Toronto's film critics have launched a $10,000 award celebrating Canadian filmmakers.

The Toronto Film Critics Association, which traditionally issues its pick of the year's best films in December, will now also present the new Rogers Best Canadian Film Award.

"The TFCA wants to bring together all sides of the industry to celebrate the best films of the year, including the finest Canadian work," group president and Maclean's critic Brian D. Johnson said in a statement.

"Given Toronto's stature as a film capital, the pre-eminence of [the Toronto International Film Festival], and the vitality of film criticism in this city, it's only fitting to have an awards dinner on a par with events held by critics' groups in New York and Los Angeles."

The new prize is open to all Canadian features released to theatres during 2008.

The first winner for the prize will be announced by filmmaker and actress Sarah Polley at the group's annual awards dinner on Jan. 6.

The Toronto group, comprising film critics who write for more than two dozen of the city's print and electronic media outlets, named Polley's feature directorial debut Away From Her its top Canadian film and best first feature last year.

Other categories honoured by the group include best performances (male and female, lead and supporting), direction, screenplay, animated feature, documentary and foreign language film.