[Updated March 2025]
International contests open to Canadian writers under 18.
Amazon Canada Youth Short Story Contest for writers aged 13-17. Submit Feb-March, stories up to 3000 words. Cash prizes.
The Eden Mills Writers Festival used to run two annual poetry contest for Ontario students: one for elementary grades and one for high school. But I haven’t seen any news since the 2023 contest ended, alas.
CBC’s First Page Student Writing Challenge is open for submissions in January of each year. Students from grades 7-12 can submit a 300-400-word opening to a novel that follows a theme or prompt (e.g., the 2024 challenge was for a novel set 150 years in the future). Check out the CBC Literary Prizes page early next year for contest details.
The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Awards is open to youth aged 11-17. Send poems up to 40 lines by July 31st for a chance to be in the top-100.
The Get to Know Contest for writers under 19 is run by the Natures Wild Neighbours Society and honours writing (and art) inspired by nature. Check out the guidelines and read past winners. Contest closes June 1st.
The James Bartleman Indigenous Youth Creative Writing Awards recognize up to 6 outstanding Indigenous student writers in Ontario. Two age categories: under 12 and 13-18. Submit a poem, story, essay, comic or hybrid piece via their online submission portal. Annual May 31st deadline. Large cash prize.
The Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Prize for Canadian Youth runs annually from September to April by the League of Canadian Poets. Students in grades 7-12 can submit one poem for a chance to win.
Kids Write 4 Kids is an annual contest for students in grades 4-8 that opens in October and ends March 31st. Winning stories are published in a book; sales go to a charitable cause. Classes can sign up for free virtual workshops. Run by the Ripple Foundation.
The McEntyre Writing Competition is an annual contest in Westmount, Quebec, with a March deadline. Local students in grades 1-6 and grades 7-11 are welcome to submit a poem, story, or essay up to 1000 words on the year’s theme.
The Martyn Godfrey Young Writers Award honours talented Albertans in grades 4-9. Run annually, from December-March, by the Young Alberta Book Society. Submit stories of 500-5000 words.
The Meaning of Home is a contest from Habitat for Humanity for kids in grades 4-6. Write 50-300 words about what home means to you. Open Jan-Feb each year, with an education module for teachers.
The Ottawa Public Library runs an annual Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest for Ottawa students aged 9-12 and 13-18. Submit stories to 1000 words, plus poems, comics, and cover illustrations, for publication and cash prizes. Contest runs annually, Jan-Feb.
Polar Expressions Publishing has annual contests for poems up to 32 lines and stories up to 450 words from Canadian students in grades K-12. Publication and cash prizes, and lots of info for teachers to include the contest in their English lesson plans. Deadline November 31st.
River of Words is an annual international competition promoting environmental literacy through the arts. Students in grades K-12 can submit artwork and poems up to 32 lines by the end of February.
The Roslyn and Max Margles Young Writers’ Contest is held annually in March by the Max Margles Children’s Library in Côte-Saint-Luc, in partnership with the Quebec Writers’ Federation. Students in grades 3-6 can submit one poem or story up to 5 pages long, in French or English.
The Stephen Leacock Student Humorous Short Story Competition is open to Ontario students aged 14-19 each year. Submit stories up to 1500 words by April 15th.
Story Studio runs a monthly writing contest for kids aged 5-13 anywhere in the world. Submit stories of 500-1500 words on the monthly theme. Check out the writing resources and contest rules on the Guidelines page.
The Vancouver Writers Fest runs an annual Youth Writing Contest for students in grades 5-7 and 8-12. Submit stories and essays to 1000 (5-7) or 1500 (8-12) words by May 31st. Check out the VWF Youth Writing Contest guidelines.
Also check out my list of Print and Online Magazines open to Canadians under 18, with links to further resources.
And don’t forget to Read the Fine Print.
Good luck!
Catherine Austen 