (Family Channel, Netflix)

Best Program, Live Action Scripted (Ages 9+)

• “Help Jess” – Louise Lives Large – produced by Tailored Films, Vérité Films, Storyhouse (Family Channel)
• “The Wedding” – Malory Towers – produced by WildBrain, King Bert (Family Channel, BBC, BYUtv)
• “Feels Like Home” – Beyond Black Beauty – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment, Leif Films (Amazon Prime, Family Channel)
• “The Day the Music Schneid (103)” – Davey & Jonesie’s Locker – produced by Blue Ant Studios (Amazon Prime, Hulu)

Best Program, Live Action Non-Scripted (Preschool, Ages 3-5)

• “I Love My Name!” – The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy – produced by Lopii Productions (Family Jr)
• “Turtle” – Indigenous Art Adventures – produced by APTN (APTN)

Best Program, Live Action Non-Scripted (Ages 6-9)

• “I Dream of Ballet” – Dream It To Be It – produced by Lopii Productions (TVOKids, Knowledge Network)
• “Anja” – Green Squad – produced by Apartment 11 Productions (TVOKids)
• “Ironworker” – Trading Skills – produced by Riverbank Pictures (TVOKids)
• “If You Say So” – Old Enough – produced by Blue Ant Studios (TVOKids)

Best Program, Live Action Non-Scripted (Ages 9+)

• “The Barren Grounds – David A. Robertson” – Ainara’s Bookshelf – produced by Turtlebox Productions (TVOKids, marbleKids)
• “What’s In a Frame” – Media Stamped – produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment (Telus Optik)
• “Pickleball – 604” – All Round Champion (season 6) – produced by Blue Ant Studios (TVOKids, BYUtv, Knowledge Network, PCCW Media)

A full list of nominees is available on the YMA website.