Trillium Book Award

About Trillium Book Award

The Ontario government established the Trillium Book Award in 1987 to recognize excellence, support marketing and foster increased public awareness of the quality and diversity of Ontario writers and writing.

This prestigious Award is the province’s leading award for literature. The quality of Ontario authors and writing speaks for itself with the international acclaim achieved by past Trillium winners including Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Timothy Findley and Anne Michaels. In 1994, the prize was expanded to include the Prix Trillium, a separate award for Ontario’s francophone writers and their publishers.

The award given to the author of each winning book is $20,000 and their publishers receive $2,500 for the marketing and promotion of the titles. In 2003, there was a further enhancement to the traditional Trillium Book Award with the creation of the new Trillium Book Award for Poetry for new and emerging poets. A first, second or third work by a poet is eligible and each award recipient receives $10,000 and $2,000 is given to the winning publishers.

In 2006 the awards in the French language were enhanced such that the Trillium Book Award for Poetry in French language is awarded every two years, with eligible titles over the two years considered for the Award. The Trillium Book Award for Children’s Literature in French language is offered in the alternate years that the Poetry French language award is not given out. Similar to the Trillium Book Award for Poetry, the award recipient receives $10,000 and $2,000 is given to the winning publisher. The Trillium Award is open to books in any genre: fiction, non-fiction, drama, children’s books and poetry. Anthologies and translations are not eligible. A jury of writers and figures from the literary community judges all submissions and selects the winning titles.

Key Dates & Funding Deadlines

November 8, 2025 -

For titles published between January - October 2025

January 31, 2026 -

For titles published in November and December 2025

One (1) eBook of each title in EPUB or PDF format must be uploaded to Ontario Creates’ online submission form
Two (2) paper copies of each title must be submitted along with a hard copy completed submission form

Submissions are now closed. Stay tuned for 2026 details.

2025 Finalists

2024 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

More Sure, A. Light Zachary, Arsenal Pulp Press

2024 Trillium Book Award (French)

Vivre ou Presque, Nicolas Weinberg, Éditions L'Interligne

2024 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Clarion, Nina Dunic, Invisible Publishing

2023 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

Le secret de Paloma, Michèle Laframboise, Éditions David

2023 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

My Grief, the Sun, Sanna Wani, House of Anansi Press

2023 Trillium Book Award (French)

Circé des hirondelles, Gilles Lacombe, Éditions L'Interligne

2023 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Book of Grief and Hamburgers, Stuart Ross, ECW Press

2022 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Exosquelette, Chloé LaDuchesse, Mémoire d'encrier

2022 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Intruder, Bardia Sinaee, House of Anansi Press

2022 Trillium Book Award (French)

Un conte de l’apocalypse, Robert Marinier, Éditions Prise de parole

2022 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Last Exiles, Ann Shin, Park Row / Harlequin Trade Publishing

Book Éric Mathieu Capitaine Boudu et les enfants de la Cédille Éditions L Interligne FRE11

2021 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

Capitaine Boudu et les enfants de la Cédille, Éric Mathieu, Éditions L'Interligne

Book Jody Chan sick Black Lawrence Press ENG3

2021 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Sick, Jody Chan, Black Lawarence Press

Book Danièle Vallée Sept nuits dans la vie de Chérie Éditions David FRE15

2021 Trillium Book Award (French)

Sept nuits dans la vie de Chérie, Danièle Vallée, Éditions David

Book Souvankham Thammavongsa How to Pronounce Knife Mc Clelland Stewart ENG15

2021 Trillium Book Award (English)

How to Pronounce Knife, Souvankham Thammavongsa, McClelland & Stewart

2020 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Premier quart, Véronique Sylvain, Prise de parole

2020 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Unmeaningable, Roxanna Bennett, Gordon Hill Press

Ruban Paul Crevaison en corbillard COVER

2020 Trillium Book Award (French)

Crevaison en corbillard, Paul Ruban, Flammarion Québec

2020 Trillium Book Award (English)

Shut Up You're Pretty, Téa Mutonji, VS. Books/Arsenal Pulp Press

Diya Lim La marchande la sorcière la lune et moi COVER

2019 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

La marchande, la sorcière, la lune et moi, Diya Lim, Les Éditions L'Interligne

2019 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Sit How You Want, Robin Richardson, Signal Editions/Véhicule Press

2019 Trillium Book Award (French)

Et si un soir, Lisa L’Heureux, Prise de parole

2019 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Blue Clerk, Dionne Brand, McClelland & Stewart

2018 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Oubliez, Sylvie Bérard, Éditions Prise de parole

2018 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Class Clown, Pino Coluccio, Bibioasis

Aurélie Resch Sous le soleil de midi COVER

2018 Trillium Book Award (French)

Sous le soleil de midi, Aurélie Resch, Éditions Prise de parole

2018 Trillium Book Award (English)

Birds Art Life, Kyo Maclear, Doubleday Canada

Pierre Luc Belanger Ski Blanche et avalanche COVER

2017 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

Ski, Blanche et avalanche, Pierre-Luc Bélanger, Éditions David

2017 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Yes or Nope, Meaghan Strimas, Mansfield Press

2017 Trillium Book Award (French)

La Mesure du temps, Jean Boisjoli, Éditions Prise de parole

2017 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Sweetest One, Melanie Mah, Cormorant Books

2016 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Neuvaines, David Ménard, Les Éditions L'Interligne

Tell poems for a girlhood Soraya Peerbaye COVER

2016 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Tell: poems for a girlhood, Soraya Peerbaye, Pedlar Press

Veronique Marie Kaye Marjorie Chalifoux COVER

2016 Trillium Book Award (French)

Marjorie Chalifoux, Véronique-Marie Kaye, Éditions Prise de parole

2016 Trillium Book Award (English)

Debris, Kevin Hardcastle, Biblioasis

2015 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

Mauvaise mine, Micheline Marchand, Les Éditions L'Interligne

2015 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Broom Broom, Brecken Hancock, Coach House Books

Michel Dallaire Violoncelle pour lune dautomne COVER

2015 Trillium Book Award (French)

Violoncelle pour lune d’automne, Michel Dallaire, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2015 Trillium Book Award (English)

How You Were Born, Kate Cayley, Pedlar Press

Daniel Groleau Landry Rêver au réel COVER

2014 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Rêver au réel, Daniel Groleau Landry, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2014 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Light, Souvankham Thammavongsa, Pedlar Press

2014 Trillium Book Award (French)

La mauvaise mère, Marguerite Andersen, Éditions Prise de parole

2014 Trillium Book Award (English)

This is War, Hannah Moscovitch, Playwrights Canada Press/ Banff Centre Press

Claude Forand Un moine trop bavard COVER

2013 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

Un moine trop bavard, Claude Forand, Éditions David

Matthew Tierney Probably Inevitable COVER

2013 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Probably Inevitable, Matthew Tierney, Coach House Books

2013 Trillium Book Award (French)

Bleu bémol, Paul Savoie, Éditions David

2013 Trillium Book Award (English)

Dear Life: Stories, Alice Munro, McClelland & Stewart

2012 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

À tire d’ailes, Sonia Lamontagne, Éditions Prise de parole

2012 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Earworm, Nick Thran, Nightwood Editions

2012 Trillium Book Award (French)

Jeudi Novembre, Michèle Vinet, Éditions Prise de parole

2012 Trillium Book Award (English)

Killdeer, Phil Hall, BookThug

Daniel Marchildon La première guerre de Toronto COVER

2011 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

La première guerre de Toronto, Daniel Marchildon, Éditions David

Jeff Latosik Tiny Frantic Stronger COVER

2011 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Tiny, Frantic, Stronger, Jeff Latosik, Insomniac Press

Estelle Beauchamp Un souffle venu de loin COVER

2011 Trillium Book Award (French)

Un souffle venu de loin, Estelle Beauchamp, Éditions prise de parole

Rabindranath Maharaj The Amazing Absorbing Boy COVER

2011 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Amazing, Absorbing Boy, Rabindranath Maharaj, Knopf Canada

2010 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Passerelles, Michèle Matteau, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2010 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Pigeon, Karen Solie, House of Anansi Press

2010 Trillium Book Award (French)

Deux Cercles, Ryad Assani-Razaki, VLB éditeur

2010 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Boy in the Moon, Ian Brown, Random House Canada

Paul Prud Homme Les Rebuts Hockey 2 COVER

2009 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

Les Rebuts: Hockey 2, Paul Prud’Homme, Les Éditions du Vermillon

Jeremy Dodds Crabwise to the Hounds COVER

2009 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Crabwise to the Hounds, Jeremy Dodds, Coach House Books

Marguerite Andersen Le figuier sur le toit COVER

2009 Trillium Book Award (French)

Le figuier sur le toit, Marguerite Andersen, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2009 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Withdrawal Method, Pasha Malla, House of Anansi Press

2008 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Poils lisses, Tina Charlebois, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2008 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Human Resources, Rachel Zolf, Coach House Books

Pierre Raphaël Pellitier L Œil de la lumière COVER

2008 Trillium Book Award (French)

L’Œil de la lumière, Pierre Raphaël Pellitier, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2008 Trillium Book Award (English)

Helpless, Barbara Gowdy, HarperCollins Canada

2007 Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature

Poupeska, Françoise Lepage, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2007 Trillium Book Award (French)

Crac, Paul Savoie, Les Éditions David

Daniel Castillo Durante La passion des nomades COVER

2007 Trillium Book Award (French)

La passion des nomades, Daniel Castillo Durante, XYZ Éditeur

2007 Trillium Book Award (English)

Fabrizio’s Return, Mark Frutkin, Knopf Canada

2006 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Centrifuge, Éric Charlebois, Les Éditions David

2006 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

drift, Kevin Connolly, House of Anansi Press

Jean Mohsen Fahmy L Agonie des dieux COVER

2006 Trillium Book Award (French)

L'Agonie des dieux, Jean Mohsen Fahmy, Les Éditions L'Interligne

Camilla Gibb Sweetness in The Belly COVER

2006 Trillium Book Award (English)

Sweetness in The Belly, Camilla Gibb, Doubleday Canada

Maureen Scott Harris Drowning Lessons COVER

2005 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Drowning Lessons, Maureen Scott Harris, Pedlar Press

Antonio D Alfonso Un vendredi du mois daoût COVER

2005 Trillium Book Award (French)

Un vendredi du mois d’août, Antonio D’Alfonso, Lemeac Éditeur

2005 Trillium Book Award (English)

All That Matters, Wayson Choy, Doubleday Canada

Avec tes mots Angèle Bassolé Ouédraogo COVER

2004 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Avec tes mots, Angèle Bassolé-Ouédraogo, Éditions Malaïka

2004 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (English)

Crowd of Sounds, Adam Sol, House of Anansi Press

Serge Denis Social démocratie et mouvements ouvriers COVER

2004 Trillium Book Award (French)

Social-démocratie et mouvements ouvriers, Serge Denis, Les Éditions du Boréal

Thomas King The Truth About Stories COVER

2004 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Truth About Stories, Thomas King, House of Anansi Press

2003 Trillium Book Award for Poetry (French)

Faux-fuyants, Éric Charlebois, Le Nordir

Michel Oullette Le testament du couturier COVER

2003 Trillium Book Award (French)

Le testament du couturier, Michel Ouellette, Le Nordir

2003 Trillium Book Award (English)

Testament, Nino Ricci, Doubleday Canada

2003 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Polished Hoe, Austin Clarke, Thomas Allen Publishers

2002 Trillium Book Award (French)

Cognac et Porto, Michèle Matteau, Les Éditions L’Interligne

2002 Trillium Book Award (English)

Clara Callan, Richard B. Wright, Harper Flamingo Canada

2001 Trillium Book Award (French)

Toronto, je t’aime, Didier Leclair, Les Éditions du Vermillon

2001 Trillium Book Award (English)

Kurgan, Don Coles, Porcupine’s Quill

Andrée Christensen et Jacques Flamand Lithochronos ou le premier vol de la pierre COVEFR

2000 Trillium Book Award (French)

Lithochronos ou le premier vol de la pierre, Andrée Christensen et Jacques Flamand, Éditions de Vermillon

Alistair Mac Leod No Great Mischief COVER

2000 Trillium Book Award (English)

No Great Mischief, Alistair MacLeod, McClelland & Stewart

Stefan Psenak Du chaos et de lordre des choses COVER

1999 Trillium Book Award (French)

Du chaos et de l’ordre des choses, Stefan Psenak, Le Nordir

1999 Trillium Book Award (French)

L’homme de paille, Daniel Poliquin, Boréal

Alice Munro The Love of a Good Woman COVER

1999 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Love of a Good Woman, Alice Munro, McClelland & Stewart

1999 Trillium Book Award (English)

Childhood, André Alexis, McClelland & Stewart

1998 Trillium Book Award (French)

Petite Crapaude!, Roger Levac, Prise de parole

1998 Trillium Book Award (English)

Land to Light On, Dionne Brand, McClelland & Stewart

Alain Bernard Marchand Tintin au pays de la ferveur COVER

1997 Trillium Book Award (French)

Tintin au pays de la ferveur, Alain Bernard Marchand, Éditions Les Herbes rouges

1997 Trillium Book Award (French)

Le Pied de Sappho, Nancy Vickers, Published under the pseudonym of Anne Claire - Éditions TROIS

1997 Trillium Book Award (English)

Fugitive Pieces, Anne Michaels, McClelland & Stewart

Maurice Henrie Le Balcon dans le ciel COVER

1996 Trillium Book Award (French)

Le Balcon dans le ciel, Maurice Henrie, Éditions Prise de parole

1996 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Jade Peony, Wayson Choy, Douglas & McIntyre

Margaret Atwood Morning in the Burned House COVER

1996 Trillium Book Award (English)

Morning in the Burned House, Margaret Atwood, McClelland & Stewart

1995 Trillium Book Award (French)

Tant de vie s’égare, Andrée Lacelle, Les Éditions du Vermillion

Donald Haram Akenson Conor A Biography of Conor Cruise O Brien Volume 1 Narrative COVER

1995 Trillium Book Award (English)

Conor: A Biography of Conor Cruise O’Brien; Volume 1 Narrative, Donald Haram Akenson, McGilll-Queen’s University Press

1994 Trillium Book Award (English)

The Robber Bride, Margaret Atwood, McClelland & Stewart

1994 Trillium Book Award (English)

Away, Jane Urquhart, McClelland & Stewart

Michael Ondaatje The English Patient COVER

1993 Trillium Book Award (English)

The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje, McClelland & Stewart

1992 Trillium Book Award (English)

Wilderness Tips, Margaret Atwood, McClelland & Stewart

1991 Trillium Book Award (English)

Friend of My Youth, Alice Munro, McClelland & Stewart

1990 Trillium Book Award (English)

Rites of Spring, Modris Eksteins, Lester & Orpen Dennys

1989 Trillium Book Award (English)

Stones, Timothy Findley, Penguin Books Canada

Michael Ondaatje In the Skin of a Lion COVER

1988 Trillium Book Award (English)

In the Skin of a Lion, Michael Ondaatje, McClelland & Stewart

Enquiries

Bianca Spence

Program Consultant, Industry Development

Phone: 416-642-6698

bspence@ontariocreates.ca

2025 Trillium Book Award Finalists

Trillium Book Award Winning Ontario Authors

Trillium Book Award Submission