Canadian literary magazines publish much of Canada’s best poetry and prose. The writers whose creative work appears in their pages range from established icons of Canadian literary arts—such as Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood and Lynn Coady, to name just a few—to new writers published for the first time.
The following list, compiled by the National Media Awards Foundation, is an A-to-Z guide to Canadian literary periodicals and their submissions guidelines. This guide focuses on magazines that currently publish short fiction, poetry, and/or creative (aka literary) non-fiction. Many of these magazines also accept submissions for essays, literary criticism, reviews, interviews, graphic narratives, and visual art. Some of the works published in these magazines have even won a National Magazine Award!
If you’d like your magazine listed, please email us. There is no charge to be added and we include a wide variety of magazines, journals, and publications from across the country in our guide.
Acta Victoriana
Published in: Ontario (Victoria University, Toronto)
Founded: 1878
Genres: Fiction, poetry, visual arts
Issues per Year: 4
Submissions are Closed
Submissions Guidelines
Ampersand Review of Writing and Publishing, The
Published in: Ontario (Mississauga)
Founded: 2020
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, interviews, and book reviews
Issues per Year: 2
Submissions are Open
Submission Guidelines
Arc Poetry Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Ottawa)
Founded: 1978
Genres: Poetry, reviews, essays
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Awards: 8 (most recently: Dominique Bernier-Cormier, Silver Medal, Poetry, 2024)
NMA Nominations: 33
Submissions are Open
Submission Guidelines
Archetype: A Literary Journal
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2022
Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction, interviews, reviews, photography, art
Issues per Year: 2
Submissions Period: Nov 1 – Jan 7 (Spring), Jul 1- Aug 6 (Fall)
Submission Guidelines
Augur Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2016
Genres: Fiction, poetry
Issues per Year: 2
Submissions are Closed
Submissions Guidelines
Artisanal Writer, The
Published in: Toronto, Ontario
Founded: 2021
Genres: Interviews, reviews and essays
Issues per Year: 12
Submissions Guidelines
Blank Spaces
Published in: Ontario (West Grey)
Founded: 2016
Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, art, photo essays
Issues per Year: 4
Submissions are Open
Submissions Guidelines
Brick, A Literary Journal
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 1977
Genres: Essays, reviews, interviews, belle lettres, memoir, translations
Issues per Year: 2
National Magazine Awards: 6
NMA Nominations: 23
Submissions Period: Oct 1- 31 and April 1- 30
Submission Guidelines
Bywords.ca
Published in: Ontario (Ottawa)
Founded: 1990
Genres: Poetry
Issues per Year: Monthly (online)
Submissions Period: 15th of each month
Submissions Guidelines
Canadian Literature
Published in: British Columbia (Univ. of British Columbia)
Founded: 1959
Genres: Book reviews of critical and creative works, poems, short notes, interviews, articles
Issues per Year: 2
National Magazine Award Nominations: 2
Submissions Period: Year round
Submissions Guidelines
CNQ: Canadian Notes & Queries
Published in: Ontario (Windsor)
Founded: 1968
Genres: Non- Fiction: Literary and cultural criticism, essays, memoir, humour
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Awards: 2
NMA Nominations: 8
Submissions Period: Year round
Submission Guidelines
Canthius Journal
Published in: Canada
Founded: 2015
Genres: Poetry & prose (by writers of marginalized gender identities, including trans, Two Spirit, non-binary, agender, cis women, genderqueer, GNC, and intersex writers)
Issues per Year: 2
Submissions Period: Year round
Submission Guidelines
Capilano Review, The
Published in: British Columbia (Capilano University, Vancouver)
Founded: 1972
Genres: Art, poetry, short essays, reviews, and interviews
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Awards: 3
NMA Nominations: 12
Submissions are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Carte Blanche
Published in: Quebec (Quebec Writers’ Federation, Montreal)
Founded: 2004
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, photography, translation, comics, photo essays
Issues per Year: 2
Submissions Period: Jul 21- Aug 21
Submission Guidelines
Contemporary Verse 2
Published in: Manitoba (Winnipeg)
Founded: 1975
Genres: Poetry and critical writing about poetry, including interviews, articles, essays, and reviews
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 1 (Sarah Klassen, Silver, 2017)
NMA Nominations: 6
Submissions Period: Sept. 1 through May 31
Submission Guidelines
Counterflow
Published in: British Colombia (Nanaimo)
Founded: 2007
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, visual art
Issues per Year: 1
Submissions are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Dalhousie Review, The
Published in: Nova Scotia (Dalhousie University, Halifax)
Founded: 1921
Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, reviews
Issues per Year: 3
Submissions Period: Year round
Submission Guidelines
DarkWinter Literary Magazine
Publishing in: Drumbo, Ontario
Founded: 2022
Genres: poetry and short fiction
Publishes: weekly
Submissions are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Dreamers Creative Writing
Published in: Ontario (Hepworth)
Founded: 2017
Genres: Short stories, poetry, personal essays, excerpts
Issues per Year: 3
Submissions Period: Year round
Submission Guidelines
Event
Published in: British Columbia (Douglas College)
Founded: 1971
Genres: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction, book reviews
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Awards: 13
NMA Nominations: 49
Submissions Period: Aug – Sept, Dec – Jan
Submission Guidelines
Existere
Published in: Ontario (York University, Toronto)
Founded: 1978
Genres: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, art
Issues per Year: 2
Submissions Period: Year round
Submission Guidelines
EXILE Quarterly
Published in: Ontario
Founded: 1972
Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, translations, drama, visual art
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 5 (Most recently: Patrick Lane, Gold Medal, Poetry, 2020)
NMA Nominations: 19
Submissions Period: Year Round
Submission Guidelines
Ex-Puritan, The
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2007
Genres: Fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, reviews
Issues per Year: 4
Submissions Period: Year round
Submission Guidelines
Feathertale Review, The
Published in: Ontario (Ottawa)
Founded: 2008
Genres: Cartoons, interviews, poetry, short fiction, sketches
Issues per Year: 2
National Magazine Awards: 8 (most recently: Best Editorial Package, 2022)
NMA Nominations: 23
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Fiddlehead, The
Published in: New Brunswick (University of New Brunswick, Fredericton)
Founded: 1945
Genres: Fiction, Poetry, Reviews
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 4
NMA Nominations: 25
Submission Deadlines: Jan1 – Mar 3, Sept 15 – Nov 30
Submission Guidelines
filling station
Published in: Alberta (Calgary)
Founded: 1993
Genres: Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction, Visual Art
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Award Nominations: 1
Submission Guidelines
Freefall
Published in: Alberta (Lit. Society of Calgary)
Founded: 1990
Genres: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, literary reviews, author interviews, and visual arts
Issues per Year: 3
Submission Deadlines: Jun 1 – Sept 30
Submissions Guidelines
Funicular Magazine
Published in: Edmonton, AB
Founded: 2018
Genres: Short fiction, poetry, flash fiction
Issues Per Year: 3
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Geist
Published in: British Columbia (The Geist Foundation, Vancouver)
Founded: 1990
Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photography, comics, reviews
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 8
NMA Nominations: 27
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Grain
Published in: Saskatchewan (Sask. Writers’ Guild, Saskatoon)
Founded: 1973
Genres: Poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, short plays, comics, visual work
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 4
NMA Nominations: 32
Submission Deadlines: Sept 15 -Jun 15
Submission Guidelines
GUTS: Canadian Feminist Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2013
Genres: Feminist literary essays and reviews, long-form journalism, interviews, fiction, poetry, columns, and new media
Issues per Year: Biannual, plus regular online content
Submission Guidelines
Hazlitt
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2012
Genres: Art, sound, text, fiction, non-fiction, humour, criticism
Issues per Year: Online
National Magazine Awards: 21 (most recently: Alison Motluk, Silver Medal, Investigative Reporting, 2024)
NMA Nominations: 73
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Hexagon, Speculative Fiction Magazine
Published in: Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)
Founded: 2020
Genres: Flash fiction, poetry, and short stories
Issues per Year: 4
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Humber Literary Review, The
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2014
Genres: Fiction, poetry, essays, reviews, art
Issues per Year: 2
National Magazine Award Nominations: 2
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Inuit Art Quarterly
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 1986
Genres: Stories, artist interviews, historical analyses, personal essays
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 5
NMA Nominations: 16
Open call Submissions
Submission Guidelines
In/Words (On hiatus)
Published in: Ontario (Carleton University, Ottawa)
Founded: 2001
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, visual art
Issues per Year: 2–3
Submission Guidelines
Literary Review of Canada, The
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 1991
Genres: Reviews, essays, art, poetry
Issues per Year: 10
National Magazine Awards: 2
NMA Nominations: 14
Poetry Submission Deadlines: Oct 10 -Nov 10, Mar 10 – Apr 10
Submission Guidelines
Maisonneuve
Published in: Quebec (Montreal)
Founded: 2002
Genres: Non-fiction writing (reporting, essays, memoir, humour, etc.), visual art (illustration, photography, comics, etc.)
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 47 (most recently: Winnie Truong, Gold Metal, Illustration 2024)
NMA Nominations: 179
Submission Guidelines
Malahat Review, The
Published in: British Columbia (University of Victoria)
Founded: 1967
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, reviews, interviews, essays
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 32
NMA Nominations: 100
Submission Guidelines
Maple Tree Literary Supplement
Published in: Quebec (Montreal)
Founded: 2008
Genres: Fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, drama, film, visual arts, literary photography, author interviews
Issues Per Year: 3
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Minola Review
Published in: Online-only
Founded: 2016
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction
Issues per Year: 4
Submission are Closed
Submissions Guidelines
Montreal Review, The
Published in: Quebec (Montreal)
Founded: 2009
Genres: Long-form critical essays, book reviews, commentaries, interviews, photo essays, short stories, poetry
Issues per Year: 3
Submissions Guidelines
Nashwaak Review, The
Published in: New Brunswick (St. Thomas University, Fredericton)
Founded: 1994
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, travel pieces, essays, articles, reviews, photography
Issues per Year: 2
Submission Guidelines
New Quarterly, The
Published in: Ontario (St. Jerome’s University, Waterloo)
Founded: 1981
Genres: Short fiction, poetry, postscripts, non-fiction
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 26 (most recently: Sandy Pool , Gold Medal, Essays, 2024)
NMA Nominations: 72
Submission Guidelines
NōD
Published In: Alberta (U. of Calgary)
Founded: 2014
Genres: Poetry, Prose, Visual Arts
Issues per Year: 2
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
NUNUM
Published in: Grand Barachois, New Brunswick
Founded: 2018
Genres: Flash fiction, art
Issues per Year: 4 + annual anthology
Submission Guidelines
On Spec
Published in: Alberta (Edmonton)
Founded: 1989
Genres: Fiction, poetry
Issues per Year: 4
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Pinhole Poetry
Published in: Canada (Online)
Founded: 2022
Genres: Poems and lensless photography
Issues per Year: Online (published on a quarterly schedule in April, July, October and January)
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Plenitude
Published in: Canada (Online)
Founded: 2012
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, book reviews, articles, interviews (by LGBTQ2S+ writers)
Issues per Year: Online (year-round)
Submission are Open
Submissions Guidelines
Polyglot, The
Published in: Alberta (Edmonton)
Founded: 2016
Genres: Poetry, art
Issues per Year: 2
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Portal Magazine
Published in: British-Columbia (Vancouver Island University)
Founded: 1991
Genres: Short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, scripts, interviews, art, photography
Issues per Year: 1
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Prairie Fire
Published in: Manitoba (Winnipeg)
Founded: 1978
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 21 (most recently: Cooper Skjeie, Gold Medal, Poetry, 2024)
NMA Nominations: 56
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Prairie Journal
Published in: Alberta (Calgary)
Founded: 1983
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, drama, literary criticism, reviews, bibliography, interviews, profiles, artwork
Issues per Year: 2
National Magazine Award Nominations: 2
Submission are Open
Submissions Guidelines
PRISM International
Published in: British Columbia (University of British Columbia)
Founded: 1959
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, drama, translation
Issues per Year: 4
Submissions Deadlines: January 25 – March 10 2025.
Submission Guidelines
Pulp Literature
Published in: British Columbia
Founded: 2014
Genres: Visual art, short stories, novellas, poetry, comics, illustrations
Issues per Year: 4
Submission are Closed
Submissions Guidelines
Quagmire Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2022
Genres: Fiction, poetry, interviews
Issues per Year: 1
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Queen’s Quarterly
Published in: Ontario (Queen’s University, Kingston)
Founded: 1893
Genres: Articles, essays, short stories, poetry
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 11
NMA Nominations: 44
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Quilliad, The
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2013
Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories, art, photography
Issues per Year: 2
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Quist
Published in: Quebec
Founded: 2024
Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, hybrid work, comics and graphic storytelling.
Issues per Year: 2
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Ricepaper
Published in: British Columbia (Vancouver)
Founded: 1995
Genres: Poetry, fiction, drama, graphic novels, translation, non-fiction, literary creative writing, features, profiles/interviews, reviews, art, photography (by Asian writers)
Issues per Year: 4
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Riddle Fence
Published in: Newfoundland & Labrador
Founded: 2009
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, features, reviews, contemporary art
Issues per Year: 4
NMA Nominations: 1
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Room
Published in: British Columbia (Vancouver)
Founded: 1975
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, art, interviews, book reviews (by people of marginalized genders)
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 2 (most recently: Stephanie R. Lim , Gold Medal, Essays, 2024)
NMA Nominations: 8
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Shadow and Sax
Published in: Toronto and Vancouver
Founded: 2025
Genres: Poetry, hybrid work, and visual art
Issues per Year: 4
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Site Magazine, The
Published in: Edmonton, Alberta
Founded: 2015
Genres: Essays, research, design work, conceptual projects, reportage, photography, architectural drawings, art
Issues per Year: 2
National Magazine Awards: 4
NMA Nominations: 10
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
Spadina Literary Review
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2011
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, memoir, pensées, art
Issues per Year: 6
Submission are Open
Submissions Guidelines
sub-Terrain
Published in: British Columbia (Vancouver)
Founded: 1992
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, essays, commentary, book reviews
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Awards: 3
NMA Nominations: 13
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
The Mitre Literary Journal
Published in: Lennoxville, Quebec
Founded: 1893
Genres: Poetry, fiction, essays, visual arts
Issues per Year: 1
Submission Guidelines
The Temz Review
Published in: Ontario (London)
Founded: 2017
Genres: Fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry
Issues per Year: 4
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
THIS Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Red Maple Foundation, Toronto)
Founded: 1966
Genres: Features, essays, columns, reported pieces, arts, news pieces
Issues per Year: 6
National Magazine Awards: 20 (most recently: Leslie Sinclair, Gold Medal, Feature Writing, 2024)
NMA Nominations: 95
Submission Guidelines
Touch the Donkey
Published in: Online
Founded: 2014
Genres: Poetry, interviews
Issues per Year: 5
Submission Guidelines
Untethered
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2014
Genres: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, art
Issues per Year: 2
Submission are Closed
Submissions Guidelines
Vallum
Published in: Quebec (Montreal)
Founded: 2000
Genres: Poetry, reviews, essays, interviews
Issues per Year: 2
National Magazine Awards: 2
NMA Nominations: 8
Submission Guidelines
White Wall Review
Published in: Canada
Founded: 1976
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, reviews, interview, visual art
Issues per Year: 1
Submission are Open
Submission Guidelines
Windsor Review, The
Published in: Ontario (University of Windsor)
Founded: 1965
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, review essays
Issues per Year: 2
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
yolk
Published in: Quebec (Montreal)
Founded: 2019
Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, visual arts
Issues per Year: 2 print publications, plus new digital content every three weeks
Submission are Closed
Submission Guidelines
In addition to the above list, many of Canada’s news, general-interest, lifestyle, and arts magazines publish fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction, including but not limited to Border Crossings, The Walrus, Toronto Life, Inroads, Ottawa Magazine, and Alberta Views.