Miss Universe Canada

Not to be confused with Miss Canada.

The Beauties of Canada Organization

Formation	2002;22 years ago (2002)
Type	Beauty pageant
Headquarters	Toronto
Location	Canada
Membership	Miss Universe Miss International Reina Internacional del Café World Miss University Miss Eco International Miss United Continents Miss Charm
Official language	English
President	Denis Davila
Website	Official website

The Miss Universe Canada or "The Beauties of Canada" is a national beauty pageant in Canada, which sends its winners to the Miss Universe pageant.

The Beauties of Canada Organization gained the exclusive rights to send a Canadian representative to the Miss Universe Pageant in 2002. The company President is Nicaraguan-born Canadian Denis Dávila.

The Miss Universe Canada contest was first held in 2003, with the first winner being Leanne Marie Cecile. Cecile made the Top 10 in Miss Universe 2003.

Natalie Glebova was crowned the winner in 2005 and went on to become Miss Universe 2005. Glebova's successor Alice Panikian was viewed as a strong contender to win the 2006 Miss Universe crown and placed in the Top 10.

As of 2022, Canada along with France remain the only countries to send a delegate to every edition of Miss Universe since its inaugural year. Germany shared this distinction until 2020, when it withdrew due to the COVID-19 pandemic ^[1]

International Crowns

Winner Of International Crowns:

• One-Miss Universe Crown

(2005) Natalie Glebova

• One-Reinado Internacional del Café Crown (2006)
  • Alice Panikian
• One- Miss Eco International Crown ( 2017 )
  • Amber Bernachi
• One- Virreina Internacional del Café Crown ( 2018 )
  • Marta Stępień

Controversy

In 2010, Miss Universe Canada made headlines when Maria Al-Masani, the first beauty pageant contestant of Yemeni origin, competed. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} This was controversial due to accommodating her religious beliefs by allowing her to wear a semi-transparent sarong over her swimsuit. ^{[2] [3] [6] [7]} In 2012, CNN World News named her one of its eight "agents of change" to follow, the only Canadian to receive that designation. ^[8]

The 2012 contest was accused of transphobia after disqualifying a transgender contestant, Jenna Talackova (Jana Talačková), for not being a "naturally born female". A spokesperson from Miss Universe Canada released a statement saying she was disqualified because on her entry form she stated she was born a female, which was not the case. Eventually, Talackova was let back into the competition. ^[9]

After this, Sahar Biniaz dropped out of the Miss Universe pageant a few days prior to it starting, having allegedly hurt her foot. ^[10] Adwoa Yamoah, the first runner-up, replaced her and competed in Miss Universe 2012.

On May 27, 2013, two days after the Miss Universe Canada 2013 pageant, it was announced that Denise Garrido was the winner. As it turned out, Garrido was actually 3rd runner-up and due to a mathematical error was named the winner. Calgary's Riza Santos was the actual winner. During the validation of the computerized scoring results (which occurred the following day), a typo was discovered in the top five entries, which significantly impacted the final results of the competition. ^{[11] [12]}

Due to the pandemic, the 2021 Miss Universe Canada pageant was cancelled and the titles Miss Universe Canada 2021 and Miss International Canada 2021 were appointed to the delegates next in line. Therefore, Miss Universe Canada 2020's first runner-up Tamara Jemuovic was awarded the title of Miss Universe Canada 2021 and competed in Eilat, Israel at the 70th Miss Universe pageant. Respectively, Miss Universe Canada 2020's second runner-up Jaime VandenBerg was awarded the title of Miss International Canada 2021, although the 2020 & 2021 Miss International pageants were cancelled.

Titleholders

Miss Universe Canada

Riza Santos - Miss Universe Canada 2013

Sahar Biniaz - Miss Universe Canada 2012

Elena Semikina - Miss Universe Canada 2010

Natalie Glebova - Miss Universe Canada 2005

•   : Declared as Winner
•   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
•   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
•   : Ended as special awards winner

Year	Represented	Miss Universe Canada	Placement at Miss Universe	Special Awards
2024	TBA
2023	Manitoulin Island, Ontario	Madison Kvaltin	Unplaced
2022	Vancouver, British Columbia	Amelia Tu [13]	Top 16
2021	Toronto, Ontario	Tamara Jemuovic	Unplaced
2020	Vancouver, British Columbia	Nova Stevens	Unplaced
2019	Tecumseh, Ontario	Alyssa Boston	Unplaced
2018	Windsor, Ontario	Marta Stępień	Top 10
2017	Toronto, Ontario	Lauren Howe	Top 10	Best National Costume (Top 12)
2016	Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan	Siera Bearchell	Top 9
2015	Toronto, Ontario	Paola Núñez Valdez	Unplaced
2014	Caledon, Ontario	Chanel Beckenlehner	Unplaced	Best National Costume (Top 5)
2013	Calgary, Alberta	Riza Santos	Unplaced
2012	Vancouver, British Columbia	Sahar Biniaz*	Did not compete
	Calgary, Alberta	Adwoa Yamoah	Unplaced
2011	Tecumseh, Ontario	Chelsae Durocher	Unplaced
2010	Toronto, Ontario	Elena Semikina [14]	Unplaced
2009	Richmond Hill, Ontario	Mariana Valente [15]	Unplaced
2008	Richmond Hill, Ontario	Samantha Tajik [16]	Unplaced
2007	Toronto, Ontario	Inga Skaya [17]	Unplaced
2006	Toronto, Ontario	Alice Panikian [18]	Top 10
2005	Toronto, Ontario	Natalie Glebova [19]	Miss Universe 2005
2004	Waterdown, Ontario	Venessa Fisher [20]	Unplaced
2003	Tecumseh, Ontario	Leanne Marie Cecile [21]	Top 10

Note: Sahar Biniaz did not compete at Miss Universe 2012 due to a foot injury.

Miss International Canada

Amber Bernachi, Miss Canada International 2016 as Miss Eco International 2017

•   : Declared as Winner
•   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
•   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
•   : Ended as special awards winner

The following is a list of all Miss International Canada titleholders in under Beauties of Canada or Miss Universe Canada since 2003.

Year	Represented	Miss International Canada	Placement	Special Awards
2024	TBA
2023	Windsor, Ontario	Melanie Renaud	Unplaced
2022	Toronto, Ontario	Madison Kvaltin	Top 8
Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, no competition held between 2020—2021
2019	Montreal, Quebec	Megha Sandhu	Unplaced
2018	Toronto, Ontario	Camila Gonzalez	Unplaced
2017	Windsor, Ontario	Marta Stępień	Unplaced
2016	Windsor, Ontario	Amber Bernachi	Top 15
2015	Wetaskiwin, Alberta	Kathryn Kohut	Unplaced
2014	Toronto, Ontario	Kesiah Papasin	Unplaced
2013	Ottawa, Ontario	Sarah Ainsley Harrison	Unplaced
2012	Hamilton, Ontario	Marta Jablonska	Unplaced
2010	Uxbridge, Ontario	Katie Starke	Unplaced
2009	Caledon, Ontario	Chanel Beckenlehner	Top 15
2008	Toronto, Ontario	Elena Semikina	Unplaced
2007	Toronto, Ontario	Justine Stewart	Unplaced
2006	Toronto, Ontario	Emily Ann Kiss	Unplaced
2005	Edmonton, Alberta	Micaela Smith	Unplaced

Miss Canada 1952—2002

•   : Declared as Winner
•   : Ended as runner-up or top 5/6 qualification
•   : Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists
•   : Ended as special awards winner

1993–2002

The Canadian Search Miss Universe or Miss Canadian Universe was hosted by Chan International Models of Edmonton until 2002. While the 2002 event was held in August 2001 in Toronto, all previous events from 1993 to 2001 were held in Edmonton.

Year	Represented	Miss Canada	Placement at Miss Universe	Special Awards
2002	Etobicoke	Neelam Verma [22]	Top 10
2001	Montreal, Quebec	Cristina Rémond	Unplaced
2000	Edmonton	Kim Yee	Top 5
1999	Western Ontario	Shannon McArthur	Unplaced
1998	Calgary, Alberta	Juliana Thiessen	Unplaced
1997	Red Deer, Alberta	Carmen Kempt	Unplaced
1996	Vancouver, British Columbia	Renette Cruz	Unplaced
1995	Calgary, Alberta	Lana Buchberger	2nd Runner-up
1994	Dawson Creek, British Columbia	Susanne Rothfos	Unplaced
1993	Calgary, Alberta	Nancy Ann Elder	Unplaced

1979—1992

The Miss Canada pageant obtained the franchise for the Miss Universe Pageant in 1978, when that year's first runner-up, Andrea Leslie Eng, competed internationally. From 1979 to the final contest, the winners of Miss Canada went on to compete. Miss Canada 1982, Karen Baldwin, being the only Miss Canada to also win Miss Universe. The show was popular in the 1970s, with up to 5 million viewers, but declined in the 1980s, until the franchise holders, Cleo Productions, closed in early 1992. Producers of the show cited mounting production costs, as the reason for cancellation. The last winner was Miss Canada 1992, Nicole Dunsdon, from Summerland, British Columbia, a speech pathology student at the University of Alberta.

Year	Represented	Miss Canada	Placement at Miss Universe	Special Awards
1992	Interior of British Columbia	Nicole Dunsdon	Unplaced
1991	Edmonton, Alberta	Leslie McLaren	Unplaced
1990	Niagara Region, Ontario	Robin Lee Ouzunoff	Unplaced
1989	Laurentians Region, Quebec	Juliette Powell	Unplaced
1988	London, Ontario	Mary-Melinda Gillies	Unplaced
1987	Niagara Region, Ontario	TinaMay Simpson	Unplaced
1986	Interior of British Columbia	Rene Newhouse	Unplaced
1985	Calgary, Alberta	Karen Elizabeth Tilley	Top 10
1984	Edmonton, Alberta	Cynthia Michele Kereluk	Unplaced
1983	Manitoba	Jodi Yvonne Rutledge	Unplaced
1982	London, Ontario	Karen Dianne Baldwin	Miss Universe 1982
1981	Laval, Québec	Dominique Dufour	1st Runner-up
1980	Calgary, Alberta	Teresa "Terry" Lynn Mackay	Top 12
1979	Manitoba	Heidi Quiring	Unplaced
1978	Vancouver, British Columbia	Andrea Leslie Eng	Unplaced

1959—1977

Between 1969 and 1977 the Miss Dominion of Canada pageant originated when the Bruno family of Ancaster, Ontario obtained franchise rights to select and send Canada's exclusive representatives to Miss Universe. The winner of Miss Dominion of Canada competed in Miss Universe, Miss World, and often both Miss International and Queen of the Pacific. The Miss Universe franchise in Canada was taken over by the nationally televised Miss Canada contest in 1978.

Year	Represented	Miss Canada	Placement at Miss Universe	Special Awards
1977	British Columbia	Pamela Mercer	Unplaced	Miss Congeniality
1976	Ontario	Normande Jacques	Unplaced
1975	Ontario	Sandra Margaret Emily Campbell	Unplaced
1974	Ontario	Deborah Tone	Unplaced
1973	Ontario	Deborah Anne Ducharme	Unplaced
1972	Ontario	Bonny Brady	Unplaced
1971	Ontario	Lana Drouillard	Unplaced
1970	Prince Edward Island	Norma Joyce Hickey	Unplaced
1969	Ontario	Jacquie May Perrin	Unplaced
1968	Ontario	Nancy Wilson	Top 15
1967	Ontario	Donna Marie Barker	Unplaced
1966	Ontario	Marjorie Anne Schofield	Unplaced
1965	Ontario	Carol Ann Tidey	Top 15
1964	Newfoundland	Mary Lou Farrell	Unplaced
1963	Saskatchewan	Jane Kmita	Unplaced
1962	Ontario	Marilyn McFatridge	Top 15
1961	Ontario	Wilda Reynolds	Unplaced
1960	Ontario	Edna Dianne MacVicar	Unplaced
1959	Ontario	Eileen Butter	Unplaced

1952—1958

In 1952, Miss Toronto 1951 competed to Miss Universe 1952. Between 1952 and 1958 Miss Universe Canada was selected by a photo contest and/or casting by Silknit Ltd. of Toronto, Canada. Most winners were former Miss Toronto Pageant winners or participants.

Year	Represented	Miss Canada	Placement at Miss Universe	Special Awards
1958	Toronto, Ontario	Eileen Cindy Conroy	Unplaced
1957	Toronto, Ontario	Gloria Noakes	Top 16	Miss Popular (based on votes from the pre-pageant parade in Long Beach)
1956	Toronto, Ontario	Elaine Evelyn Bishenden	Unplaced
1955	Toronto, Ontario	Cathy Diggles	Top 16
1954	Toronto, Ontario	Joyce Mary Landry	Unplaced
1953	Toronto, Ontario	Thelma Elizabeth Brewis	Top 16
1952	Toronto, Ontario	Ruth Carrier	Unplaced

See also

• Miss Earth Canada
• Miss World Canada

References

1. "Miss Universe 2018 in photos: Catriona Gray of Philippines crowned". Newsweek . December 16, 2018.
2. "Beauty to cover up in pageant". Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
3. "Prophet's descendant vies for Miss Universe title". Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
4. nurun.com. "Beauty to cover up in pageant". Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
5. "Arab-American Rima Fakih wins Miss USA 2010, Update: stripping photos revealed" . Retrieved October 17, 2016.
6. "Former Erie resident in beauty pageant controversy". Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
7. "Beauty to cover up in pageant". Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
8. "Women and the Arab uprisings: 8 'agents of change' to follow". CNN. February 3, 2012. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
9. "Transgender Miss Universe Canada Finalist Jenna Talackova Disqualified From Competition". March 24, 2012. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
10. "Toronto, GTA and Central Ontario casting for Miss Canada Universe". www.reocities.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
11. "Miss Universe Canada crowns wrong contestant". Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
12. "Miss Universe® Canada » MISS UNIVERSE CANADA 2013 FINAL RESULTS". Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
13. Papineau, Chelsea (May 18, 2022). "Sudbury woman wins Miss International Canada title". CTV News . Retrieved May 19, 2022.
14. "Miss Universe 2010: the best pictures of Elena Semikina, Canada". La voz libre. July 21, 2010. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
15. "Miss Universe Canada 2009". Calgary Sun . May 22, 2009. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
16. "TO's Tajik crowned Miss Universe Canada". Toronto Sun . Canadian Online Explorer. April 29, 2008. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
17. "The next Miss Universe?". Sun Media . Canadian Online Explorer. March 14, 2007. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
18. "Miss Universe Canada 2006". National Post . canada.com. March 22, 2006. Archived from the original on June 3, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
19. "Go for the crown". La Prensa . March 5, 2005. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
20. "Waterdown teen takes pageant title". The Hamilton Spectator . January 27, 2004. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
21. "Canuck contestant faces SARS test". Toronto Sun . Canadian Online Explorer. May 13, 2003. Archived from the original on May 14, 2003. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
22. "Miss Canada Universe 2002". MyBindi.com. 2002. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2011.

External links

• Official Miss Universe Canada website