[Updated May 2026]
This is my personal list of Canadian lit-mags that publish short fiction, for which I’m eligible to submit.
These are not ALL the literary magazines out there in our northern land. (You won’t find Ricepaper here because I’m not Asian Canadian, and you won’t find Arc because I don’t write poetry.) To discover more Can-lit markets, check out the National Magazine Awards guide to Canadian literary journals.
But if you write short stories and need a handy list with word counts and payment details, my list is perfect.
Agnes and True (Digital publication, since 2015)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3500 words
- Submission period: Year round; check the Agnes and True guidelines for openings; simultaneous submissions okay
- Payment: $75 (and the editors are wonderful to work with)
- Free to read online
Ahoy (Print magazine from Montreal, since 2024)
- Accepts: Poetry, art, creative non-fiction and fiction to 3000 words
- Submission period: twice a year beginning in February and August; simultaneous submissions okay; submit blind and via a form–check out the Ahoy guidelines
- No pay but the glory
- Prefers emerging Canadian writers but accepts submissions from anyone anywhere
The Ampersand Review (Print magazine from Sheridan College, since 2020)
- Accepts: Poetry, reviews, fiction and non-fiction to 3000 words
- Submission period: July-Aug and Dec-Jan; check the Ampersand Review guidelines; simultaneous okay
- Payment: $100
- Select pieces from each issue free to read online
Sadly, Archetype (Print and digital magazine from Toronto, since 2022) is now closed, but past issues are available for order.
Augur Magazine (Digital publication)
- Accepts: Literary/speculative fiction to 5000 words, plus poetry, nonfiction, comics
- Also publishes Tales and Feathers, fantasy stories under 2500 words
- Submission period: Short openings year-round, often with themes or special calls; check the Augur guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
- Payment: $0.14 cents per word
- Select pieces from each issue free to read online
Blank Spaces (Print and digital publication, since 2016)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3000 words, nonfiction, art, photo essays
- Submission period: Year round; some months have a submission fee; Check the Blank Spaces Guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay; NB: they take a long time to respond
- Payment: 1 year digital subscription
Canthius (Print and digital magazine from Ontario, since 2015)
- Accepts: Prose (CNF, essays, fiction) to 2,500 words, and poetry
- Publishes authors of marginalized genders
- Monthly submission caps; check the Canthius guidelines. Simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $50-$150
- Select pieces from each issue free to read online
- They are on hiatus but plan to return (They opened in 2026 for their poetry contest but prose submissions remain on hold.)
The Capilano Review (Print and digital, from Vancouver, since 1972)
- Accepts: Fiction to 2,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, reviews, and visual arts
- Publishes experimental work
- Check the Capilano guidelines for openings; Simultaneous okay
- Pays $50/page
Carte Blanche (Digital publication from Quebec, since 2004)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3,500 words, plus poetry, CNF, comics visual and audio arts
- Check the Carte Blanche guidelines for submission periods and themes; Simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays a small honorarium
- Free to read online
chouette (Digital magazine from Montreal, since 2024)
- Accepts: Fiction to 2,500 words, plus poetry, art, and CNF
- Submit by email; no mention of exclusivity
- Check the chouette guidelines
- No pay (but the editors are lovely to work with)
- Free to read online
The Dalhousie Review (Print magazine, since 1921, from Nova Scotia)
- Accepts: Fiction to 8,000 words, plus articles, essays, creative non-fiction, poetry, and reviews
- Submissions year-round, by email. Check the Dalhousie Review guidelines. Simultaneous submissions strongly discouraged
- Pays $5/page (and the editors are great to work with)
- Past issues available for free download
DarkWinter Literary Magazine (Online magazine from Ontario since 2022)
- Accepts: Poetry and fiction “with a twist” to 2000 words
- Submit by email; check the DarkWinter guidelines for openings; simultaneous subs okay
- No payment (but they’re fun to work with)
- Available to read free online
Dreamers Magazine (Print and digital publication since 2017)
- Accepts: Poetry, essays, excerpts and stories to 2500 words
- Adheres to a “wellness” theme; has a detailed rights contract
- Submissions year-round; check the Dreamers guidelines for themes and openings;
- Pays $20-$60 for pieces chosen for the print editions
- Available to read free online
Event (Print and digital magazine, from BC, since 1971)
- Accepts: Fiction to 5,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and reviews
- Open submission periods Dec-Jan and Aug-Sept — Check the Event guidelines. Simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $40/page
- Free sample issue available with newsletter subscription
Exile Quarterly (Print magazine since 1972; associated publishing house includes anthologies)
- Accepts: Literary and speculative fiction to 3500 words, plus CNF and poetry
- Accepts exclusive submissions from Canadians only
- Submissions year-round; check the Exile guidelines for calls and themes; submit via Submittable with a larger-than-average submission fee
- Pays $0.10/word
Existere (Annual magazine from York University, since 1978)
- Innovative fiction to 3500 words, plus poetry, non-ficiton, and art
- Submissions year-round, check the Existere guidelines for submission template
- Submit by email; simultaneous submissions okay (NB: They only respond if they want to publish)
- Pays $100
The Feathertale Revew (Digital magazine and print Review, since 2008)
- Humourous fiction to 2,500 words, plus poetry and cartoons
- Submissions year-round; check the Feathertale guidelines for openings
- Pays for work featured in the print Review
- Free to read online
- They have been closed to submissions since 2024
The Fiddlehead (Print journal from New Brunswick, since 1945)
- Fiction to 6,000 words, plus poetry, CNF, reviews, and art
- Submissions open through January (Canadians only) and Sept-November (anyone); Check the Fiddlehead guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $65/page (and the editors are awesome)
The Fieldstone Review (online journal from Saskatchewan, since 2006)
- Accepts: Art, poetry, CNF to 2500 words, fiction to 4000 words
- One submission period per year (early in the year), often themed; no mention of exclusivity; Check the Fieldstone Guidelines
- Pays $100 to “the best submission” and pays the honour of being published in its gorgeous pages to other selected works
- Issues are available to read free online
filling Station (Print magazine from Alberta, since 1993)
- Accepts: Experimental fiction to 10 pages, plus poetry, CNF, novel excerpts, and visual arts
- Submissions year-round; check the filling Station guidelines for themes and openings; simultaneous okay
- Pays a small honorarium (and the editors are lovely to work with)
Freefall (Print and digital magazine from Alberta, since 1990)
- Accepts: Fiction to 4,000 words, plus poetry, CNF, plays, visual arts, interviews and reviews — from Canadians only (except for contests open to anyone)
- Submissions open June-September; simultaneous submissions okay; Check the Freefall guidelines
- Pays $10/page
Funicular Magazine (Print magazine from Alberta, since 2019)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3000 words, flash fiction, and poetry
- Submissions year-round; check the Funicular guidelines for openings; simultaneous submissions okay; submit via Duosuma
- Payment: $10/page
- Select pieces from each issue free to read online
Fusion Fragment (Digital and print magazine, since 2020)
- Accepts: Speculative, Slipstream and Science Fiction of 2000-15,000 words
- Submissions year-round; check the Fusion Fragment guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay; submit via online portal
- Pays $0.04/word
- There’s a pay-what-you-can digital option to read a copy
Geist (Print publication from Vancouver, since 1990)
- Accepts Fiction to 5000 words, plus poetry, CNF, essays, comics and art (more non-fiction than fiction)
- Submissions year-round; check the Geist guidelines for openings; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $100-1000
- Select pieces free to read online
Grain (Print publication from Saskatchewan, since 1973)
- Accepts: Fiction up to 3,500 words, plus poetry, CNF, and hybrids
- Submissions open September-June; submit once/year; simultaneous submissions okay; Check the Grain guidelines
- Pays $50/page
Heartlines Spec (Print and digital magazine, since 2023)
- Accepts: Speculative fiction to 3,500 words, plus poetry; all submissions must feature longterm relationships (amorous, familial, platonic)
- Submissions accepted three times/year — January, May, and September — plus early openings for equity-deserving groups; simultaneous submissions okay; check out the Heartlines Spec guidelines
- Pays $0.08/word or $60/poem
Hexagon (speculative fiction magazine) is closed “indefinitely” after five years, but available to read free online
The Humber Literary Review (Print and digital magazine from Toronto, since 2014)
- Accepts: Fiction to 5,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, essays, and visual arts
- Submission periods are posted in January and August; check the Humber guidelines for calls and themes; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $100 (and the editors are great to work with)
- The latest issue is available to read free online
- They are pausing submissions to evaluate their future.
The Imagist (online literary magazine from Montreal, six issues strong)
- Accepts poetry and prose to 1000 words (fiction and non)
- Submit one piece by email; submissions accepted year-round; simultaneous submissions okay; check the Imagist guidelines for openings
- No pay but the glory
- Free to read online
long con magazine (Dazzling digital magazine that publishes art about art, based in Halifax, since 2019)
- Accepts: Fiction to 15 pages, plus poetry, CNF, drama, visual arts and hybrids
- All submissions must respond to a particular artwork
- Submissions year-round; check the long con guidelines for openings; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $50
- Available to read free online
The Malahat Review (Print and Digital magazine from Victoria, since 1967)
- Accepts: Fiction to 8,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, translations, and reviews
- Submissions January-June; submit once/year; simultaneous submissions okay. See the Malahat submission guidelines
- Pays $70/page
The New Quarterly (Print and digital magazine from Waterloo, since 1981)
- Accepts: Fiction to 6,000 words, plus poetry, CNF, reviews, and interviews; also accepts work for its website
- Open year-round with alternating submission periods for fiction and non-fiction. See the TNQ guidelines for details; NB: their submission caps fill quickly!
- Accepts work from Canadians only; simultaneous submissions okay; submit once per calendar year
- Pays $400 (and the editors are fab to work with)
- Back issues available to read free with subscription
NōD Magazine (Print publication from Calgary, thirty issues strong)
- Accepts: Fiction and non-fiction to 8 pages, plus visual arts and poetry
- Submissions open in the fall annually; check out the NōD blog for submission calls
- Simultaneous submissions accepted; see the NōD guidelines for details
- No pay but the glory
- I’ve been dying to read a copy (I can’t figure out how to order it) but all my NōD curiosity is soon to be satisfied because I have a story coming out in their 2026 issue!
NUNUM (Digital magazine from New Brunswick, since 2018)
- Accepts: Flash fiction to 500 words and imagery; special calls for longer flashes for anthologies
- Submissions year-round; check the NUNUM guidelines. Submit up to 3 pieces at a time; simultaneous okay
- Pays $20
- Available to read free online
Sadly, On Spec (Speculative fiction magazine from Edmonton since 1989) has shut down permanently (I’m proud to have been featured in its final issue.)
Parentheses (Digital and print journal from Ontario, since 2017)
- Accepts: Fiction to 2000 words, plus poetry and visual arts, especially from marginalized writers
- Blind submissions Nov-March and May-Sept; check the Parentheses guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
- No pay but the glory
- Available to read free online
- No new issues since 2023; looks like it’s defunct
Prairie Fire (Print magazine from Winnipeg, since 1978)
- Accepts: Fiction to 10,000 words, plus poetry and CNF
- Submissions open March-May and Sept-November; submit once/year (plus special themed calls or contests); simultaneous submissions okay; see the Prairie Fire guidelines for details.
- Pays 10 cents/word
- Brief excerpts from the current issues are available to read free online
Prairie Journal (Print and online magazine from Alberta, since 1983)
- Accepts: Fiction (no word limit), poetry, drama, literary criticism, reviews, and artwork
- Submit by snail mail; see the Prairie Journal guidelines; exclusive submissions only
- Pays a small honorarium (and they’re nice to work with)
- Many pieces available to read free online
PRISM International (Print magazine and website, from Vancouver, since 1959)
- Accepts: Fiction to 4,000 words, plus poetry, translations, reviews and visual arts
- Submissions year-round; check the PRISM guidelines for themes and openings; simultaneous okay
- Pays $40/page
- Some pieces available to read free online
Pulp Literature (Print magazine since 2014, with podcast on website)
- Accepts: All genres of fiction to 50 pages (prefers <5000 words), plus poetry, graphic narratives, and excerpts
- Submissions year-round; check the Pulp Literature guideinesure for openings (they’re rare for fiction); simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays 2-8 cents/word; may not respond unless interested
- Excerpts of pieces available to read free online
The Ex-Puritan (Online magazine from Toronto, since 2007)
- Accepts: Fiction to 10,000 words, plus poetry, essays, interviews, and hybrids
- Submissions year-round; See the Ex-Puritan guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
- Encourages marginalized writers and writing styles
- Pays $150
- Many pieces available to read free online
Queen’s Quarterly (Print magazine from Ontario, since 1893)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3,000 words, plus poetry, essays, articles, and reviews
- Open submission period; see the QQ guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay; submit by email
- Respectable payment (fixed on acceptance) and they’re good to work with and respond unusually quickly
- Brief excerpts available to read free online
Qwerty (Print magazine from UNB, since 1996)
- Accepts: Fiction to 5,000 words, plus poetry, reviews, CNF, and visual arts
- Submissions open at time from September-April, often themed; see the Qwerty guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays a small honorarium
Riddle Fence (Print magazine from Newfoundland, since 2007)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and visual arts
- Submissions open year-round with an announced free-submission period; check the Riddle Fence guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $50/page
- Select pieces available to read free online
Room (Print magazine and website from BC, since 1975)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3,500 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and visual arts
- Publishes writers of marginalized genders
- Submissions open year-round; See the Room guidelines for themes and openings; simultaneous okay
- Pays $50-$200
- Select pieces available to read free online
Scrivener Creative Review (Montreal-based journal, since 1980)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3000 words, plus art, poetry, CNF
- The Scrivener Guideline page will only work if submissions are open
- Exclusive submissions preferred; no pay but the glory
- The most recent issue (or excepts from) is free to read online
Soliloquies (Print magazine from Montreal, since 1996)
- Accepts: Fiction and CNF to 2000 words, plus poetry to 2 pages; prefers experimental pieces
- Open to Canadians or those living in Canada
- Submit blind by email; simultaneous submissions okay; check the Soliloquies guidelines for submissions openings
- No pay but the glory
- Many pieces available to read free online
Spadina Literary Review (Online magazine based in Toronto, since 2011)
- Accepts: Fiction to 2,000 words, plus poetry, essays, memoir, and art
- Submissions open year-round on a rolling basis; check out the SLR guidelines
- Simultaneous submissions okay if stated
- No pay but the glory
sub-Terrain (Vancouver-based magazine in its hundredth issue)
- Fiction to 3,000 words, plus creative non-fiction and visual arts
- Submissions open year-round; check the SubTerrain guidelines for themes and open periods; no mention of exclusivity so I’d assume that simultaneous submissions are okay
- Pays 10 cents/word
- Many pieces available to read free online
The /tƐmz/ Review (Online magazine from Ontario, since 2017)
- Accepts: Fiction to 10,000 words (prefers shorter and experimental), plus poetry, CNF, and reviews; also publishes chapbooks
- Submissions open year-round; check the /tƐmz/ guidelines for openings; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $20; pays $200 for its literary contest winners
- Available to read free online
untethered (Print magazine from Toronto, since 2014)
- Accepts: Fiction to 3,000 words, plus poetry, CNF, visual arts, and hybrids
- Submissions year-round; See the untethered submissions guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $20
- Available to read free online
- Appears defunct? No 2024-25 issues
The Walrus (News and entertainment print and digital magazine from Toronto, since 2003)
- Accepts: Articles, essays, imagery, poetry, and literary fiction to 5000 words
- Fiction submissions are open Jan-Feb and June-July; submit by email; check the Walrus guidelines; exclusive submissions only
- Payment not specified but it’s a big deal
- Samples available to read free online
White Wall Review (Digital magazine from Toronto, since 1976)
- Accepts: Poetry, reviews, non-fiction and fiction to 6000 words
- Submissions open throughout the year, sometimes themed; check the WWR guidelines for openings; no mention of exclusivity but it appears to be preferred
- No payment but the glory
- Available to read free online
Sadly, The Windsor Review (Literary magazine from Ontario, since 1965) has been on hiatus since 2023, but their archives are available to read free online.
Yolk (Print and digital journal from Montreal, since 2020)
- Accepts: poetry and prose to 4000 words
- Submissions are open year-round, with alternating periods for print and digital publications; check the Yolk guidelines for details
- Submit blind and follow their 1.5 line-spacing preferences for prose; simultaneous submissions okay
- Pays $100-$200
- Many pieces available to read free online
That’s my list. Over 50 fab litmags to read and write for. It’s always sad when a journal closes, but it’s heartening to see that new ones keep rising up.
Many thanks to all the writers who’ve taken the time to tell me that my market lists are useful. You inspire me to keep the list current. 🙂
If you run out of places to try, you can always look south: check out the Poets & Writers guide to US litmags — it’ll take a while to get through, but there are many you’re eligible to submit to.
Good luck!
Catherine Austen 