Competing for the first time as a junior at the Canadian championships, Émard topped the field of 15 competitors with a total score of 122.150 points, far ahead of his closet rival Ryan Oerhlein of Georgetown, Ont., who won the silver medal with a score of 118 points.
Sam Zakutney of Ottawa took the bronze with 117.930.
“It’s a big surprise,” said Émard, who placed in the top three on five of the six apparatus.
“The other gymnasts are really good and my coach and I thought I would finish third or fourth and for sure this is going to give me an amazing boost.”
Defending champion Anthony Tawfik of Mississauga, Ont., ran into problems on his floor and parallel bars routines and wound up in fifth place with a score of 115.530.
In the women’s junior qualification, Megan Roberts of Toronto, placed first with 54.35 points, edging runner-up Jade Chrobok of Toronto by less than a point for top spot.
Chrobok qualified second with 53.8 points and Meixi Semple of Oshawa, Ont., was third at 53.35.
Roberts, who finished third all around at last year’s Canadian championships, singled out the beam event as her personal highlight.
“I performed a new dismount called an Arabian double front and it’s pretty hard to do,” said Roberts.
The move includes a double somersault off the end of the beam and boasts one of the highest degree of difficulties in women’s gymnastics.
“I practiced it a lot and I really wanted to perform it,” said Roberts. “It’s not really scary to me, it kind of gives me an adrenalin rush when I’m going for it.”
The top 16 in the qualification advanced to the all around final on Sunday.