32 awards were handed out last night at the second annual Canadian Online Publishing Awards at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto. The awards program, produced by Masthead, recognizes the best in online editorial and innovation by Canadian publishers.



New this year was the Green Division for daily and weekly newspapers and sites produced by broadcasters as well the host, CBC Radio technology columnist, blogger and researcher Jesse Hirsh. The Toronto Star took home the award for Best Overall Companion Website in the Green Division, along with prizes for Best Video and Best Cross-Platform Initiative. CBC News and Cyberpresse also won multiple awards in the new division.

Also new for 2010 was the award for Best Mobile Application. Transcontinental-owned The Hockey News took the prize in the Red Division, Spafax’s Sparksheet in the Blue Division and Cyberpresse came out on top in the Green Division.

The online home for Rogers-published Maclean’s took home the award for Best Companion Website in the Red Division, while Salon52 was a repeat winner in the Blue Division.

130 finalists also received certificates at last night’s reception. Entries in the contest, represent large and small publishers and broadcasters all over the country with magazine websites, online-only websites, daily and weekly newspaper sites and websites produced by broadcasters.

Entrants were judged in three divisions: the Red Division for consumer, custom, religious, and public association websites, the Blue Division, for business to business, professional association, farm, and scholarly websites and the Green Division for daily and weekly newspapers and sites produced by broadcasters. 



Websites competed in up to 11 categories ranging from best news articles to best design to overall best website. All entries in each category were reviewed by an independent judging panel of highly regarded industry professionals and experts. The panels determined the winner and list of finalists in each category, based on their own expertise and criteria.

The 32 winners in their respective categories and division are:

Best Overall Companion Website

Red Division: Macleans.ca

Blue Division: Salon52.ca

Green Division: Thestar.com


Best Overall Online-Only Website

Red Division: Vitamindaily.com

Blue Division: Sparksheet.com

Green Division: Cbcnews.ca


Best Mobile Application

Red Division: Thehockeynews.com

Blue Division: Sparksheet.com

Green Division: Cyberpresse.ca


Best Online-Only Article, Series of Articles

Red Division: Torontoist.com

Blue Division: Sparksheet.com

Green Division: Vancouverobserver.com


Best Community Feature

Red Division: Besthealthmag.ca

Blue Division: IT World Canada: Blog Idol

Green Division: CBCnews.ca


Best News

Red Division: Torontoist.com

Blue Division: Universityaffairs.ca

Green DIvision: Theglobeandmail.com


Best Cross-Platform Initiative

Red Division: Fashionmagazine.com

Blue Division: Canadianlawyermag.com

Green Division: Thestar.com


Best E-Newsletter

Red Division: 20minutesupperclub.com

Blue Division: Sparksheet.com


Best Website Design

Red Division: Vitamindaily.com

Blue Division: Universityaffairs.ca

Green Division: Cyberpresse.ca


Best Video

Red Division: ElleQuébec.com

Blue Division: Trucknews.com

Green Division: Thestar.com


Best Blog

Red Division: Macleans.ca

Blue Division: Reportr.net

Green Division: Cbcnews.ca

For full information on the contest, and to view the Gallery of Finalists, please visit Canadianonlinepublishingawards.com. 

Partners of the Canadian Online Publishing Awards 2010 include: 
ABC Canada, CCAB, the Canadian division of BPA Worldwide, The Cornerstone Group of Companies, Mygazines and Get Stock.

To view the gallery  of photos from the 2010 Canadian Online Publishing Awards, click here.