Ottawa music fans have plenty to celebrate this weekend, as some of Canada's most beloved songwriters were honoured at a star-studded ceremony that doubled as a love letter to homegrown music.
A Night at Massey Hall
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame held its 2026 induction ceremony Saturday night at Massey Hall in Toronto, welcoming four acts into its ranks: The Tragically Hip, Leslie Feist, Loverboy's songwriting duo of Mike Reno and Paul Dean, and Roch Voisine. The ceremony was hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos and Marie-Mai, and presented by Amazon Music, which livestreamed the show on its Twitch channel, the Amazon Music app, and Prime Video across Canada.
The Tragically Hip's Moment
Actor Jay Baruchel handled induction duties for The Tragically Hip, telling the crowd "this is the best country in the world" as he praised the band's deeply Canadian identity. Bassist Gord Sinclair reflected on what the honour means to the band after decades of writing some of the country's most recognizable songs, saying, "To be recognized for that...it really, really does mean a lot."
Feist Honoured for the "Quiet Part" of Songwriting
Musician FINNEAS inducted Leslie Feist, calling her voice "the most beautiful" he has heard and crediting her with writing "lyrics and melodies that have moved me to tears." Feist said the recognition "does mean a lot" to her, because it celebrates what she called the "quiet part" of songwriting, the work that happens long before anyone hears the finished song.
Loverboy and Voisine Round Out the Class
Songwriter Jim Vallance handled the induction of Loverboy's Mike Reno and Paul Dean, whose arena-rock hits have stayed in Canadian rotation for decades. Roch Voisine also joined the 2026 class, capping off a night that spanned multiple generations of Canadian songwriting, from classic rock to indie pop to francophone pop.
Why It Resonates in Ottawa
Even without a stop in the capital, a night like Saturday's lands close to home for Ottawa listeners. The Tragically Hip's songs remain fixtures on local radio and at local bars, and Feist's catalogue is a staple of playlists across the city. For a region that has long claimed Canadian music as part of its identity, seeing these songwriters formally recognized as some of the best the country has produced is the kind of national moment that Ottawa fans tend to take personally, whether they caught the livestream Saturday night or just heard about it after the fact.
The induction adds to a growing legacy for both acts.
Sources: The Globe and Mail, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (official), GlobeNewswire (official press release)
