Canada’s Music Awards

June 1, 2024

IM  -  

CFM Representing at JUNO and ECMA Awards

by Liana White, AFM Canadian Office Executive Director

The Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) was present at two of Canada’s biggest music awards shows, the JUNO Awards and the East Coast Music Awards (ECMA).

This year’s JUNO Awards were held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the first time since 2006. The city showcased its vibrant musical talent over three days, March 21-24. The historical port city already boasts a storied live music scene so it was primed for the crowds and celebrations—and it didn’t disappoint! The Atlantic spirit was out in full force to provide the best the music industry has to offer, from musicians and artists to the region’s professionals and production crews that supported the festival. I worked alongside Local 571 (Halifax, NS) to ensure that our agreement covering musicians’ services, which was provided at all live shows, awards, and broadcast events, was fully respected. CFM was represented at all JUNO Week events, including the side events such as the Women in Music Canada networking event, which was cosponsored by the Ottawa-based National Arts Center.

The more recent East Coast Music Association (ECMA) festivities took place May 1-5 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Along with our long-standing partner at this annual event, the Musicians Pension Fund of Canada (MPFC), we covered a lot of ground. MPFC and the CFM manned a booth and hosted a panel and presentation of this year’s Producer of the Year award.

For many years, our panels have focused on musicians maximizing their revenue streams. In this way, we educate artists on recording under union agreements—highlighting the special payments fund, residuals, and pension. Most important, we educate musicians on how they can book all their live performances to include a pension contribution.

We were also invited to participate in the ECMA’s first P-2 Visa panel, which was presented in French. The CFM’s Melanie Hall, a bilingual P-2 administrator, was the representative for this ECMA-sponsored panel. Last but not least, the Music Performance Trust Fund assisted in funding community stages, all open to the public, in ECMA’s ongoing effort to bring live music to local communities—keeping live music alive!

The AFM Applauds Our Canadian Members on Their JUNO and ECMA Nominations and Awards

53rd Annual JUNO Award Winners:

Group of the Year­—The Beaches of Local 149 (Toronto, ON)

Breakthrough Artist of the Year­­­—Talk (aka Nicholas Durocher) of Local 149 (Toronto, ON)

Francophone Album of the Year—En concert avec l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (sous la direction du chef Simon Leclerc), Les Cowboys Fringants & l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal of Local 406 (Montreal, PQ)

Children’s Album of the Year—Welcome to the Flea Circus, The Swinging Belles, Duane Andrews of Local 820 (St. John’s, NL)

Classical Album of the Year: Solo Artist­—Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 4, James Ehnes of Local 190 (Winnipeg, MB)

Classical Album of the Year: Large Ensemble­—Maxime Goulet: Symphonie de la tempête de verglas, Orchestre Classique de Montréal, Jacques LaCombe of Local 406 (Montreal, PQ)

Classical Album of the Year: Small Ensemble—Il Ponte di Leonardo, Constantinople, Ziya Tabassian of Local 406 (Montreal, PQ)

Contemporary Roots Album of the Year—Stand in the Joy, William Prince of Local 190 (Winnipeg, MB)

Traditional Roots Album of the Year—The Breath Between, David Francey of Local 1000 (Nongeographic)

Vocal Jazz Album of the Year—Our Roots Run Deep, Dominique Fils-Aimé of Local 406 (Montreal, PQ)

Global Music Album of the Year—Okantomi, Okan, Magdelys Savigne of Local 149 (Toronto, ON)

Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year—As Gomorrah Burns, Cryptopsy, Christian Donaldson, Oliver Pinard, Flo Mounier of Local 406 (Montreal, PQ)

36th Annual ECMA Winners:

Children’s Entertainer of the Year—The Swinging Belles, Duane Andrews of Local 820 (St. John’s, NL)

Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year—Safe In Sound, The East Pointers, Jacob Charron of Local 149 (Toronto, ON), Tim Chaisson of Local 571 (Halifax, NS)

Folk Recording of the Year—The Festival, Tim Baker of Local 820 (St. John’s, NL)

Francophone Recording of the Year—Contentement, Julie Aubé of Local 815 (Saint John, NB)

Group Recording of the Year—Safe in Sound, The East Pointers, Jacob Charron of Local 149 (Toronto, ON), Tim Chaisson of Local 571 (Halifax, NS)

Indigenous Artist of the Year—Morgan Toney of Local 1000 (Nongeographic)

Loud Recording of the Year—The Decay, Orchid’s Curse, Keith MacLeod of Local 247 (Victoria, BC)

Pop Recording of the Year—Safe in Sound, The East Pointers, Jacob Charron of Local 149 (Toronto, ON), Tim Chaisson of Local 571 (Halifax, NS)

Rising Star Recording of the Year—Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming, The Bombadils, Sarah Frank of Local 571 (Halifax, NS)

Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year—Resilience, Morgan Toney of Local 1000 (Nongeographic)

Solo Recording of the Year—The Festival, Tim Baker of Local 820 (St. John’s, NL)

Song of the Year—“Judy,” Jenn Grant of Local 571 (Halifax, NS)

Songwriter of the Year—Jenn Grant of Local 571 (Halifax, NS)

TD Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year—Derina Harvey Band of Local 390 (Edmonton, AB), Derina Harvey, Steve Pinsent, Scott Greene, Ed Smith, Jessica Blenis

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