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 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
Submission Guidelines
Arc Poetry Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Ottawa)
Founded: 1978
Genres: Poetry, reviews, essays
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Awards: 7 (most recently: Morgan Christie, Silver Medal, Poetry, 2023)
NMA Nominations: 32
Submission Guidelines
Archetype: A Literary Journal
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2022
Genres: Essays, poetry, fiction, interviews, reviews, photography, art
Issues per Year: 2
Submission Guidelines
Augur Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2016
Genres: Fiction, poetry
Issues per Year: 2
Submissions Guidelines
Blank Spaces
Published in: Ontario (West Grey)
Founded: 2016
Genres: Fiction, non-fiction, art, photo essays
Issues per Year: 4
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: 21
Submission Guidelines
Broken Pencil
Published in: Ontario
Founded: 1995
Genres: Zines, small press books, comics, interviews, original fiction, commentary on indie arts
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Award Nominations: 2
Submission Guidelines
Bywords.ca
Published in: Ontario (Ottawa)
Founded: 1990
Genres: Poetry
Issues per Year: Monthly (online)
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: 1
Submissions Guidelines
CNQ: Canadian Notes & Queries
Published in: Ontario (Windsor)
Founded: 1968
Genres: Literary and cultural criticism, essays, memoir, humour
Issues per Year: 3
National Magazine Awards: 2
NMA Nominations: 8
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
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
Submission Guidelines
Carousel
Published in: Ontario (University of Guelph)
Founded: 1983
Genres: Poetry, fiction, comics, interviews, contemporary art
Issues per Year: Online
National Magazine Awards: 1
NMA Nominations: 3
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
Submission Guidelines
Cloud Lake Literary
Published in: Thunder Bay, ON
Founded: 2020
Genres: Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and children’s literature (up to and including YA)
Issues per Year: 2
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
Submission Guidelines
Cosmonauts Avenue
Published in: Quebec (Montreal)
Founded: 2014
Genres: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, x-genre
Issues per Year: Monthly (online)
Submission Guidelines
Counterflow
Published in: British Colombia (Nanaimo)
Founded: 2007
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, visual art
Issues per Year: 1
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
Submission Guidelines
DarkWinter Literary Magazine
Publishing in: Drumbo, Ontario
Founded: 2022
Genres: poetry and short fiction
Publishes: weekly
Submission Guidelines
Dreamers Creative Writing
Published in: Ontario (Hepworth)
Founded: 2017
Genres: Short stories, poetry, personal essays, excerpts
Issues per Year: 3
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
Submission Guidelines
Existere
Published in: Ontario (York University, Toronto)
Founded: 1978
Genres: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, art
Issues per Year: 2
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: 18
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: 21
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: 23
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
Submissions Guidelines
Funicular Magazine
Published in: Edmonton, AB
Founded: 2018
Genres: Short fiction, poetry, flash fiction
Issues Per Year: 3
Submission Guidelines
Geez
Published in: Manitoba (Winnipeg)
Founded: 2007
Genres: Poetry, photography creative non-fiction, reviews, journalism
Issues per Year: 4
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: 24
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: 31
Submission Guidelines
Gravitas Poetry
Published in: Ontario (Ottawa region)
Founded: 2018
Genres: Poetry
Issues per Year: 3
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
Hamilton Arts & Letters
Published in: Ontario (Hamilton)
Founded: 2008
Genres: Literary works, graphic novel excerpts, exploratory writing, poetry, literary non-fiction, and the work of visual, audio, and film
Issues per Year: 1
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: 20
NMA Nominations: 69
Submission Guidelines
Hermine
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2020
Genres: Short fiction
Issues per Year: 1
Submission Guidelines
Hexagon, Speculative Fiction Magazine
Published in: Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)
Founded: 2020
Genres: Flash fiction, poetry, and short stories
Issues per Year: 4
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 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
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
Juniper – A Poetry Journal
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2017
Genres: Poetry
Issues per Year: 3 (online)
Submissions 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: 13
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: 45
NMA Nominations: 177
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: 97
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 Guidelines
Maynard, The (on hiatus)
Published in: British Columbia (Vancouver)
Founded: 2008
Genres: Poetry
Issues per Year: Online
Submissions Guidelines
Minola Review
Published in: Online-only
Founded: 2016
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction
Issues per Year: 4
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
Mystery Weekly
Published in: Ontario (Ancaster)
Founded: 2015
Genres: Crime fiction
Issues per Year: 12
Submission 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: 23
NMA Nominations: 72
Submission Guidelines
NōD
Published In: Alberta (U. of Calgary)
Founded: 2014
Genres: Poetry, Prose, Visual Arts
Issues per Year: 2
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 Guidelines
Open Minds Quarterly
Published in: Ontario (Sudbury)
Founded: 1998
Genres: Non-fiction, fiction, poetry, art, experimental pieces, letters, opinion pieces, research, etc. (on the subject of mental health)
Issues per Year: 4
Submission Guidelines
Parentheses
Published in: Ontario
Founded: 2017
Genres: Poetry, fiction, art, photography
Issues per Year: 2
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 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)
Submissions Guidelines
Polyglot, The
Published in: Alberta (Edmonton)
Founded: 2016
Genres: Poetry, art
Issues per Year: 2
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 Guidelines
Prairie Fire
Published in: Manitoba (Winnipeg)
Founded: 1978
Genres: Fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction
Issues per Year: 4
National Magazine Awards: 18 (most recently: Catherine Hunter, Gold Medal, Fiction, 2020)
NMA Nominations: 55
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
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
National Magazine Awards: 14 (most recently: Emily Riddle, Silver Medal, Poetry, 2020)
NMA Nominations: 33
Submission Guidelines
Pulp Literature
Published in: British Columbia
Founded: 2014
Genres: Visual art, short stories, novellas, poetry, comics, illustrations
Issues per Year: 4
Submissions Guidelines
Puritan, The
Published in: Ontario (Ottawa)
Founded: 2006
Genres: Fiction, poetry, essays, interviews, reviews
Issues per Year: 4
Submission Guidelines
Quagmire Magazine
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2022
Genres: Fiction, poetry, interviews
Issues per Year: 1
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 Guidelines
Quilliad, The
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2013
Genres: Poetry, flash fiction, short stories, art, photography
Issues per Year: 2
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 Guidelines
Riddle Fence
Published in: Newfoundland & Labrador
Founded: 2009
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, features, reviews, contemporary art
Issues per Year: 4
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: 1
NMA Nominations: 8
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 Guidelines
Spadina Literary Review
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2011
Genres: Poetry, short fiction, memoir, pensées, art
Issues per Year: 6
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: 12
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 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: 19
NMA Nominations: 93
Submission Guidelines
Touch the Donkey
Published in: Online
Founded: 2014
Genres: Poetry, interviews
Issues per Year: 5
Submission Guidelines
Understory Magazine
Published in: Nova Scotia (Halifax & Lunenburg)
Founded: 2013
Genres: Literary prose, poetry, visual art
Issues per Year: 2-3
Submission Guidelines
Untethered
Published in: Ontario (Toronto)
Founded: 2014
Genres: Poetry, fiction, non-fiction, art
Issues per Year: 2
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
Windsor Review, The
Published in: Ontario (University of Windsor)
Founded: 1965
Genres: Poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, review essays
Issues per Year: 2
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 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.