Canadian sitcom Less Than Kind, sketch troupe The Second City and the late standup comedian and TV writer Irwin Barker are among the nominees for the upcoming Canadian Comedy Awards.

Organizers of the annual awards and festival announced this year's contenders in Toronto on Tuesday morning.

Less Than Kind was among the lead nominees, with nods for Mark McKinney (TV writing), Kelly Makin (TV direction), and performers Dave Foley, Jennifer Irwin, Wendel Meldrum as well as the entire acting ensemble.

Second City will vy for the best sketch troupe trophy as well as in the category for comedic play or revue for its show 0% Down, 100% Screwed.

Barker, who died early Monday after a three-year battle with a rare form of cancer, received two nominations. He joins Brent Butt, Colin Mochrie, Russell Peters and Seth Rogan as a nominee for Canadian comedy person of the year. He also landed in the male standup comedian category, where his competition includes Chuck Byrn, Jeremy Hotz, Mike Paterson and Pete Zedlacher.

Other nominees include:

  • Standup, female: Allyson Smith; Jo-Anna Downey; Kate Davis; Kristeen von Hagen; Laurie Elliott.
  • Standup, newcomer: Amanda Brooke Perrin; John Hastings; Julien Dionne; Mark DeBonis; Pardis Parker.
  • Comedic play or revue: Maybe; Morro and Jasp do Puberty; Nursery School Musical; The Second City's 0% Down, 100% Screwed; Uncalled For presents Today Is All Your Birthdays.
  • Sketch troupe: Picnicface; She Said What; The Imponderables; The Second City; The Sketchersons.
  • Improv troupe: General Fools Improvisational Theatre; Monkey Toast: The Improvised Talk Show; Rapid Fire Theatre; Scratch; The Carnegie Hall Show.
  • TV, direction: Brian Roberts, Dan for Mayor; Bruce McDonald, Almost Audrey; Kelly Makin, Less Than Kind; Kenny Hotz, Kenny vs. Spenny; Vivieno Caldinelli, Hotbox.
  • TV, writing: Garry Campbell, Less Than Kind; Kenny Hotz, Kenny vs. Spenny; Levi MacDougall & Nathan Fielder, Important Things with Demetri Martin; Mark McKinney, Less Than Kind; Pat Thornton, Vivieno Caldinelli, Tim Polley, Graham Wagner, Katie Crown, and Bob Kerr, Hotbox.
  • TV, male performance: Brandon Firla, Little Mosque on the Prairie; Dave Foley, Less Than Kind; Ennis Esmer, The Listener; Gavin Crawford, This Hour Has 22 Minutes; Pat Thornton, Hotbox.
  • TV, female performance: Alana Johnston, That's So Weird!; Geri Hall, This Hour Has 22 Minutes; Jennifer Irwin, Less Than Kind; Laurie Elliott, Almost Audrey; Wendel Meldrum, Less Than Kind.
  • TV, ensemble: Dan for Mayor; This Hour Has 22 Minutes; Less Than Kind; Almost Audrey; Hotbox.
  • Film, writing: Bill Keenan, Eating Buccaneers; Jacob Tierney, The Trotsky; Ken Hall & Brian G. Smith, Chére; Pardis Parker, Afghan; Rob Stefaniuk, Suck.
  • Film, direction: Brian G. Smith, Chére; Jacob Tierney, The Trotsky; Pardis Parker, Two Men, Two Cows, Two Guns; Rob Stefaniuk, Suck; Spencer Maybee, Man v. Minivan.
  • Film, female performance: Geneviève Bujold, The Trotsky; Jessica Pare, Suck; Kristin Booth, At Home by Myself... With You; Leah Pinsent, Eating Buccaneers; Shannon Beckner, Eating Buccaneers.
  • Film, male performance: Brian G. Smith, Chére; Jay Baruchel, The Trotsky; Jeff White, Eating Buccaneers; Pardis Parker, Afghan; Peter Keleghan, Eating Buccaneers.
  • Radio, program or clip: Ali Rizvi Badshah, Monsoon House; Doug, the Last Man on Earth, The Irrelevant Show; First Generation Urbanite; Monotheism vs. Polytheism, The Debaters; The Sketchersons Radio Show.

The 11th annual Canadian Comedy Awards and Festival will take place from Oct. 14-18 in Toronto.