Short Fiction Markets – Canadian Lit Mags A-Z

[UPDATE November 2023: I’ve updated my litmag list again because there are a few I’ve just discovered and, sadly, a couple that seem to be lost this year.]

These are not ALL the literary magazines out there in our northern land. This is my personal list of Canadian lit-mags that publish the kind of short fiction I read and write, and for which I’m eligible to submit. (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 Canlit markets, check out the National Magazine Awards guide to Canadian literary journals.

Acta Victoriana (Digital publication out of Toronto, since 1878)

Accepts: Poetry and short fiction to 2500 words
Submission period: Year-round; check website for openings and guidelines; simultaneous submissions accepted
Payment: Small honorarium
Free to read online

AE : The Canadian Science Fiction Review (Digital publication)

Accepts: Fiction to 3000 words, reviews, visual art
Submission period: Year round; check for calls on website; simultaneous okay
Payment: $0.10 per word
Free to read online

Agnes and True (Digital publication, since 2015)

Accepts: Fiction to 3500 words
Submission period: Year round; check website for openings; simultaneous okay
Payment: $75
Free to read online

The Ampersand Review (Print magazine from Sheridan College, since 2020)

Accepts: Poetry, reviews, fiction and non-fiction to 4000 words
Submission period: July-September; check website for guidelines; simultaneous okay
Payment: $100
Select pieces from each issue free to read online

The Antigonish Review (Print and digital, from Nova Scotia, since 1970)

Fiction up to 3,000 words, plus poetry, essays, articles, book reviews
Open year-round; Submit online; simultaneous submissions discouraged (but they’re pretty fast in response time)
Pays $50 + copies.

Archetype (Print and digital magazine from Toronto, since 2022)

Accepts: reviews, interviews, poetry, art, fiction and essays to 5000 words
Submission period: November-January and June-August; check website for guidelines; simultaneous okay
Pays one print copy
Free to read online

Augur Magazine (Digital publication)

Literary/speculative fiction to 5000 words, plus poetry, nonfiction, comics
Also publishes Tales and Feathers, fantasy stories under 2500 words
Submission period: Year-round; check website; simultaneous okay
Payment: $0.11 cents per word
Select pieces from each issue free to read online

Blank Spaces (Print and digital publication, since 2016)

Accepts: Fiction to 3500 words, nonfiction, art, photo essays
Submission period: Year round; some months have a small submission fee; Check Guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
Payment: 1 year digital subscription

Broken Pencil (Print and digital magazine from Toronto, since 1996)

Publishes solicited reviews, illustrations, and articles, and fiction to 3000 words
Focus on zine culture and independent arts
Submission period: Year round, check website for guidelines; no mention of exclusivity
Pays $60-$120

Canthius Journal (Print and digital magazine from Ontario, since 2015)

Prose (CNF, essays, fiction) to 3,500 words, and poetry
Publishes authors of marginalized genders
Monthly submission caps; check website. Simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $50-$150
Select pieces from each issue free to read online

The Capilano Review (Print and digital, from Vancouver, since 1972)

Fiction to 2,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, reviews, and visual arts
Publishes experimental work
Check website for submission periods; Simultaneous okay
Pays $50/page

Carousel (Digital magazine, from Ontario, since 1983)

Fiction and poetry, comics and visual arts, reviews and hybrid pieces
Check website for openings, themes, and guidelines. Simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $40-80
Free to read online

Carte Blanche (Digital publication from Quebec, since 2004)

Fiction to 3,500 words, plus poetry, CNF, comics visual and audio arts
Check website for submission periods and themes; Simultaneous submissions okay
Pays a small honorarium
Free to read online

Cloud Lake Literary (Digital magazine from Ontario since 2020)

Publishes art, poetry, children’s lit and commercial fiction to 3500 words
Submissions year-round; Check website for openings; simultaneous okay
Pays $50-$150
Issue #1 is available for a free download

The Dalhousie Review (Print magazine, since 1921, from Nova Scotia)

Fiction to 5,000 words, plus articles, essays, creative non-fiction, poetry, and reviews
Submissions year-round, by email. Check guidelines. Simultaneous submissions discouraged
Pays $5/page and two copies

DarkWinter Literary Magazine (Digital publication from Ontario since 2022)

Publishes poetry and fiction “with a twist” to 2000 words; publishes new work weekly
Submissions year-round; check website for guidelines and openings; simultaneous okay
No mention of payment
Available to read free online

Dreamers Magazine (Print and digital publication since 2017)

Publishes poems, essays, excerpts and stories to 2500 words
Adheres to a “wellness” theme
Submissions year-round; check website for openings and themes;
Pays $20-$60 for pieces chosen for the print editions
Available to read free online

Event (Print and digital magazine, from BC, since 1971)

Fiction up to 5,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and reviews
Open submission period. Check website for guidelines. Simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $35/page
Free sample issue available with newsletter subscription

Exile Quarterly (Print magazine since 1972; associated publishing house includes anthologies)

Literary and speculative fiction to 3500 words, plus CNF and poetry
Submissions year-round; check website for calls and themes; submit by Submittable or snail mail; exclusive submissions only; submission fee
Pays $0.10/word

Existere (Digital magazine from Toronto, since 1978)

Publishes poetry, art, fiction and non-fiction to 3500 words
Submissions year-round; check website for guidelines; simultaneous okay
Pays $100

The Feathertale Revew (Digital magazine and print Review, since 2008)

Fiction to 2,500 words, plus poetry and cartoons
Publishes humour
Submissions year-round; check guidelines for openings
Pays for work featured in the print Review
Free to read online

The Fiddlehead (Print journal from New Brunswick, since 1945)

Fiction to 6,000 words, plus poetry, CNF, reviews, and art
Submissions Jan-March and Sept-November; Check guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $60/page

filling Station (Print magazine from Alberta, since 1993)

Experimental fiction to 10 pages, plus poetry, CNF, novel excerpts, and visual arts
Submissions year-round; check guidelines for themes and openings; simultaneous okay
Payment unspecified

flo. (Digital and print magazine from Ottawa, since 20210

Publishes visual arts, poetry, hybrids, non-fiction and fiction to 3000 words
Open to writers from Ottawa-Gatineau
Submissions for print magazine open April-May and October-November; submissions for online publication year-round; check website for themes and openings; simultaneous okay
Pays $40-$160 for print publications
Digital pieces available to read free online

Freefall (Print and digital magazine from Alberta, since 1990)

Fiction to 4,000 words, plus poetry and visual arts
Submissions open June-September; simultaneous submissions okay; see Submission Guidelines
Pays $10/page

Funicular Magazine (Print magazine from Alberta, since 2019)

Accepts: Fiction to 3000 words, plus poetry
Submissions year-round; check website for openings; simultaneous okay
Payment: $10/page
Select pieces from each issue free to read online

Fusion Fragment (Digital and print magazine, since 2020)

Speculative, Slipstream and Science Fiction to 15,000 words
Submissions year-round; check website (openings are very short–sign up for the newsletter to get a heads-up); simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $0.04/word
There’s a pay-what-you-can digital option to read a copy

Geist (Print publication from Vancouver, since 1990)

Fiction to 5000 words, plus poetry, CNF, essays, comics and art
Submissions year-round; check submission guidelines for openings; simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $100-1000
Select pieces free to read online

Grain (Print publication from Saskatchewan, since 1973)

Fiction up to 3,500 words, plus poetry, CNF, and hybrids
Submissions open September-May. Check website for guidelines
Pays $50/page

Hermine (Print magazine from Toronto, since 2020)

Fiction to 4000 words
Check website for open submission periods; simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $50 to $200

Hexagon (Online magazine since 2020)

Publishes speculative fiction to 10000 words and comics
Submissions open “the first 7 days of every second month.” Check guidelines. Exclusive submissions only.
Pays $0.02/word
Available to read free online

The Humber Literary Review (Print and digital magazine from Toronto, since 2014)

Fiction to 5,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, essays, and visual arts
Submission periods are posted in January and August; check the website for calls and themes; small submission fee; simultaneous submissions okay
Pays $100
The latest issue is available to read free online for limited periods after release

long con magazine (Dazzling digital magazine that publishes art about art, based in Halifax, since 2019)

Fiction to 15 pages, plus poetry and visual arts
All submissions should respond to a particular artwork
Submissions year-round; check the website for openings; simultaneous okay
Pays $50
Available to read free online

The Malahat Review (Print and Digital magazine from Victoria, since 1967)

Fiction to 8,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and translations
Submissions year-round with different openings for different forms: fiction submissions open March-April and Sept-October. Simultaneous okay. See Submission Guidelines
Pays $70/page

Maple Tree Literary Supplement (Digital magazine, since 2008)

Publishes essays, poetry, reviews, images, CNF and fiction (no word limit specified )
Submissions year-round; check website for guidelines; exclusivity not mentioned but suggested by legal authorization to publish
Pays $30
Available to read free online

Minola Review (Digital magazine with print anthology, since 2016)

Fiction to 5000 words, plus poetry, reviews, excerpts, and creative non-fiction
Publishes writers who identify as women or non-binary
Check website for open submission periods; simultaneous submissions okay
Payment: $75
Available to read free online

Mystery Magazine (Digital and print magazine since 2015)

Publishes short fiction (mysteries) to 7500 words
Submissions year-round; no mention of simultaneous/exclusive; see guidelines
Pays $0.02/word; first-publication and archival rights have an exclusivity period of 2 years
Excerpts from all issues available to read free online; free story samples with newsletter subscription

The Nashwaak Review (Print magazine from New Brunswick, since 1994)

Fiction (no word limit specified), plus poetry, travel articles, essays, art, and reviews, with an Atlantic emphasis
Open submission period. Submit by snail mail or email; no mention of exclusivity
Payment not specified

The New Quarterly (Print and digital magazine from Waterloo, since 1981)

Fiction to 6,000 words, plus poetry, CNF, reviews, and interviews; also accepts work for its website
Submissions year-round, with caps. See guidelines for formatting; simultaneous okay but submit only once per calendar year
Pays $275
Select pieces from the current issue are free to read online for a short time

NUNUM (Digital magazine from New Brunswick, since 2018)

Publishes flash fiction to 500 words and imagery; plus special calls for longer flashes for anthologies
Submissions year-round; check guidelines. Submit up to 3 pieces at a time; simultaneous okay
Pays $20
Available to read free online

On Spec (Print and digital magazine from Edmonton, since 1989)

Speculative poetry and fiction to 6000 words
Submissions year-round for brief periods. See website for guidelines and openings; no mention of exclusivity
Pays $0.05/word

Parentheses (Digital and print journal from Ontario, since 2017)

Fiction to 2000 words, plus poetry and visual arts, especially from marginalized writers
Blind submissions Nov-March and May-Sept; check guidelines; simultaneous okay
No pay but the glory
Available to read free online

Prairie Fire (Print magazine from Winnipeg, since 1978)

Fiction to 10,000 words, plus poetry and creative non-fiction
Submit by snail mail once/year plus special themed calls; see guidelines. Simultaneous submissions okay but mention in cover letter
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 guidelines; exclusive submissions only
Pays a small honorarium
Many pieces available to read free online

PRISM International (Print magazine and website, from Vancouver, since 1959)

Fiction to 6000 words (preferably less), plus poetry, translations, reviews and imagery
Submissions year-round; check website for openings and guidelines; simultaneous okay
Pays $40/page
Some pieces available to read free online

Pulp Literature (Print magazine since 2014, with podcast on website)

All genres of fiction to 20,000 words (but most stories are <5000), plus poetry, graphic narratives, and excerpts
Submissions year-round; check website for guidelines and open periods; simultaneous okay
Pays 2 to 8 cents/word
Excerpts of pieces available to read free online

The Ex-Puritan (Digital magazine from Toronto, since 2007)

Fiction to 10,000 words, plus poetry, essays, interviews, and hybrids
Submissions year-round; see Submission Guidelines; simultaneous okay
Pays $150
Many pieces available to read free online

Queen’s Quarterly (Print magazine from Ontario, since 1893)

Fiction to 3,000 words, plus poetry, essays, articles, and reviews
Open submission period; see guidelines; simultaneous submissions okay
Payment TBD on acceptance
Brief excerpts available to read free online

Qwerty (Print magazine from New Brunswick, since 1996)

Fiction to 5,000 words, plus poetry, reviews, CNF, and visual arts
Submit September-April; see guidelines; simultaneous okay
Pays a small honorarium

Riddle Fence (Print magazine from Newfoundland, since 2007)

Fiction to 3,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and visual arts
Submissions Sept-March; check website for guidelines; simultaneous okay
Pays $50/page
Select pieces available to read free online

Room (Print magazine and website from BC, since 1975)

Feminist fiction to 3,500 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and visual arts
Publishes writers of marginalized genders
Submissions year-round; see Guidelines for themes and openings; simultaneous okay
Pays $50-$200
Select pieces available to read free online

Shrapnel (Online magazine, since 2020)

Experimental and absurdist fiction (no word limit), plus poetry, CNF, essays, and graphic narratives
Submissions year-round; check guidelines for openings; simultaneous okay
Pays a small honorarium
Available to read free online

Sub-Terrain (Print magazine and website from Vancouver, since 1992)

Fiction to 3,000 words, plus creative non-fiction and visual arts
Submissions year-round; check guidelines for themes and open periods; no mention of exclusivity
Pays 10 cents/word
Many pieces available to read free online

The /tƐmz/ Review (Online magazine from Ontario, since 2017)

Experimental fiction to 10000 words, plus poetry, CNF, and reviews; also publishes chapbooks
Submissions year-round; check guideline for openings; simultaneous okay
Pays $20
Available to read free online

untethered (Print magazine from Toronto, since 2014)

Fiction to 3,000 words, plus poetry, CNF, visual arts, and hybrids
Submissions year-round; check Submissions Guidelines; simultaneous okay
Pays $20
Available to read free online

The Walrus (News and entertainment print and digital magazine from Toronto, since 2003)

Articles, essays, imagery, poetry, and literary fiction to 5000 words
Submissions year-round; submit by email; check website for guidelines; exclusive submissions only
Payment not specified
Samples available to read free online

White Wall Review (Digital magazine from Toronto, since 1976)

Publishes book reviews, poetry, non-fiction and fiction to 6000 words
Submissions year-round; check website for openings and guidelines; no mention of exclusivity
No payment but the glory
Available to read free online

The Windsor Review (Digital magazine from Ontario, since 1965, formerly print)

Fiction to 5,000 words, plus poetry, creative non-fiction, and visual arts
Submit online once/year; see Submission Guidelines (currently on hiatus); simultaneous submissions okay
Pays a small honorarium
Available to read free online

Yolk (Print and digital journal from Montreal, since 2020)

Publishes poetry and prose to 4000 words
Blind submissions, year-round with special openings for print-only calls; check guidelines.
Pays $100-$200
Many pieces available to read free online

That’s my list — almost 60 great magazines to read and submit to. Good luck.