The 2015 edition of the Canadian Polaris Music Prize was presented on September 21, 2015 at The Carlu event theatre in Toronto, Ontario.[1] The event was hosted by children's entertainer Fred Penner.
In May 2015, Slaight Communications announced an additional contribution to the Polaris fund which saw the prize for the winning album increased to $50,000,[2] as well as $3,000 to each of the non-winning nominees.
The ten-album shortlist was announced on July 16.[3]
The prize's preliminary 40-album longlist was announced on June 16 at the Carleton Music Bar and Grill in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[1]
In 2015, the Polaris committee also launched the Heritage Prize, an awards program to honour classic Canadian albums released before the creation of the Polaris Prize.[4] Each year four shortlists of albums from four historical periods in Canadian music will be released, following which a public online vote will choose which album to honour.[4] These will be announced separately from the main Polaris Prize.
The winners for 2015 were announced on October 9.[5] The four winning albums will be honoured with a tribute concert in Toronto in early 2016, a trophy and the sale of a limited edition commemorative print.[5]
Joni Mitchell, Blue Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Session Sloan, Twice Removed