This year’s winners showcase the richness and range of Ontario’s English and French literary talent
TORONTO, June 10, 2026 /CNW/ – Ontario Creates, a government of Ontario agency, proudly presents the 2026 Trillium Book Award/Prix Trillium winners, highlighting exceptional literary works of the past year. The Trillium Book Award/Prix Trillium winners showcase local authors and publishers and will inspire Canadians to enjoy homegrown stories and support the local literary ecosystem.
The 2026 Trillium Book Award/Prix Trillium Literary and Poetry (English and French) winners, announced at an evening award ceremony, are:
2026 English Book Winner: We, the Kindling, authored by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek (Kingston, Ontario) and published by Penguin Random House.
2026 English Poetry Book Winner: Revolutions, authored by Hajer Mirwali (Toronto, Ontario) and published by Talonbooks.
2026 French Book Winner: Maman bleue, authored by Sarah Migneron (Ottawa, Ontario) and published by Prise de parol.
2026 French Poetry Book Winner: Haus, authored by Lisa L’Heureux (Ottawa, Ontario) and published by Prise de parole.
Find out more about these authors and their winning titles here.
The Trillium Book Award encourages excellence in literature by investing in Ontario-based writers. Book award recipients receive $20,000, and their respective publishers receive $2,500 for the marketing and promotion of the titles. Poetry book winners receive $10,000, and their respective publishers will receive support to promote the winning titles.
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“From trauma, survival and shared female experiences to identity, belonging, silence and shame, the 2026 Trillium Book Award winners are powerful reminders of what it means to endure and rebuild in worlds shaped by violence, expectation and vulnerability,” said Karen Thorne-Stone, President and CEO, Ontario Creates. “Celebrating this year’s Ontario Trillium Book Award winners amplifies the voices and stories that define the province’s literary landscape and cultural memory.”
“Through the annual Trillium Book Awards, we ensure that bold, necessary storytelling continues to be supported, shared and brought into wider public conversation,” said Aaron Campbell, Chair, Ontario Creates. “I’m consistently amazed by both the diversity and creative content produced by the authors and publishers who continue to prove the strength and prosperity of Ontario’s creative economy.”
The 2026 Trillium Book Award winners and finalists feature a total of 16 talented Ontario authors from across the province, including eight Greater Toronto Area authors, six Ottawa authors, one Peterborough author and one Kingston author.
