The Equity Wins Seven First-Place Awards at QCNA Competition

The team at The Equity brought home a significant haul from the annual Quebec Community Newspapers Association (QCNA) Better Newspapers Competition, securing seven first-place finishes alongside several second and third-place honors.

The awards were presented on Friday, June 12, at the Chateau Cartier in Gatineau. As the parent company of The Equity, Calumet Media is incredibly proud of the newsroom’s hard work and continued dedication to serving the Pontiac region with high-quality local journalism.

A number of staff members were recognized for their individual contributions:

  • K.C. Jordan won three first-place awards: Best Sports Story (for a front-page profile of Hunter Beauregard and Cade Kuehl), Best Arts and Entertainment Story (for a behind-the-scenes look at building a car for the Shawville Fair demolition derby), and Best Education Story (for a profile on longtime educator Donna Cahill). K.C. also placed second for Best Feature Story.

  • Dave Moore took home two top honors, winning first place in both the Best Nature Photo category (for a shot of a praying mantis) and the Best Photo-Journalism category.

  • Sophie Kuijper Dickson, Editor, earned second place for Best Feature Photo (capturing children at the Shawville Fair) and third place for Best Feature Story (for her piece on the late Sue Hamilton).

  • Emma McGrath, who served as the 2025 summer reporter, placed second for Best Agriculture Story for her coverage of how trade wars impact local dairy farmers.

The Equity was also recognized as a whole for its overall production and design, picking up first-place awards for Best Editorial Page and Best Community Newspaper Promotion (for the See You in The Equity contest). The paper also earned second place for Best Front Page and Best Photo Essay for its Shawville Fair coverage.

Putting together local newspaper requires consistent effort and collaboration. The Equity has been the voice of the Pontiac since 1883, and these awards reflect the team’s ongoing commitment to excellence.

Congratulations to Dave, Sophie, K.C., Emma, and everyone behind the scenes on a well-deserved achievement.

You can read the full breakdown of the awards on The Equity’s website.

Interested in
Learning More?

Every business is different, and no "cookie cutter" solution will fix your digital and marketing needs. Let's grab a coffee and talk about your goals and how you can achieve them.
Calumet Media's owner Jon Stewart