Montreal — Community radio stations across the country have been honoured for programming that ranges from a show about the effect of climate change in the North, to live music in Brandon, Manitoba to an 18-hour day of programming about Palestine that brought together participants from North America, Europe and Palestine itself.

These and 10 other categories were part of the National Campus and Community Radio Association’s annual Community Radio Awards held in Montreal last week.

Founded in 1993 with a contribution from the Standard Radio group, this year’s awards saw a number of new categories to recognize the range of what stations do.

CKLB-FM, based in Yellowknife, won two awards for outstanding programming.

“We are so happy here,” said the station’s Executive Director, Dane Gibson. “Just like all the radio stations in NCRA we work so hard and don't always see a lot of recognition for it. Thank you…it's a real honour for us.”

The awards ceremony was hosted by Pat Dillon-Moore from the National Film Board and former station manager at CKUT-FM in Montreal. She presented each winner a trophy of a railway spike collected in Montreal from a decommissioned railyard under the Turcot highway interchange, itself being dismantled. They represent an ongoing commitment to connecting the country through technology.

The awards had submissions from new and longstanding members and campus and community stations working in both rural and urban areas and goes some way to recognizing the diversity of the community radio sector.

Thanks to jury members Caroline Cote, Janna Graham, Adrian Harewood, Melissa Kaestner, Stu Mills, and Rebecca Zandbergen for offering their time and ears. They had to make tough decisions and all mentioned the quality of the work submitted.

The winners are listed below. The complete list of winners and honourable mentions, along with clips of their work, will be available on the NCRA website soon.

The winners are:

Community Development:
CKHA-FM (Canoe-FM), Haliburton

Lifetime Achievement “Legend” Award:
Peter Royce, CFRO-FM, Vancouver Co-op Radio

Local Talent Development:
“The BRL Show” Alvaro Rivas and Justin Gunderson, CHUO-FM, Ottawa

Volunteer of the Year:
André St-Jacques, CHUO-FM, Ottawa

And the following awards were for Outstanding Achievement in Programming:

Aboriginal Affairs and Culture:
“Gwich'in Language Lesson”, William Greenland, CKLB-FM, Northwest Territories

Creative Production:
“When Radio Attacks”, Kent Davies, CKUW-FM, Winnipeg

Music:
“Brandon Bands”, Kevin Wielenga, CJJJ-FM, Brandon

News:
“Tens of Thousands of Canadians Protest Israeli Attacks on Gaza Strip”, Chris Albinati, CKUT-FM, Montreal

Special Programming:
"Radio Free Palestine", CKUT-FM, Montreal

Third Language:
“Tonic” Ji-Young Kim, CHRY-FM, Toronto

Documentary:
“Les luttes des sans-papiers en France”, Aaron Lakoff, CKUT-FM, Montreal

Syndicated Show or Podcast:
“Ends of the Earth”, William Greenland and Kirsten Murphy, CKLB-FM, Northwest Territories

Current Affairs or Magazine Show:
“Off the Hour”, CKUT-FM, Montreal