| Year | Winner | Nominated |
| 1980 | Linda Griffiths and Paul Thompson, Maggie and Pierre | |
| 1981 | Allan Stratton, Rexy |
- Neil Munro, Extreme Close Up
- George F. Walker, Theatre of the Film Noir
- Judith Thompson, The Crackwalker
|
| 1982 | John Krizanc, Tamara | Lawrence Jeffery, ClayErika Ritter, The Passing SceneTom Walmsley, White Boys |
| 1983 | Patrick Brymer and Linda Griffiths, O.D. on Paradise | George F. Walker, The Art of WarMavis Gallant, What Is to Be Done?Richard Rose, Censored |
| 1984 | Autumn Angel Repertory, Mein | Bob Knuckle and Gordon Carruth, I Am Not a LegendJim Betts, The Mystery of the Oak Island TreasureGeorge Luscombe and Larry Cox, NamesLawrence Jeffery, Tower |
| 1985 | David French, Salt-Water Moon | Marie-Lynn Hammond, De beaux gestes/Beautiful DeedsGeorge F. Walker, Criminals in LoveMichael Hollingsworth, The History of the Village of the Small Huts: Part 1, New FranceJohn Krizanc, Prague |
| 1986 | Linda Griffiths and Maria Campbell, Jessica | Margaret Hollingsworth, IslandsMaristella Roca, La Storia: A Tale of FablesAllan Stratton, PapersDon Hannah, The Wedding Script |
| 1987 | Tomson Highway, The Rez Sisters | René-Daniel Dubois, Being at Home with ClaudeJohn Lazarus, Genuine FakesJoan MacLeod, JewelMargaret Hollingsworth, War Babies |
| 1988 | George F. Walker, Nothing Sacred | Robert Fothergill, Detaining Mr. TrotskyAnn-Marie MacDonald, Goodnight Desdemona Judith Thompson, I Am YoursMichel Tremblay, Le Vrai Monde? |
| 1989 | Tomson Highway, Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing | Sally Clark, MooKen Garnhum, Beuys, Buoys, BoysKelly Rebar, Bordertown CaféMichel Tremblay, The Real World? |
| 1990 | George F. Walker, Love and Anger | Howard Barker, The EuropeansSally Clark, The Trial of Judith KJoan MacLeod, Amigo's Blue GuitarMichael Ondaatje, Richard Rose and D.D. Kugler, Coming Through Slaughter |
| 1991 | Michel Marc Bouchard, Lilies | Linda Griffiths, The Darling FamilyAnn-Marie MacDonald, The Arab's MouthJudith Thompson, Lion in the StreetsMichel Tremblay, La Maison suspendue |
| 1992 | George F. Walker, Escape from Happiness | Michael Hollingsworth, LaurierBryden MacDonald, Whale Riding WeatherPaulette Phillips, Under the InfluencePaula Wing, Naomi's Road |
| 1993 | Terrence McNally, John Kander and Fred Ebb, Kiss of the Spider Woman | Martha Ross and John Millard, Ratbag |
| 1994 | Leslie Arden, The House of Martin Guerre | Michael O'Brien, A Christmas CarolAndrew Sabiston and Timothy Williams, NapoleonJohn Lazarus, The Nightingale |
| 1995 | John Wimbs and Christopher Richards, Molly Wood | Don Hannah, The Wooden HillMaureen Hunter, Transit of Venus |
| 1996 | Raymond Storey, The Glorious 12th | Gilles Maheu, The Dead SoulsAllan Stratton, Dracula: Nightmare of the Dead |
| 1997 | Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Terrence McNally, Ragtime | John Caird and Paul Gordon, Jane EyreMaureen Hunter, Atlantis Michael O'Brien, Oliver TwistCarol Shields, Thirteen Hands |
| 1998 | George F. Walker, Problem Child | David Gow, Cherry DocsJason Sherman, PatienceGeorge F. Walker, The End Of CivilizationDavid Young, Inexpressible Island |
| 1999 | Michael Healey, The Drawer Boy | Daniel Brooks and Guillermo Verdecchia, InsomniaMichael Hollingsworth and Deanne Taylor, The Life and Times of Brian MulroneySoheil Parsa, AurashJonathan Wilson, Kilt |
| 2000 | Linda Griffiths, Alien Creature Michel Tremblay, For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again |
- Florence Gibson, Belle
- Morwyn Brebner, Music for Contortionist
- Jean Yoon, The Yoko Ono Project
|
| 2001 | Kristen Thomson, I, Claudia | Alex Bulmer, SmudgeRonnie Burkett, HappyAdam Pettle, Zadie's ShoesBetty Quan, Ghost Train |
| 2002 | Michael Healey, Plan B | Carole Fréchette, Elisa's SkinDaniel MacIvor, You Are HereAlex Poch-Goldin, This HotelDjanet Sears, The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God |
| 2003 | Morris Panych, Girl in the Goldfish Bowl | Chris Earle, Russell HillMatthew Edison, The Domino HeartSonja Mills, The Danish PlayAdam Pettle, Therac 25 |
| 2004 | Michael Hollingsworth, Confederation | Trey Anthony, da kink in my hairMarjorie Chang, China DollPeter Froehlich, SimplMichael O'Brien, Restitution - An Irish-Canadian Rhapsody |
| 2005 | John Mighton, Half Life | Claudia Dey, Trout StanleyKeira Loughran, Little DragonRick Miller and Daniel Brooks, Bigger Than JesusDavid S. Young, No Great Mischief |
| 2006 | d'bi young, blood.claat - one womban story | Ronnie Burkett, 10 Days on EarthRosa Labordé, LéoNiki Landau, TerritoriesColombe Demers, Ann-Marie Kerr and Liisa Repo-Martell, The Long Valley |
| 2007 | Michael Healey, Generous | Damien Atkins, LucyMichael Hollingsworth, The Saskatchewan RebellionMike McPhaden, Noble ParasitesMorris Panych, What Lies Before Us |
| 2008 | Judith Thompson, The Palace of the End | Brendan Gall, Alias GodotHannah Moscovitch, East of BerlinHannah Moscovitch, EssayThe Second City, Tazed and Confused |
| 2009 | Waawaate Fobister, Agokwe | Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, ScratchKevin Loring, Where the Blood MixesJoan MacLeod, Another Home InvasionAndrew Moodie, Toronto the Good |
| 2010 | Michael Healey, Courageous | Carmen Aguirre, Refugee HotelAnusree Roy, Letters to My GrandmaErin Shields, If We Were BirdsJudith Thompson, Such Creatures |
| 2011 | Anusree Roy, Brothel #9 | Maja Ardal, The Cure for EverythingBrendan Gall, Wide Awake HeartsAndrew Kushnir, The Middle PlaceRoland Schimmelpfennig, Peggy Pickit Sees the Face of God - The Africa Trilogy |
| 2012 | Pamela Mala Sinha, Crash | Ins Choi, Kim's ConvenienceErin Fleck, Those Who Can't DoTim Supple and Hanan al-Shaykh, One Thousand and One NightsEvan Webber, Ajax & Little Iliad |
| 2013 | Kristen Thomson, Someone Else | Melody A. Johnson, Miss CaledoniaDaniel MacIvor, Arigato, TokyoHannah Moscovitch, Little OneTawiah M'carthy, Obaaberima |
| 2014 | Vern Thiessen, Of Human Bondage | Damien Atkins, Paul Dunn and Andrew Kushnir, The Gay Heritage ProjectSean Dixon, A God in Need of HelpTim Luscombe, PigMarcus Youssef and James Long, Winners and Losers |
| 2015 | Hannah Moscovitch, Infinity | Michael Hollingsworth, Trudeau and LévesqueMaria Milisavljevic, AbyssCarolyn Smart and Nicky Guadagni, Hooked |
| 2016 | Kat Sandler, Mustard | Anna Chatterton, Evalyn Parry and Karin Randoja, Gertrude and AliceFabrizio Filippo, The SummonedSevern Thompson, ElleJordan Tannahill, Botticelli in the Fire and Sunday in Sodom |
| 2017 | Nick Green, Body Politic | Katherine Cullen and Britta Johnson, Stupidhead!Diane Flacks, UnholyKristen Thomson, The Wedding PartyDavid Yee, Acquiesce |
| 2018 | Evalyn Parry and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory, Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools | Rose Napoli, Lo Jivesh Parasram, Take d Milk, Nah?Kat Sandler, Bang BangEmil Sher, The Boy in the Moon |
| 2019 | 'Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman, Guarded Girls | Yolanda Bonnell, BugLisa Karen Cox, Maggie Huculak, Raha Javanfar, Amy Nostbakken, Norah Sadava and Cheyenne Scott, Now You See HerKate Hennig, The Virgin TrialHannah Moscovitch, Maev Beaty and Anne-Marie Kerr, Secret Life of a Mother'' |
