The Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival was founded by the Canadian Comedy Foundation for Excellence, a not-for-profit organization. A third entity - the Canadian Comedy Association has been created and is also under this umbrella, providing a mechanism for national voting and awarding of "The Beavers" each year. The organizations and the team behind them share a common goal: to celebrate and grow Canadian comedic talent.

It all began in the year 2000 at a "one night" industry get-together in Toronto, organized by founder Tim Progosh (Higher Ground Productions, Canadian Comedy Awards) to celebrate and showcase the best of great Canadian comedic talent. Winners were introduced to the highest honour: taking home the coveted "Beaver" award, signifying the greatest achievement for a Canadian comedian along with being a fun salute to Canadian culture.

Canada is renowned for producing the best comedy performers and writers in the world and the Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival has become the event to salute and showcase the best of the year. The Festival acknowledges a definitive group of Canadian artists and is strongly supported by the entertainment industry, media and comedy community. It is a unique vehicle to salute Canadian artistic excellence.

While it's well known Canada produces the best comedy performers and writers in the world - only the Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival is dedicated to awarding that talent annually. Building on the Canadian Comedy Foundation's mandate: to expand the reach, impact and awareness of Canadian talent, the Foundation now awards that celebration to a Host City each year. Over its history the event has been held in Toronto, and in London, Ontario - and begins an annual rotation in 2008 at the invitation of Regina, Saskatchewan.

The Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival attracts more than 130 Canadian artists who come together for performances, workshops, seminars, awards, special presentations such film and documentary shows, and of course networking. The series of events over 5 days includes the Funniest Person (of the region) contest, stand-up, sketch and improv comedy shows plus a great deal of celebration involving the host community. To date, performances during the event are often taped for national television, and in 2008 a program will air on the Comedy Network.

Guiding all of these annual activities, the Canadian Comedy Foundation for Excellence benefits from the expertise of a passionate Board of Directors, including such respected names as: Roger Abbott and Don Ferguson of Royal Canadian Air Farce; John Brunton, Insight Productions (Canadian Idol, JUNOS); Diana Frances, Actress; Mark Breslin, Founder of Yuk Yuks; Tim Progosh, Higher Ground Productions (Canadian Comedy Awards); Michelle Daly, The Comedy Network; Cass Bayley, Executive Director of the Foundation and Principal of the Bayley Group.

The Foundation also draws guidance from "Advisors" including: The Comedy Network, CBC, Just for Laughs Festival, ACTRA, The Second City, The Directors, Writers and Casting Guilds, Yuk Yuks and Humber College School of Comedy.

In coming years, the Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival will continue to visit Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast. If your community is interested in having the "Beavers" land on your shore, please contact cass@bayleygroup.com to learn more about an "Invitation to Host" the Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival in future years.