In June 2018, the TIFF organizers announced a program to ensure that at least 20 percent of all film critics and journalists given press accreditation to the festival were members of underrepresented groups, such as women and people of color.

[1] The People's Choice Award was won by Green Book, directed by Peter Farrelly.

[7] Two days later, the Documentaries lineup was announced, with additional films added to the Midnight Madness programme.

[9] TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list, of the films selected by festival programmers as the year's ten best Canadian feature and short films, was released on December 5.

[10] Unlike in prior years, the films selected for the Top Ten list were not screened at a dedicated festival in January 2019, but instead each received its own standalone theatrical run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox throughout the year.