Canada is home to a vibrant literary scene, with many literary festivals and publishers dedicated to supporting their country’s authors.
If you’re located in Canada and looking for a publisher, look no further than these Canadian publishers who are currently open to submissions.
Canadian Publishers
Below are 18 Canadian publishers currently accepting unsolicited submissions of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Please note that many of these publishers only publish works by Canadian authors. This is because many Canadian-owned publishers rely on grant funding from federal and provincial levels of government, and these grants require them to prioritize the publication of Canadian authors.
1. Talonbooks
Based in Vancouver, Talonbooks has been dedicated to Canadian literary excellence for over 50 years. They have more than 600 books in print, and their titles have won over 300 awards.
The company is known as a leading publisher of dramas, but over the past 10 years they have also expanded their literary nonfiction titles to include international works on the Balkans, the Middle East, Aboriginal rights and history, and on Canadian political issues.
Talonbooks currently does not accept submissions of self-help, YA, children’s books, cookbooks, memoirs, short story collections, how-to books, or genre fiction.
Submission Guidelines: talonbooks.com/submission-guidelines/
2. Turnstone Press
Turnstone Press publishes Canadian authors and landed immigrants. They strive to publish a significant number of new writers, a variety of genres, and works by Manitoba writers and/or books featuring prairie content.
Turnstone is currently looking for works of literary fiction, literary nonfiction, and poetry. They also publish literary mysteries, thrillers, noir, speculative fiction, and urban fantasy under their Ravenstone imprint.
Submission Guidelines: www.turnstonepress.com/submitting-guidelines
3. Douglas & McIntyre
Located in Madeira Park, British Columbia, Douglas & McIntyre interested in working mostly with Canadian authors, especially when it comes to people of color, LGBTQ+ members, or any other members of underrepresented communities.
They are currently accepting submissions for Fiction and Nonfiction, including works on history, politics, memoir, food, and art.
Submission Guidelines: douglas-mcintyre.com/submission-policy
4. At Bay Press
At Bay Press is an award-winning independent publisher. Located in Winnipeg, they seek to bring the work of new and undiscovered artists to light.
At Bay Press is currently accepting submissions for literary fiction and literary nonfiction, including poetry. They also publish literary mysteries, thrillers, noir, science fiction, fantasy, and graphic novels.
Submission Guidelines: atbaypress.com/submissions
5. Coach House Books
Coach House Books publishes innovative poetry, literary fiction, drama, and select nonfiction. They primarily publish Canadian authors and cannot publish books that have been previously published and assigned an ISBN.
Submission Guidelines: chbooks.com/About-us/Submissions
6. Orca Book Publishers
Orca Book Publishers is a children’s book publisher based in Victoria, British Columbia. They have over 1,000 titles in print and publish more than 80 new titles a year.
They are currently looking for children’s books (including picture books, board books, middle grade, and graphic novels) by Canadian authors only.
Submission Guidelines: www.orcabook.com/AuthorGuidelines
7. Broadview Press
Broadview Press is an independent academic publisher that focuses on the humanities, especially literature, philosophy, and history.
Their books are primarily used for undergraduate college and university courses. They especially welcome proposals from scholars with backgrounds that are underrepresented in publishing and academia.
Submission Guidelines: broadviewpress.com/contact-us/editorial/
8. Boulder Books
Headquartered in Newfoundland and Labrador, Boulder Books is an award-winning press that publishes fiction, nonfiction, and books related to trivia, field guides, photography, and more.
Submission Guidelines: boulderbooks.ca/submissions/
9. Between the Lines Books
Founded in 1977, Between the Lines Books is a social movement publisher of nonfiction books that aims to challenge societal oppression.
Their books reflect their activist roots and commitment to social justice struggles, especially those affecting Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities; migrants; women; the LGBTQ community; and working-class people.
Submissions: [email protected]
10. Red Deer Press
Red Deer Press is looking for quality writing from authors across Canada. They currently specialize in books for children across all ages, from picture books to young adult fiction and nonfiction.
Red Deer publishes to the national and international markets, and continually work to promote and market their books.
Submission Guidelines: www.reddeerpress.com/red-deer-press-submissions
11. Second Story Press
Second Story Press is a woman-owned press that seeks stories featuring strong female characters and themes of social justice, human rights, equality, and ability issues.
Their books include a mix of fiction and nonfiction for all ages, from infants to adults
Submission Guidelines: secondstorypress.ca/submissions
12. Arsenal Pulp Press
Based in Vancouver, Arsenal Pulp Press has over 400 titles in print and publishes 15–20 new titles each year.
They publish literary fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and poetry. They are especially interested in literature that engages and challenges readers.
Submission Guidelines: arsenalpulp.com/Submission-Guidelines
13. Invisible Publishing
Invisible Publishing describes themselves as a “small, scrappy, and seriously good producer” of Canadian literature.
Invisible publishes contemporary literary fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. However, they are not interested in children’s or YA books, historical fiction, memoirs, or self-help.
Submission Guidelines: invisiblepublishing.com/submissions/
14. Signature Editions
Signature Editions is a literary press that publishes primarily poetry, fiction, drama, and nonfiction work with literary merit.
They do not publish children’s books, romance novels, or self-help books, and they only publish authors who are Canadian citizens.
Submission Guidelines: www.signature-editions.com/submissions
15. Flanker Press
Flanker Press focuses primarily on regional nonfiction and historical fiction that relates to Newfoundland and Labrador.
They are the province’s most active publisher of trade books, and they average 20 new titles per year.
Submission Guidelines: www.flankerpress.com/submissions
16. Mansfield Press
Mansfield Press challenging and adventurous poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction by only Canadian writers.
Mansfield opened in Toronto’s Little Italy in 1999. They strive to foster the important exchange between writers and readers.
Submission Guidelines: mansfieldpress.net/submissions/
17. Ronsdale Press
Ronsdale Press was founded in Vancouver in 1988. They publish fiction, poetry, regional history, biography and autobiography, books about Canada, and children’s books (but not picture books).
Ronsdale is dedicated to publishing books by authors from across Canada, as well as books that give Canadians new insights to their country.
Submission Guidelines: ronsdalepress.com/submissions/
18. ECW Press
ECW Press has been recognized as one of the most diversified independent publishers in North America. They have published nearly 1,000 books that are distributed throughout the English-speaking world and translated into dozens of languages.
Please note that ECW accepts fiction and poetry submissions from Canadians only. However, there are no citizenship restrictions for submitting nonfiction.
Submission Guidelines: ecwpress.com/submissions
Publishing in Canada
If you’re a Canadian author looking to publish your book in Canada, these publishers can help you bring your ideas to print.
Before you submit, be sure to carefully follow all submission guidelines. You can also check out our tips on how to write a book proposal if you plan to include one in your submission.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
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As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
Hello there, I am a debut author and I do not have an online presence. I have completed the first 8 chapters of my Science Fiction novel and I am looking for a legitimate purely Canadian Publishing company that is open for submissions who do not charge money up front to publish my work and who would accept a submission from a new author who has not finished the entire novel, but is willing to submit what I have completed so far to tell me what they think of what I have completed so far.
what guarantee do I have if I submit my two book manuscripts that it will not be stolen by someone
Re: Talonbooks
Their website says, “We will not accept submissions of FICTION received after February 24, 2023.”
Just an FYI
I have been robbed by a World Famous Publisher in the SOUTH!
They kept me in the loop for more than a year but refused me at the end because they want my book to be edited before they publish my title. This same publisher has published my book in year 2009 and I was impressed. NOW THEY DECIDE TO DISCOURAGE ME. I ASKED THEM; EITHER PUBLISH MY BOOK OR RETURN MY MONEY – they have blocked my e-mail address.
I am a Canadian Citizen since 1972. In my book, I have a paragraph about comparison of the Canadian Prime Minister of the 1972 with the Canadian Prime Minister of the 2022.
Originally, I am an AYURVEDIC doctor whose Indian qualifications were not recognized. However, what and how I did to land in the teaching hospitals and LEAD THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW NEW ORGANISM THAT HAS BEEN NAMED AFTER MY FIRST NAME AS ” Candida Subhashii”. I am a medical Microbiology/Immunology expert worked in the three teaching hospitals in Canada. How an Indian Ayurvedic Doctor landed in the teaching hospitals in Canada (Newfoundland & Toronto) is something when I concluded the “reality & the definition” of the Truth and the Lie. It is up to you if you would let me visit you in Toronto to discus further. I am a 76 yrs old CANCER SURVIVOR. Please help me.
Hey Subhash, that seems like a tough situation to be in. TCK Publishing isn’t based in Toronto. Looking at your legal options might be the better thing to do.
Try to get a supportive publisher, who will assist me to grow. Some publishers are funny, their actions sometimes are discouraging
I was robbed by PageMaster Publishing and Dale Youngman of Edmonton Canada as well I was robbed by Author Reputation Press from the USA. Both secretly sold my book on Amazon and Kindle and did not pay royalties and blocked me after keeping in a loop for over a year. Both distorted my book contents, even removed many stories and inserting massive spelling mistakes, Dale Young man wanted ever more money to correct books. After five proof copies there were no corrections made, when they corrected one spelling mistake they added more , when they corrected one distorted artwork the turned around and changed other artwork. A never ending frustration of making me angry with finally blocking me from further contact .