Hello, BPAA members and colleagues, 

Like many of our members, the BPAA staff have been busy the last few weeks completing many grant applications and final reports. I hope you all can see the light at the end of the tunnel! 

Submissions for Alberta Books for Schools closed last week, and the curriculum mappers from The Alberta Library are busy reading and reviewing every submission. The new titles will be added to the database in the fall. While we won’t have a designed catalogue this year, we will be sending out e-blasts throughout the year to educators and librarians to ensure the resource remains top-of-mind. 

Jackie is attending the MacEwan Bookwyrm SpecFest on Friday on behalf of the BPAA. Bookwyrm is a student-led festival that aims to unite Alberta’s emerging speculative fiction writers with local literary professionals for a day of community connection and skill development. Jackie will be hosting the BPAA’s booth and sharing information about the publishing industry in Alberta. 

We are also very excited to be working with Derek Evernden on new merch for the Read Alberta website. A reminder to BPAA members: if you have in-person events coming up, please let us know so that we can share the new materials with you. 

All the best,

Megan Bishop
Executive Director

• Congrats to Freehand Books on the following titles and authors being featured in recent spring previews, interviews, and book lists:
  •  Northern Bull in CBC Books' article 38 Canadian fiction books we're excited about coming out from January to March!
  • This Is the Time of the Great Singing by Elizabeth Philips in CBC Books's spring poetry preview!
  • An interview with Freehand author Ali Bryan, announcing the third book in the Roost series! 
• Congrats to NeWest Press for their book, Saudade, being featured in CBC Books' article 43 Canadian fiction books coming out in April to June we're excited to read!
• University of Alberta Press' title Meltdown is the Foreword Indies 2025 Finalist for Ecology & Environment—congrats!

Please share your award announcements, interviews, and other big news with us so that we can feature it in future newsletters!

Please note: The Book Publishers Association of Alberta staff are working from home on Mondays and Fridays, with in-person office hours Tuesday–Thursday.

Publishers Weekly has opened submissions for its Fall 2026 Fiction & Nonfiction Preview.

Needed: Information on adult trade titles (new titles only, no reprints) being published in all general trade formats (hardcover, trade paper, mass market, e-book; for titles being published in multiple formats, please submit only one format) between August 1, 2026, and January 31, 2027. Publishers are invited to enter their data online.

The submission period for adult titles closes on Friday, March 27, 2026.

The Book and Periodical Council (BPC) is inviting expressions of interest from individuals across Canada’s written-word sector to join its Board of Directors. Serving on the board offers an opportunity to contribute to the organization's national representation of publishing, writing, magazines, newspapers, and library communities.

BPC membership is not required to apply. Applications are open until Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the BPC website. 

The Canada Council for the Arts invites publishing houses to nominate outstanding books by Canadian creators.

The Governor General’s Literary Awards (GGBooks) recognize the most notable English- and French-language books in each of the following seven categories: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People’s Literature – Text, Young People’s Literature – Illustrated Books and Translation (from French to English and vice versa).

Value: $25,000 for each winning book and $1,000 for each finalist

How to nominate: Books must be nominated by an eligible publishing house through the online portal, where you will find all necessary details.

Deadline: Friday, May 1, 2026. All nominations, including submissions in the portal and printed book copies, must be received by the Canada Council for the Arts by this date.

New way to submit nominations

For the first time, prize nominations and applications will be submitted through a funding portal. This marks an exciting shift towards a more streamlined, accessible and user-friendly experience for everyone engaging with the Canada Council for the Arts and its programs.

Visit the Guidance and Resources page for step-by-step instructions on common portal activities, including how to create your account, apply for funding and nominate someone for a prize.

Nominate a book!

The 2026-27 submissions for Indigenous Books for Schools are now open!

The educator-curated BC Books for Schools database helps publishers effectively and efficiently reach the K–12 market while allowing teacher-librarians and educators to find a wide range of publishers’ titles for use with students. 

Submissions are selected and evaluated by teacher-librarians and custom annotations include grade level and curriculum matches. Submission guidelines can be viewed here.

Deadline: Sunday, May 3, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT.

Publishers can submit titles through this Google form.

Message from Books BC Board Chair, Laraine Coates.

I am delighted to announce that Sarah Felkar will be joining the association as our new Executive Director, starting April 7, 2026.

Sarah comes to us from the library world where she has served, most recently, as Assistant Director and Head of Technology at the West Vancouver Memorial Library. She was also the Interim Executive Director of the BC Libraries Cooperative from 2024-2025 where she worked behind the scenes on the Read Local BC eBookshelf project. 

Since 2007, Sarah has worked in public libraries and gained additional experience in academic and special libraries. She is passionate about digital content, equity, literacy, and building connections. Digital literacy and community consultation has been central to her work. She has experience meeting with MLAs and advocating for the libraries with the BC government, has served on a number of professional committees and boards, and has also secured grants and other funding from diverse sources, often by building partnerships across the sector.

We are so looking forward to working with Sarah to continue to build connections across the BC-book ecosystem, to increase the visibility of BC independent publishers with government and the public, and, overall, to further strengthen the independent book-publishing industry in BC. 

Please join me in welcoming Sarah to Books BC! 

The Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association (APMA) released a statement stating that the Nova Scotia government’s claim that it continues to support the province’s local book publishers is "100% false." The 2026-2027 provincial budget eliminates the Nova Scotia Publisher Assistance Program, making Nova Scotia the only province in Canada that doesn’t have dedicated funding for local book publishing.

While the government pointed to the Nova Scotia Loyal Book Voucher pilot as evidence of support, the APMA notes that the one-time, short-term initiative does not replace the $700,000 foundational program that supported publishers directly. 

The Association continues to call on the province to reinstate the Publisher Assistance Program and ensure sustainable investment in the companies that bring Nova Scotia’s stories to readers at home and around the world.

Read the full media release.

The Canadian Children's Book Centre is launching kidsbooknews.ca, a new home for the Canadian Children's Book News magazine. As kidsbooknews.ca, Canadian Children's Book News will continue to feature all the great content you depend on to discover what is happening in the Canadian children’s book world, including reviews, recommended book lists, author and illustrator profiles, articles on topics that are important to literacy and learning, and news about what’s happening in the children’s book community.

The Association of Book Publishers of B.C. (Books BC) is celebrating the news that the provincial Book Publishing Tax Credit is to be made permanent, effective March 31, 2026.

First introduced in 2003, the Book Publishing Tax Credit has played a crucial role in ensuring the survival and fostering the growth of British Columbia’s vibrant, world-class publishing sector. With the removal of the “sunset clause,” the tax credit becomes a permanent support, allowing publishers to navigate supply-chain challenges, maintain competitiveness with out-of-province firms, and capitalize their operations based on predictable funding.

This decision follows the removal in recent years of the sunset clause from both the Film and Television Tax Credit and the Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit.

View the full press release.

March 25, 2026: Canada Council for the Arts Annual Public Meeting

March 26, 2026: Livres Canada Books Webinar: Exporting to China
March 26–29, 2026: 2026 Brussels Book Fair

March 31, 2026: Durvile & UpRoute Book Launch Event: Music of the Earth’s Heartbeat: Blackfoot Legacy Vol. 2

March 31, 2026: Tech Forum Webinar: Managing disruption: Online book marketing in a volatile age
April 13–16, 2026: The 2026 Bologna Children’s Book Fair
April 25, 2026: Canadian Independent Bookstore Day

April 28, 2026: University of Alberta Press Literary Editions

May 7–8, 2026: 2026 ABC Copyright Conference

May 14, 2026: Durvile & UpRoute Book Launch Event: The Headache Files: True Tales and Real Relief 
May 14–16, 2026: IBPA Publishing University

June 1–3, 2026: WBRA June Book Fair

June 4–5, 2026: Paris Book Market

June 11, 2026: Durvile & UpRoute Book Launch Event: See-Me Street: My Indigenous Homeless Journey 

June 22–26, 2026: 2026 Seoul International Book Fair
August 6–9, 2026: 40th IBBY World Congress

September 1–30, 2026: Alberta Culture Days
September 16–17, 2026: 2026 BPAA Annual Conference and AGM
September 17, 2026: 2026 Alberta Book Publishing Awards

October 7–11, 2026: Frankfurt Book Fair

April 1, 2026: Access Copyright Foundation PD Grants

April 1, 2026: Canadian Book Fund Support for Publishers

April 5, 2026: Seoul International Book Fair Fellowship Program

April 10, 2026: Registration for the Canada Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair

April 10, 2026: Foreign Rights Marketing Assistance Program (FRMAP)

April 10, 2026: Livres Canada Books Mentoring Program

April 15, 2026: Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize (for books published between February 11, 2026 and April 14, 2026)

April 15, 2026: Balsillie Prize for Public Policy (for books published between February 11, 2026 and April 14, 2026)

April 15, 2026: Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction (for books published between February 11, 2026 and April 14, 2026)

April 15, 2026: Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers (for books published between February 11, 2026 and April 14, 2026)
April 17, 2026: Giller Prize (Books published between March 1, 2026, and April 30, 2026)
May 1, 2026: Governor General’s Literary Awards (for books published between July 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026)

May 4, 2026: Nominations for the Summer CIBA The Booksellers’ List Closes

May 6, 2026: Project Grant Program – Organizations (Calgary Arts Development)

May 13, 2026: Nancy Flight Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction Editing
June 1, 2026: Connections & Exchanges Initiatives Grant (Edmonton Arts Council)

June 1, 2026: Invent & Adapt Grant (Edmonton Arts Council)
June 19, 2026: Giller Prize (Books published between May 1, 2026, and June 30, 2026)

June 24, 2026: Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026)

June 24, 2026: Balsillie Prize for Public Policy (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026)

June 24, 2026: Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026)

June 24, 2026: Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers (for books published between April 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026)

July 6, 2026: Nominations for the Fall CIBA The Booksellers’ List Closes

July 8, 2026: Nancy Flight Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction Editing
August 14, 2026: Giller Prize (Books published between July 1, 2026, and September 30, 2026)
September 1, 2026: Grants for Individuals & Collectives (Edmonton Arts Council)

October 7, 2026: Professional Arts Organizations Operating Grant Program (Calgary Arts Development)
November 1, 2026: Access Copyright Foundation Events Grants

Ongoing: Alberta Export Expansion Program (Government of Alberta)
Ongoing: Canada Digital Adoption Program
Ongoing: Representation and Promotion (Canada Council for the Arts)
Ongoing: Sector Support, Innovation and Development (Canada Council for the Arts)
Ongoing: Student Work Placement Program (Cultural Human Resources Council)
Ongoing: Micro-grants (Canada Council for the Arts)

1.  Game Changer - Rachel Reid (Carina Press)
2. Theo of Golden - Allen Levi (Simon & Schuster)
3. Small Ceremonies - Kyle Edwards (McClelland & Stewart)
4. Hooked - Asako Yuzuki, trans. Polly Barton (Ecco)
5. Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë (Canterbury Classics)
6. Wolf worm - T. Kingfisher (Tor)
7. Bad Cree - Jessica Johns (HarperCollins) *
8. Hamnet - Maggie O'Farrell (Vintage Canada)
9. On the Calculation of Volume (Book I) - Solvej Balle, trans. Barbara J. Haveland (New Directions)
10. The Black Wolf - Louise Penny (Minotaur Books)

1. The Anxious Generation - Jonathan Haidt (Penguin Press)
2. Beauty of Everyday Things - Soetsu Yanagi (Penguin Classics)
3. Talk Treaty to Me - Crystal Gail Fraser and Sara Komarnisky (Collins) *
4. Decolonizing Trauma Work - Renee Linklater (Fernwood Publishing)
5. Elements of Indigenous Style, 2nd Ed. - Gregory Younging, ed. Warren Cariou (Brush Education) +
6. Adult Braces - Lindy West (Grand Central Publishing)
7. Change of Ideas - Ibram X. Kendi (One World)
8. The Serviceberry - Robin Wall Kimmerer, illus. John Burgoyne (Scribner)
9. kiskisomitok ᑭᐢᑭᓱᒥᑐᐠ - reuben quinn (Talonbooks) *
10. Sorry, Not Sorry - Mark Critch (Viking)

1. South Side of a Kinless River - Marilyn Dumont (Brick Books) *
2. Calling it Back to Me - Laurie D. Graham (McClelland & Stewart)
3. Devotions - Mary Oliver (Penguin Books)
4. Dog Songs - Mary Oliver (Penguin Books)
5. The Big Melt - Emily Riddle (Nightwood Editions) *
6. Horses - Jake Skeets (McClelland & Stewart)
7. A Thousand Mornings - Mary Oliver (Penguin Books)
8. Old Gods - Conor Kerr (Nightwood Editions) *
9. Born Sacred - Smokii Sumac (Fernwood)
10. Nighthawks - Lisa Martin (University of Alberta Press) * +

1. Walking with the Wildebeest - T J Berwick (self-published) *

2. The Correspondent - Virginia Evans (Crown)

3. Dungeon Crawler Carl - Matt Dinniman (Ace)

4. Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir (Ballantine Books)

5. Dear Life - Alice Munro (Penguin Canada)

6. Theo of Golden - Allen Levi (Simon & Schuster)

7. Hooked - Asako Yuzuki, trans. Polly Barton (Ecco)

8. Once Upon a River - Diane Setterfield (Anchor Canada)

9. The Little Grizzly Who Walked Like a Boss - Victoria Tudor, illus. Natalia Logvanova (self-published)

10. His Whole Life - Elizabeth Hay (McClelland & Stewart)

1. Attention Seeker - Darcy Michael (DK)

2. The Feast - Alycia Two Bears (Wild Skies Press) * +

3. Talk Treaty to Me - Crystal Gail Fraser and Sara Komarnisky (Collins) *

4. Canadian Experience - Mansoor Ladha (self-published) *

5. At a Loss for Words - Carol Off (Random House Canada)

6. Beginning Comes After the End - Rebecca Solnit (Haymarket Books)

7. The Serviceberry - Robin Wall Kimmerer, illus. John Burgoyne (Scribner)

8. Buffalo Lessons - Karsten Heuer, Little Bear Leroy, and Harvey Locke (Greystone Books) *

9. Eau Claire Nowhere - Stephen Chan (self-published) *

10. Tales This Side of the Elysian Fields - Trevor W. Harrison (Endless Sky Books) *

* Alberta Author  + Alberta Publisher
Calgary Bestseller List Week Ending 2026-03-19

Thank you to Shelf Life Books and Owl's Nest Books for providing sales data.

Government scraps copyright exception as 'preferred option' for AI training in win for creative industries (The Bookseller)

The importance of social media in the publishing industry (BookNet Canada)

"Some books are so familiar that reading them is like being home again."

— Louisa May Alcott

Copyright © 2026 Book Publishers Association of Alberta, All rights reserved.

The Book Publishers Association of Alberta is grateful for the support of our funders:
City of Edmonton | Edmonton Arts Council | City of Calgary | Calgary Arts Development | Canada Council for the Arts | Department of Canadian Heritage | Government of Alberta | Arts, Culture, and Status of Women | Access Copyright Foundation