Vassy Kapelos

Early Life and Education

Vassiliki Kapelos was born on May 6, 1981, in Toronto, Ontario. She is of Mainland Greek and German ethnic origin. Kapelos pursued her post-secondary education in Canada, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario in 2004. She continued her studies at Dalhousie University, where she graduated with a Master of Arts degree in 2006. This academic foundation in the arts provided the groundwork for her subsequent career in journalism and political analysis. Her multicultural background and education at institutions in different regions of Canada informed her perspective on national affairs.

Early Career and Investigative Reporting in Western Canada

Kapelos began her journalism career reporting in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. She subsequently worked for Global Television Network stations in Saskatoon and Edmonton. In Edmonton, she served as the station's provincial political affairs reporter, where she developed a reputation for investigative work. A significant early career achievement was breaking the story in 2013 about the large severance package paid to Premier Alison Redford's outgoing chief of staff. This reporting contributed to pressure that led Redford to introduce a new sunshine list for public sector employees. That same year, Kapelos was part of the reporting team for the investigative series "Code Red," which examined systemic issues within Alberta's ambulance industry. The series drew on revealing interviews with paramedics and included an in-studio interview with Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne, highlighting an under-resourced industry endangering residents.

Move to Ottawa and National Roles with Global and CBC

Kapelos transferred to Global News's Ottawa bureau in 2013, marking her entry into federal political coverage. She was promoted to bureau chief in 2016. Following the retirement of Tom Clark, she took on the additional role of host for the network's Sunday morning political affairs program, The West Block, in 2017. In February 2018, Kapelos made a significant career move by joining CBC News Network as the new host of its daily political program, Power & Politics. She held this position for four years, during which the program won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Talk Program or Series in 2021. Her move to CBC represented a major step in her career as a national political broadcaster.

Current Role at CTV News and Program Hosting Duties

On November 8, 2022, CTV News announced that Kapelos would join the network as its chief political correspondent. In this role, she became the host of two of the network's major political programs. She hosts the weekday program Power Play on CTV News Channel and the Sunday morning program Question Period, which is described as Canada's top weekly Sunday morning political program. Kapelos also launched a weekday national radio program, The Vassy Kapelos Show, on the iHeartRadio Canada Talk Network. This show features hard-hitting interviews with major players, entertaining analysis, and debate on politics and news. Based in Ottawa, she continues to provide daily coverage and analysis of federal politics across these multiple platforms.

Awards, Nominations and Academic Recognition

Vassy Kapelos is a multiple award-winning journalist. She has won four Canadian Screen Awards. In 2020, she won for Best Live Production Social Media for CBC's coverage of the British Columbia byelection that saw Jagmeet Singh win his seat. In 2021, she won for Best Talk Program or Series for her work on CBC's Power & Politics. After moving to CTV, she won Best Political News Program or Series in both 2024 and 2025 for Power Play and Question Period. In 2021, she received the Leitch Lecture Award from the University of Alberta and University of Calgary's faculty of law for a lecture on the political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also nominated for Best Host or Interviewer in News or Information at the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, demonstrating her continued recognition within the industry.

Philanthropy, Board Service and Community Engagement

Beyond her broadcasting duties, Kapelos is involved in several philanthropic and professional organizations. She serves as the goodwill ambassador for The Hellenic Initiative Canada, a charity supporting Greece and Cyprus. Kapelos holds a position on the board of the Economic Club of Canada, an organization dedicated to fostering debate on economic issues. She also serves as a patron on the Patron’s Council for Community Living, an organization supporting people with intellectual disabilities. These roles reflect her commitment to community engagement and public discourse outside of her daily journalistic work, connecting her professional expertise with broader societal contributions.

Broadcasting Style, Content and National Influence

Kapelos is known for a direct interviewing style and a focus on substantive political analysis. Her programs are described as featuring hard-hitting interviews with major political players, entertaining analysis, and debate. Her career trajectory, from provincial reporter in Alberta to hosting national programs, has given her a unique perspective on both regional and federal political issues. This experience allows her to provide context on how provincial politics influence the national landscape and vice versa. Her work is consistently cited for its authority and clarity, making complex political stories accessible to a broad audience. The content of her shows, as indicated in recent episode descriptions, frequently covers major federal issues, international relations like Canada's role in Ukraine, and significant provincial events such as the 2026 Alberta referendum.

Public Persona and Personal Life

While Kapelos maintains a professional focus on her work, limited aspects of her personal life are part of the public record. A social media post from August 2026 indicated she was enjoying summer with a partner, referring to them as the love of her life. She was born in Toronto and is of Mainland Greek and German descent. Kapelos is active on social media platforms, where she promotes her work and occasionally shares personal moments. She is a frequent guest and fill-in host on other programs, such as The Graham Richardson Show, indicating her integration within the wider Canadian media and political commentary community.

Questions about Vassy Kapelos

What shows does Vassy Kapelos currently host?

Vassy Kapelos currently hosts three major programs. On CTV News Channel, she hosts the weekday political program Power Play. She also hosts CTV's Sunday morning political affairs program, Question Period. Additionally, she hosts a weekday national radio program called The Vassy Kapelos Show on the iHeartRadio Canada Talk Network. In all these roles, she serves as CTV News's chief political correspondent, providing analysis and interviews on the leading political stories.

What awards has Vassy Kapelos won?

Vassy Kapelos has won four Canadian Screen Awards. She won in 2020 for Best Live Production Social Media, in 2021 for Best Talk Program or Series for Power & Politics, and in 2024 and 2025 for Best Political News Program or Series for CTV's Power Play and Question Period. She also received the 2021 Leitch Lecture Award from the University of Alberta and University of Calgary's faculty of law. She was nominated again in 2026 for Best Host or Interviewer at the Canadian Screen Awards.

What is The Vassy Kapelos Show on iHeartRadio?

The Vassy Kapelos Show is a weekday national radio program hosted by Vassy Kapelos on the iHeartRadio Canada Talk Network. The show features hard-hitting interviews with major political players, entertaining analysis, and debate on the news shaping Canada. It extends her political journalism from television to the audio medium, providing daily context and insight into current events. The program description states it aims to keep listeners informed through interviews, analysis, and debate with favourite commentators.

What is Vassy Kapelos's educational background?

Vassy Kapelos holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario, which she earned in 2004. She later pursued graduate studies, receiving a Master of Arts degree from Dalhousie University in 2006. Her academic training in the arts provided a foundation for her career in analysis, communication, and political journalism. Her education at universities in Ontario and Nova Scotia gave her a broad understanding of different regions in Canada.

Where did Vassy Kapelos work before joining CTV News?

Before joining CTV News in November 2022, Vassy Kapelos was the host of CBC News Network's Power & Politics from 2018 to 2022. Prior to that, she worked for Global News, where she served as Ottawa bureau chief from 2016 and hosted the Sunday political show The West Block from 2017. Her career began with the Global Television Network, where she reported in Swift Current, Saskatoon, and Edmonton, covering provincial politics. In Edmonton, she worked as a provincial political affairs reporter, a role in which she broke a major story about a government severance package. This extensive experience covering both federal and provincial politics across Canada's top newsrooms preceded her move to CTV.

What was a major story Vassy Kapelos broke early in her career?

A major story Vassy Kapelos broke early in her career was about a large severance package paid to Premier Alison Redford's outgoing chief of staff in 2013. She broke this story while working as a provincial political affairs reporter for Global News in Edmonton. Her reporting created significant public and political pressure on the Alberta government. This pressure ultimately forced Premier Alison Redford to introduce a new sunshine list for public employees, increasing transparency around government compensation. The story was a notable example of her investigative work during her time covering Alberta politics. It helped establish her reputation for impactful political journalism early in her career.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.