Canada had a big news year dominated by the country’s fractured relationship with the United States.
What followed was a swell of support for all things Canadian. In that spirit, I’ve combed through the “Best of 2025” lists published by The Times to highlight the contributions of Canadians who impressed our editors and critics.
This is not a comprehensive review of all the standout cultural works produced by Canadians in the last year. Rather, it is a spotlight on the authors, musicians, directors and others in Canada who have been recognized in our coverage. But you can always send us your other Canadian favorites from 2025.
The Canada bureau wishes you all a happy holiday.
Notable Books
Margaret Atwood, who for years said she was not interested in writing a memoir, finally did. It’s called “Book of Lives,” and it looks back on the moments that shaped her writing. Alexandra Alter, a reporter who covers the literary world for The Times, profiled Ms. Atwood last month.
Read: 100 Notable Books of 2025
Best TV Episodes
What does the song “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence have to do with Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who accomplished an emergency plane landing on the Hudson River? Nathan Fielder, a Canadian comedian and director, offers one theory in the third episode of his show, “The Rehearsal.” The episode, “Pilot’s Code,” appears in Season 2 of the show.
Read: Best TV Episodes of 2025
Favorite Hidden-Gem Books
In the horror mystery “Exiles,” written by Mason Coile, the pen name of the Toronto author Andrew Pyper, rogue robots sabotage the first human settlers on Mars. Mr. Pyper died this year of cancer, according to an obituary in The Toronto Star.
In the posthumous memoir “Insomnia,” Robbie Robertson, the lead guitarist of the Band, sheds light on his friendship with Martin Scorsese, a creative partner and steady presence during the turbulent moments of his life, from a divorce to the breakup of his musical act. Mr. Robertson, one of Toronto’s greatest songwriters, died in 2023.
Read: Our Favorite Hidden-Gem Books of 2025
Best Songs
Jon Caramanica and Lindsay Zoladz, two pop music critics at The Times, make their picks for the best songs of the year. Here are the Canadian features:
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Tate McRae, “Sports Car”
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Templuv and 347aidan, “Last Shot”
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Drake, “Nokia”
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Huntr/x, “What It Sounds Like”
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The Weeknd, “Cry for Me”
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Justin Bieber, “Daisies”
Read: Best Songs of 2025
Best Movies
Manohla Dargis and Alissa Wilkinson, two film critics at The Times, share a wide selection of movies worth watching this year, including several that showed at the Toronto International Film Festival. In “Life After,” the director Reid Davenport explores medically assisted death in the context of his own life, and offers some critiques of how the program is administered in Canada.
Read: Best Movies of 2025
In the action genre, “40 Acres,” from the director R.T. Thorne, is a postapocalyptic thriller that follows a family of Black farmers in Canada as they fend off cannibals.
Read: Best Genre Movies of 2025
Most Stylish
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a Canadian basketball star who plays on the Oklahoma City Thunder, is one of the best-dressed athletes in the N.B.A.
Read: The Most Stylish People of 2025, So Far
Miscellaneous Moments
In Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company’s production of “Wozzeck,” an opera by Alban Berg set during World War I, was a highlight for Graham Bowley, a culture reporter at The Times.
Read: 41 Things That Stuck With Us in 2025
Best Graphic Novels
“Cannon” by Lee Lai, a graphic artist living in Montreal, tells the story of Lucy, a young cook in an upscale restaurant in the city, who is caught between a toxic workplace, a transactional friendship and a tricky family dynamic that involves caring for an ailing grandfather. It’s only a matter of time before Lucy, whose nickname is Cannon, explodes.
Read: The Best Graphic Novels of 2025
Best Children’s Books
A brother and sister watch a summer storm roll through in “Island Storm,” illustrated by Sydney Smith from Halifax, Nova Scotia. And another brother-sister story of survival takes place in a postapocalyptic desert in “Oasis” by Guojing, an author and illustrator based in Vancouver.
Read: The Best Children’s Books of 2025
Trans Canada
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Words with British spellings have appeared in documents published by the Canadian government, and linguists are not happy about it.
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Canada saw its largest population decline since 1946, according to new estimates from the census agency.
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Three men in the Toronto area face nearly 80 charges related to “hate-motivated extremism” directed at Jews and women.
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From Opinion: Stephen Marche, a Canadian political journalist, makes the case in a guest essay for cheering on the new relationship between Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry.
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“Titaníque,” a musical that started off as a drunken idea between friends and centered around the Canadian singer Celine Dion, will open on Broadway next spring.
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Experts in Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, helped rescue a sea lion that had a rope wrapped tightly around its neck.
Vjosa Isai is a reporter at The Times based in Toronto.
How are we doing? We’re eager to have your thoughts about this newsletter and events in Canada in general. Please send them to [email protected].
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Vjosa Isai is a reporter and researcher for The Times based in Toronto, where she covers news from across Canada.
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