Events

Best Canadian Stories: Vancouver Launch

Vancouver friends: come on out for a night of literary fun, as we celebrate the launch of Best Canadian Stories 2026! Guest editor Zsuzsi Gartner, along with several writers featured in the anthology, will be reading from their work. Copies will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Upstart & Crow.

The launch will take place on Tuesday, November 18 at 7PM.

Grab a copy of Best Canadian Stories 2026 here!

Check out the full set of Essays, Stories, and Poetry here!

ABOUT BEST CANADIAN STORIES 2026

“Combines both emerging and established voices for a fascinating glimpse at the most exciting short fiction coming out of this country.”—Open Book

Selected and introduced by Zsuzsi Gartner, Best Canadian Stories 2026 provides a distinctive sample of the best Canadian short fiction published over the previous year. Geminis are recruited to fight a war in space; an awkward Christmas dinner escalates around the roadkill main course; an interactive fiction game set in early Quebec becomes devastating and unnervingly strange for the player. These fifteen stories draw together an expressive range of characters and narratives, and appeal to both longstanding readers and those looking for an entry point into Canadian literature.

Featuring:

Shashi Bhat • Julie Bouchard, translated by Arielle Aaronson • Randy Boyagoda • Grant Buday • Petra Chambers • Sophie Crocker • Bill Gaston • Evan J • Aaron Kreuter • Alex Leslie • Erin MacNair • D.F. McCourt • Rishi Midha • Kaitlin Ruether • Margaret Sweatman

Best Canadian Poetry: Toronto Launch

Come on out for a night of poetry and fun, as we celebrate the launch of Best Canadian Poetry 2026! Series editor Anita Lahey, along with several local poets featured in the anthology—Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi, Steve McOrmond, Emily Kedar, Richard Greene, Susan Glickman, and Ronna Bloom—will be reading from their work at Queen Books. Copies will be available for sale and signing.

The launch will take place on Wednesday, November 19 at 6:30PM.

Grab a copy of Best Canadian Poetry 2026 here!

Check out the full set of Essays, Stories, and Poetry here!

ABOUT BEST CANADIAN POETRY 2026

Selected by editor Mary Dalton, the 2026 edition of Best Canadian Poetry showcases the best Canadian poetry writing published in the past year.

Featuring introductions by Mary Dalton and series editor Anita Lahey, Best Canadian Poetry 2026 offers a collection of brief but impactful glimpses into our current literary landscape, that expands our worldview and continues in the series tradition of asking: What constitutes a great poem?

Featuring:

John Wall Barger • Ronna Bloom • Nicholas Bradley • Petra Chambers • Carolina Corcoran • Kayla Czaga • Danielle Devereaux • Irina Dumitrescu • Puneet Dutt • Darrell Epp • Susan Glickman • Ariel Gordon • Jennifer Gossoo • Sue Goyette • Richard Greene • Glenn Hayes • Henry Heavyshield • Dave Hickey • Nancy Huggett • Kevin Irie • Emily Kedar • Conor Kerr • Evelyn Lau • Sylvia Legris • Steve McOrmond • Estlin McPhee • M.W. Miller • Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi • George Moore • Paul Moorehead • A.F. Moritz • Megan Morrison • Erín Moure • Cassandra Myers • Shane Neilson • Nofel • David O’Meara • John O’Neill • Michael Ondaatje • Craig Francis Power • John Reibetanz • Ozayr Saloojee • Vivek Sharma • Sue Sinclair • Karen Solie • Misha Solomon • Susan White • Erin Wilson • Jaeyun Yoo • Patricia Young

Best Canadian Stories: Toronto Launch

Toronto friends: come on out for a night of short fiction, as we celebrate the launch of Best Canadian Stories 2026! Guest editor Zsuzsi Gartner, along with several writers featured in the anthology, will be reading from their work. Copies will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Queen Books.

The launch will take place on Wednesday, November 26 at 7PM.

Grab a copy of Best Canadian Stories 2026 here!

Check out the full set of Essays, Stories, and Poetry here!

ABOUT BEST CANADIAN STORIES 2026

“Combines both emerging and established voices for a fascinating glimpse at the most exciting short fiction coming out of this country.”—Open Book

Selected and introduced by Zsuzsi Gartner, Best Canadian Stories 2026 provides a distinctive sample of the best Canadian short fiction published over the previous year. Geminis are recruited to fight a war in space; an awkward Christmas dinner escalates around the roadkill main course; an interactive fiction game set in early Quebec becomes devastating and unnervingly strange for the player. These fifteen stories draw together an expressive range of characters and narratives, and appeal to both longstanding readers and those looking for an entry point into Canadian literature.

Featuring:

Shashi Bhat • Julie Bouchard, translated by Arielle Aaronson • Randy Boyagoda • Grant Buday • Petra Chambers • Sophie Crocker • Bill Gaston • Evan J • Aaron Kreuter • Alex Leslie • Erin MacNair • D.F. McCourt • Rishi Midha • Kaitlin Ruether • Margaret Sweatman

Best Canadian Poetry: St John’s Launch

Come on out for a night of poetry and fun, as we celebrate the launch of Best Canadian Poetry 2026! Guest editor Mary Dalton, along with several poets featured in the anthology—Danielle Devereaux, Craig Power, Paul Moorehead, Susan White, and Richard Greene—will be reading from their work at the Ship Pub. Copies will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Riddle Fence.

The launch will take place on Sunday, November 30 at 7:30PM.

Grab a copy of Best Canadian Poetry 2026 here!

Check out the full set of Essays, Stories, and Poetry here!

ABOUT BEST CANADIAN POETRY 2026

Selected by editor Mary Dalton, the 2026 edition of Best Canadian Poetry showcases the best Canadian poetry writing published in the past year.

Featuring introductions by Mary Dalton and series editor Anita Lahey, Best Canadian Poetry 2026 offers a collection of brief but impactful glimpses into our current literary landscape, that expands our worldview and continues in the series tradition of asking: What constitutes a great poem?

Featuring:

John Wall Barger • Ronna Bloom • Nicholas Bradley • Petra Chambers • Carolina Corcoran • Kayla Czaga • Danielle Devereaux • Irina Dumitrescu • Puneet Dutt • Darrell Epp • Susan Glickman • Ariel Gordon • Jennifer Gossoo • Sue Goyette • Richard Greene • Glenn Hayes • Henry Heavyshield • Dave Hickey • Nancy Huggett • Kevin Irie • Emily Kedar • Conor Kerr • Evelyn Lau • Sylvia Legris • Steve McOrmond • Estlin McPhee • M.W. Miller • Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi • George Moore • Paul Moorehead • A.F. Moritz • Megan Morrison • Erín Moure • Cassandra Myers • Shane Neilson • Nofel • David O’Meara • John O’Neill • Michael Ondaatje • Craig Francis Power • John Reibetanz • Ozayr Saloojee • Vivek Sharma • Sue Sinclair • Karen Solie • Misha Solomon • Susan White • Erin Wilson • Jaeyun Yoo • Patricia Young

Best Canadian Essays: Toronto Launch

Come on out for a night of literary fun, as we celebrate the launch of Best Canadian Essays 2026! Guest editor Brian Bethune, along with several writers featured in the anthology—Mark Kingwell, Stephen Marche, Kelsey Gilchrist, and Ronna Bloom—will be reading from their work. Copies will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Another Story.

The launch will take place on Friday, December 5 at 7PM.

Grab a copy of Best Canadian Essays 2026 here!

Check out the full set of Essays, Stories, and Poetry here!

ABOUT BEST CANADIAN ESSAYS 2026

“A superb collection of national thinkers, crackling with insight on the issues of the age.”—Chatelaine

Selected and introduced by Brian Bethune, Best Canadian Essays 2026 provides a unique perspective on what constitutes the best Canadian nonfiction writing published in the previous year. Featuring topics of motherhood and the choice to be child-free, climate change, catfishing, addiction and mental health, these fourteen essays offer poignant and clear-eyed insights into the diverse—sometimes underexplored—aspects of our society and ourselves.

Featuring:

Hollie Adams • Peter Babiak • Chris Banks • Ronna Bloom • Andreae Callanan • Kelsey Gilchrist • Cynthia Gralla • Basma Kavanagh • Mark Kingwell • Kyo Maclear • Stephen Marche • Shane Neilson • Ian Roy • Darryl Whetter