It's official. The Junos are coming back to Hamilton in 2026
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Canada's biggest night in music — the Juno Awards — is returning to Hamilton in 2026, the seventh time the city is hosting the event, organizers announced Thursday.
Hamilton last hosted the Junos in 2015 and will once again honour the nation's top musical talent, with the 2026 Juno week running from Thursday, March 26, to Sunday, March 29.
The week-long event will culminate with the 55th Annual Juno Awards, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) said in a news release.
CARAS president and CEO, Allan Reid, said Hamilton's dynamic music scene and rich cultural heritage make it "an ideal location" for the awards.
"We are thrilled to return to Hamilton and be one of the first events in Hamilton's newly renovated downtown arena," Reid said in the release.
"The city and province of Ontario continue to show their passion for music and the arts, we're looking forward to 2026."
The announcement comes just over a week before this year's Junos, which take place on March 30 at Vancouver's Rogers Arena, hosted by singer Michael Bublé.
Next year, Juno week events will be held at the newly transformed Hamilton Arena, which is scheduled to reopen in late 2025.
According to the release, the arena will be upgraded with several new features, including premium seating options, "state-of-the-art acoustics," upgraded concourses and advanced production capabilities for maximum efficiency.
Arena renovations 60% complete
"Hosting this prestigious award show in our soon-to-open venue will showcase the incredible transformation of the space and also the creative musical energy in Hamilton and throughout Ontario," said Nick DeLuco, Oak View Group senior vice-president and general manager of Hamilton Arena, in the news release.
Oak View's vice president of project management Ryan Zrenda gave CBC Hamilton a tour of the arena on Wednesday. The renovation has turned the entire facility into a construction site, with 300 workers there daily.
The project is about 60 per cent complete, Zrenda said. The renovation began in May 2024, with EllisDon as the main construction contractor. Oak View Group is an American company that specializes in sports and entertainment venues.
In an interview, DeLuco said the goal is to be done by late November or early December. He said the Junos will be part of an opening series of events that will contain "diverse content and different options."
Longtime arena-goers will be "shocked" when they come in for the first time, DeLuco said. "Everything on the inside is really different."
For example, he said, the renovation is opening up previously inaccessible spaces across upper and lower levels in the arena, with the goal of making it easier for people to get in and out, and to access food, drinks and lounge spaces. The old design funnelled guests through one main route.
Other highlights include special box seats at floor level, a new artist lounge and another elevator, company representatives said.
The city and local music and tourism promoters have been advocating for the awards to come back to the city since at least last summer.
At a General Issues Committee meeting last July, Tim Potocic, founder of Sonic Unyon Records, supported the 2026 bid by the city's tourism department.
Events like the Junos "add massive economic impact … support the arts and the music sector, showcase local talent, build community, create legacy and they are a massive driver for the city in general," Potocic said at the meeting.
"They not only bring economic impact when they're here, but they also leave economic impact when they leave. They're huge for the local community business, downtown business throughout the entire city, our hotel room stays, and they're just giant [economic] drivers.
"They create massive vibrancy and they're incredible for our entire city when we have these events," Potocic added.
'A great opportunity for local talent'
Juno week is also "a great opportunity for local talent to engage with national-level talent when they're coming through town, and also gives them a great opportunity to play locally," Potocic said.
He noted that "Hamilton was the incubator, the first city that stepped up when the Junos changed their model to the arena model."
In January Mayor Andrea Horwath announced that Ontario was supporting the city's bid to host the awards.
"Our city has a rich and historic music scene that has shaped Canada's cultural landscape for generations and continues to thrive today," Horwath wrote on social media site X.
"From legendary artists to rising stars, Hamilton has long been a hub of creativity and musical excellence."
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Toronto Sun
15 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
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Published Jun 06, 2025 • 5 minute read American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen performs during Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris's campaign rally at James R Hallford Stadium in Clarkston, Georgia. Photo by Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, an ally-turned-critic of President Donald Trump, says he recently reached out to another target of the president's ire: rock legend Bruce Springsteen. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Springsteen opened his European tour by calling Trump 'unfit.' The president fired back, dismissing The Boss as a 'dried out 'prune' of a rocker.' As a regular Trump punching bag, Christie could relate. Christie 'fell in love' with Springsteen and his music when he first saw him perform some 50 years ago – and loyalty to party or president won't change that. 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The Republican operative even remembers making a pizza for Springsteen during his high school job at Federici's Family Restaurant – immortalized by a signed take-out menu that now hangs on Marinella's office wall. 'He is a hometown hero, even if we don't always agree with what he says.' Pack and Marinella exemplify Republicans whose love of Springsteen is bigger than politics, conspicuous in a world where everything – sports, music, movies, arts – is political. Springsteen's politics are no secret: He has endorsed every Democratic nominee since 2004. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But the rift with Trump, someone known to disown Republicans who buck him by supporting his opponents, has made the relationship between the Republican political class and Springsteen more challenging. 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The jobs he remembers, the jobs his dad had at the rug factory, don't really exist in the U.S. anymore,' said Marc Dolan, the author of 'Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll,' invoking Springsteen's 1978 song 'Factory' about what his father's factory work gave him and took away. Dolan said he believes Springsteen is aware of this shift, which may be why he made these comments abroad. 'He is very good at pulling the audience in, making them feel like they are having a collective experience, but also challenging them,' said Dolan. 'He has never been one to totally turn off his audience. He is one to put them in a pickle where they don't know how they feel for a bit. But … how do you challenge the congregation without them leaving the church?' Pack was intentionally vague when asked why he thought so many New Jersey Republicans declined to respond to questions about Springsteen amid his spat with Trump. 'Don't wanna piss off the boss,' he said. 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a day ago
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Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. McInnis will do his part to entertain when the ball is snapped. And that could also be quite the show after a career season in 2024. McInnis led all receivers last campaign in league yardage with 1,469, and was the first Canadian since Andy Fantuz in 2010 to lead that category. He was also second with 92 receptions and third in touchdown grabs with seven. H is yards total was second highest by a Canadian member of the Lions after Matt Clark (1,530 yards), and the eighth-best for a Canadian all-time. Check out our Top 10 CFL players heading into the 2025 season! 🇨🇦🏈 Do you agree with our list? 🤔 FULL TOP 50 LIST | The 28-year-old Pierrefonds, Que., native is an imposing target for quarterback Nathan Rourke with a 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame and plenty of zip and zag to leave defensive backs in his wake, or use his vertical skills to out-contest any defender. He did that in practice Wednesday and it bodes well as a weapon. 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Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Calgary Herald
B.C. Lions: Justin McInnis is quite the catch for the season opener
Article content Justin McInnis knows who will have the biggest pre-game impact Saturday at B.C. Place. Article content After all, the B.C. Lions' standout wide receiver understands that you can't beat legendary American rapper Snoop Dogg to get more than 50,000 fans jacked for the club's CFL opener against the Edmonton Elks. Article content Article content 'I'm excited,' McInnis said Thursday following practice. 'I grew up listening to Snoop. But honestly, I'm one of the weirder guys on the team. I don't wear headphones on game day or anything like that. I just like to soak up the crowd and be in the pre-game environment. Article content Article content McInnis will do his part to entertain when the ball is snapped. And that could also be quite the show after a career season in 2024. Article content McInnis led all receivers last campaign in league yardage with 1,469, and was the first Canadian since Andy Fantuz in 2010 to lead that category. He was also second with 92 receptions and third in touchdown grabs with seven. His yards total was second highest by a Canadian member of the Lions after Matt Clark (1,530 yards), and the eighth-best for a Canadian all-time. Article content Check out our Top 10 CFL players heading into the 2025 season! 🇨🇦🏈 Do you agree with our list? 🤔 FULL TOP 50 LIST | — TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 4, 2025 Article content Article content The 28-year-old Pierrefonds, Que., native is an imposing target for quarterback Nathan Rourke with a 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame and plenty of zip and zag to leave defensive backs in his wake, or use his vertical skills to out-contest any defender. He did that in practice Wednesday and it bodes well as a weapon. Article content Article content 'The best part of my game is I've got to use my height,' said McInnis. 'I'm not the fastest in the league, and I'm not able to do a lot of things that smaller guys can do. I'm always going to continuously work on getting better body control and things that will be a big advantage.' Article content Add a full-season pull with Rourke, who spent the last two seasons with four NFL teams before returning to the Lions last August, and the dynamic duo could develop the kind of chemistry to intimidate and dominate. Article content 'Even in the off-season, we threw quite a bit, and at training camp,' said McInnis. 'One thing I like about Nate is that he's always communicating about things he sees and likes, and how he wants us to run certain routes. At the end of the day, it's being on the same page and he does a great job of expressing that.
