TORONTO – January 12, 2026 – Registration for The Globe and Mail’s 2026 Canadian Young Lions Competition has officially launched! From now until February 8, 2026, the nation’s brightest young creative minds will vie for the opportunity to represent Canada on the prestigious creative stage at the Global Young Lions during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, France.
In 2025, Canadian competitors proved their impressive capabilities and won international recognition including Gold in Design, Bronze in Media and Shortlists in Film and Marketers, helping to secure Canada’s spot as the third-ranked country globally for the most Young Lions medals ever won, period.
Motion Entertainment Canada, a WPP Media Company has joined as sponsor for both the Digital and Film categories. Snap Inc. returns as the Media category sponsor and Edelman Canada has returned for the second time as the PR sponsor, also supporting the event through amplification and visibility. LG2 has also lent their creative expertise for the event design and creative assets.
The competition will take place over the weekend of February 28 to March 2, 2026, with teams of two participate in the competition across categories. Once registered, teams will receive a category-specific creative brief and will have only 24-48 hours to complete their submission. Entries are judged by a distinguished panel of industry leaders. Canadian Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will be announced in late April 2026 at a Winners Announcement Event at The Globe and Mail Centre, Toronto.
In addition to being crowned as Canada’s leading creative talent, Gold-winning teams will have the opportunity to travel to Cannes, France to compete against other top-tier teams from all over the world in the Global Young Lions Competition along with an invitation to attend the largest gathering in the creative marketing community: the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place June 22 to 26, 2026. As the Canadian Competition Representative, The Globe and Mail covers registration fees, delegate passes, flights, and accommodation for winning teams.
The 2026 Canadian Young Lions Competition is further supported by the addition of new advisory board members, Anthony Chelvanathan, Global Creative Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Edelman Canada and Andrea Hunt, President and CEO, Association of Canadian Advertisers. Both Anthony and Andrea bring their own impressive industry expertise and passion for nurturing emerging talent and the future of the program. For the full list of advisory board members, visit our updated board page: https://globemediagroup.ca/cannes-lions/canadian-cannes-advisory-board/.
Marcin Zerek, Head of Trade Marketing, The Globe and Mail, says “Canada had an exceptional year on the global Young Lions stage in 2025, and that momentum continues to raise the bar for what’s possible. The Young Lions Competition is where emerging talent pushes themselves under real creative pressure, and year after year, we see just how strong, ambitious and globally competitive Canada’s next generation truly is. We’re so excited to see who steps forward this year.”
“I believe creativity thrives under pressure. The Young Lions competition is the ultimate proving ground. It teaches you time management, and it’s where you learn the nuances of execution that separate a good idea from a winning one,” says Anthony Chelvanathan, Global Creative Partner and Chief Creative Officer, Edelman Canada.
“We are incredibly proud to return as the sponsor of the Canadian Young Lions Media category, continuing our commitment to supporting the extraordinary creative talent blooming across Canada. At Snapchat, we believe that empowering young professionals isn’t just about supporting the industry’s future – it’s about fueling bold ideas, innovative thinking, and unapologetic authenticity,” said Bob Cornwall, General Manager, Canada at Snapchat. “We are excited to see how this year’s competitors push the boundaries of storytelling and media, and we look forward to cheering on these bright minds as they represent the best of Canadian creativity.”
“Motion Entertainment Canada, a WPP Media Company, is thrilled to sponsor both the Film and Digital categories in the 2026 Canadian Young Lions Competition. This nation is overflowing with fantastic young talent, and we’re excited to see the fresh, innovative approaches these individuals will bring to their briefs, and the exceptional work that will emerge. Its creative community consistently makes a remarkable impact on the global stage, a true testament to the caliber of its emerging professionals. The opportunity for these teams at Cannes Lions is exciting and we can’t wait to celebrate their achievements,” says Daniel Mekinda, EVP, Motion Entertainment.
Co-Chairs for the 2026 Canadian Young Lions Competition
Young Lions Design Co-Chairs
- Moreen Bofill, Partner and CCO, ONE23WEST
- Dave Watson, Head of Design, Broken Heart Love Affair
Young Lions PR Co-Chairs
- Anthony Chelvanathan, Global Creative Partner, CCO Edelman Canada
- Krista Webster, President and CEO, Veritas Communications and Meat and Produce, Vice Chair at Stagwell Global (DPN)
Young Lions Marketing Co-Chairs
- Susan Irving, Chief Marketing Officer, Kruger Products
- Eva Salem, SVP, Marketing and Brand, Canadian Tire Corporation
Young Lions Film/Print Co-Chairs
- Mary Maddever, Senior EVP Realscreen & Strategy, Chief Content Officer, Brunico Communications
- Luc Du Sault, Partner and CCO, LG2
Young Lions Media Co-Chair
- Brooke Leland, President, Mekanism Media
- Shannon Lewis, President, CMDC
Young Lions Digital Co-Chairs
- Karen Howe, Founder, The Township Group
- Sabaa Quao, President, PlusCo Venture Studio
For full competition guidelines and to register, visit https://globeandmailyounglions.ca
Strategy, Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA), and the Canadian Media Directors’ Council (CMDC) support the competition as Canadian Cannes Lions Program Partners.
New to 2026, the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) supports the competition as a Young Lions Competition Partner.
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About the Canadian Young Lions Competition
The Globe and Mail has been the official Canadian representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity since 2005, hosting the Canadian Young Lions competition since 2007.
To qualify, participants must:
Be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or hold a valid Canadian work permit.
Be professionals employed in the creative industry (specific criteria apply).
Be at least the legal age of majority in their province or territory and under 31 years of age as of June 26, 2026.
*For complete eligibility criteria and competition guidelines, refer to the Competition Details and Rules and Regulations
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About The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is Canada’s foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With our award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 6.1 million readers every week in our print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2.8 million readers in print and digital every issue. Our investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.
About Globe Media Group
Globe Media Group is a media and marketing company that empowers advertisers with solutions and content to influence ambitious Canadians. As the advertising arm of The Globe and Mail, Globe Media Group’s offerings are end-to-end across multiple platforms, including digital, video, podcasts, app, newspaper and magazines, as well as custom content and special events. Globe Media Group provides unparalleled access to influential audiences within trusted, premium environments, reaching 20 million monthly unique visitors through Globe Alliance – a premium digital network of the world’s best news, business and lifestyle sites. Globe Media Group also connects advertisers to 6.1 million weekly readers of The Globe and Mail, Canada’s most trusted news source. Each day, The Globe engages Canadians with award-winning coverage and analysis of news, politics, business and lifestyle topics.
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