2026 Canadian Young Lions Competition Registration Opens

Registration for The Globe and Mail’s 2026 Canadian Young Lions Competition has officially launched. From now until February 8th, 2026, the Canada's brightest young creative minds will vie for the opportunity to represent the country 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 EntertainmentCanada, 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 28th to March 2nd, 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 the updated board page.

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 fuelling 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 calibre 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, head of WPP Media Sports + Entertainment and Motion Entertainment.

Co-Chairs for the 2026 Canadian Young Lions Competition

Young Lions Design Co-Chairs

• Mooren 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 and strategy, chief content officer, Brunico Communications

• Luc Du Sault, partner and CCO, LG2

Young Lions Media Co-Chairs

• 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 here.  

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.