Canada’s official music awards ceremony has been cancelled this year amid COVID-19 concerns.
In a statement on Thursday morning, the JUNO awards confirmed they would be cancelling the 49th iteration of the awards ceremony that was originally scheduled to be held in Saskatoon, SK this coming weekend.
The announcement was made after discussions with the Province of Saskatchewan, City of Saskatoon, Tourism Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health.
“We are devastated to cancel this national celebration of music, but at this time of global uncertainty, the health, safety, and well-being of all Canadians must stand at the forefront of any decisions that impact our communities,” reads the statement.
“We know this is the right decision based on the information we currently have and are continuing to receive. The situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve rapidly and we urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials.”
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), the organization that oversees the JUNO awards ceremony, says they will explore alternate options to honour this year’s award winners and Special Awards recipients.
The 2020 JUNO Awards have been cancelled. pic.twitter.com/eVvT3KUT8D
— The JUNO Awards (@TheJUNOAwards) March 12, 2020
