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Postmedia’s newspapers won 21 Ontario Newspaper Awards at a gala held Saturday night in Hamilton attended by roughly 250 journalists, editors, photographers and publishers. The London Free Press and Windsor Star earned five awards

each, while the Niagara Falls Review, Sudbury Star and Woodstock Sentinel Review each won two. Also among the winners Saturday were the Barrie Examiner, Belleville Intelligencer, Brantford Expositor, Owen Sound Sun Times and St. Catharines Standard.

“Each one of these winners — and nominees — represent a vital link between our journalists and their communities,” said Gerry Nott, Postmedia’s senior vice-president for content. “We’re reminded every day of the importance of journalism in a world where, unfortunately, fake news is gaining ground. The journalists recognized tonight are the real deal.” Among the winners for the Free

Press were a team of six journalists — Jennifer O’Brien, Randy Richmond, Heather Rivers, Jennifer Vandermeer, Jane Sims and Megan Stacey — recognized for excellence in spot-news reporting for papers with circulation higher than 25,000 (a second team from the London newsroom was also nominated in that category). Richmond also won the Del Bell Memorial Award for feature writing for a paper with a circulation above 25,000.

The Windsor Star’s five wins included three for photography —

Star shooter Tyler Brownbridge was honoured twice, for feature photography and for spot-news photography at a paper with a circulation above 25,000, with Jason Kryk recognized for sports photography for papers with circulation above 25,000. John Law of the Niagara Falls

Review was also a two-time winner Saturday, earning the James Bruce Award for Arts and Entertainment Writing and, with colleague Ray Spiteri, winning the ONA for municipal affairs reporting for newspapers with circulation below 25,000.

The Woodstock Sentinel Review’s Greg Colgan took home two awards as well, for both sports writing and sports photographer for a newspaper with a circulation below 25,000.

“Consumers of news can rely on and trust what they read in Ontario newspapers. There is nothing alternative about the facts gathered by the professional journalists who work for these organizations. They are committed to uncovering truths, and in this way Ontario’s journalists are supporting democracy,” ONA chair Howard Elliott said in a release.

Founded in 1953, the Ontario Newspaper Awards recognize excellence in journalism among some three dozen newspapers based outside Toronto. The Hamilton Spectator led all individual newspapers with 12 wins. The John E. Motz Memorial Award for design and graphics was awarded to the former newsroom of the Guelph Mercury, which ceased publication in January 2016.