From a media release:

25 Years of Celebrating Canadian Screenwriters

The Writers Guild of Canada celebrates 25 years of working on behalf of Canadian screenwriters — the creators of hit TV shows from The Beachcombers to Murdoch Mysteries to Orphan Black — as well as numerous critically acclaimed movies and webseries.

The anniversary year kicks off with a special “WGC at 25” members event in Vancouver on February 26. It’s hosted by Dennis Heaton (showrunner, Motive) and features a stellar panel of writers whose work spans the 25 years of the WGC: Chuck Lazer, Fred Yackman, Susin Nielsen, Brad Wright, Sarah Dodd, and Andrew Wreggitt. They’ll take the audience behind-the-scenes of Canadian TV and film, and share stories from the WGC’s colourful history.

The WGC’s very existence is a triumph. Originally part of ACTRA, the performers organization, with its tens of thousands of members, in 1991 the writers broke away to form a guild devoted solely to writers’ needs. It was ambitious: the writers had almost no money, very few employees, and literally no office furniture.

Twenty-five years later, the WGC has 2,200 members, employs 23 staff, and negotiates solid collective agreements ensuring writers are paid and treated properly.

WGC President Jill Golick says, “It’s been a fabulous 25 years — not always easy, but always inspiring to see how the organization has gone from strength to strength. Our writers have not only become some of the best screenwriters in the world, they’ve also contributed to making the WGC the powerful, forward thinking organization it is.”

In Vancouver on February 26 writers will gather, along with President Jill Golick, Executive Director Maureen Parker, and WGC councillors. Throughout 2016 the WGC will continue to mark its quarter-century of accomplishments. On May 2, a special 25th anniversary edition of the WGC Screenwriting Awards takes place at Koerner Hall in Toronto. A souvenir 25th edition of Canadian Screenwriter magazine comes out in May. Another anniversary event is planned for Montreal later in the year. And launching soon: a video tracing the WGC’s impressive history.