Eight Working Draft Pieces Finalists in 2025 Canadian Online Publishing Awards
Congratulations to the nominated writers!
Eight articles from Working Draft have been shortlisted for Canadian Online Publishing Awards in both the academic and consumer categories, including Best Patriotic Story, Best Multicultural Story, Best Lifestyle Article, and Best Investigative Article. Winners will be announced at an event in February 2026.
The articles cover a wide range of topics and were all published as part of our 2025 issue:
- Best Patriotic Story (Academic) – “A Chance to Dream” by Sofia Peralta-Baron
Many young Canadians dream of becoming professional hockey players — a dream that women and girls were excluded from until the inaugural season of the PWHL, a league that finally provided female players a livable wage. How has the reality of a professional women’s hockey league impacted elite female players? For Manitoba’s Katie Tabin, it changed everything — and the effects are rippling out to younger women and girls across the province.
- Best Feel Good Story (Academic) – “Moving Through Grief” by Grace Wilmer
When my mom died, grief cracked me open and left me feeling disconnected from myself and my identity. Mom always encouraged my creativity, but since she’s been gone, I’ve struggled to sing and paint. Could finding my way back to music help me find a new version of myself?
- Best Multicultural Story (Academic) – “Pushing Through Prejudice” by Josh Lakatos
Like many other Indigenous people, I have a complicated relationship with the education system. Racism, underfunding, and the legacy of residential schools make it harder for Indigenous students to graduate from high school and post-secondary, but innovative solutions can change this. This is how one Indigenous person and one Indigenous community has navigated the education system through three decades.
- Best Feature/Cover Story (Academic) – “More Than Words” by Zoé Buissé
Our voices reflect who we are and how the world recognizes us. Technological advancements in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices are allowing people who use AAC to claim a voice they identify with.
- Best Photo Journalism (Academic) – “Chasing Fire” by Georgia Dyck
Soot-covered clothes, bruised legs, and tangled hair were physical proof of my first season as a wildland firefighter, but what left a lasting mark were the lessons I learned walking through the wilderness.
- Best Service Article (Consumer) – “Supporting Sobriety at Work” by Mackenzie Oliver
Struggling with addiction or recovery? You are not alone. Workplaces can play a big role in creating a culture that supports recovery.
- Best Lifestyle Article (Consumer) – “Facing Shame” by Nassia Balaktsis
Hollywood has always concealed acne. As a young person, I was pressured to do the same. But online movements that embrace unfiltered skin are challenging me to rethink the beauty standards I grew up with and giving me the confidence to come out of hiding.
- Best Investigative Article (Consumer) – “Breaking the Ice” by Brielle Campbell
Mixed gender teams aren’t as inclusive as they seem, especially at the Paralympic level. Alyssa White dreams of playing para hockey in the Paralympics for an official Canadian women’s team, but right now that team doesn’t exist.
You can see the full list of nominations on the Canadian Online Publishing Awards website. Congratulations to all the finalists!
