Vancouver Book Award

The City of Vancouver and the West Coast Book Prizes Society are now accepting submissions for the 2026 City of Vancouver Book Award. Authors and publishers of books published in 2025 that reflect Vancouver’s unique character, rich diversity and culture, history and residents are invited to submit entries.

The winning book can be of any genre and should demonstrate excellence in content, illustration, design, or format. It will also deepen our understanding of Vancouver, including its place on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples, and people from across the world who have imbued Vancouver’s cultural landscape with the qualities, landmarks, and stories that make our city recognizable and distinct.

All entries must include: four copies of the book, a $20 submission fee, and a completed entry form online. Please note, the books and fee must both be received by the submission deadline, at this address below, and payment cannot be submitted electronically or over the phone.

Mail to:

The West Coast Book Prizes Society
5776 Willow Ave.
Powell River, BC
V8A 4P7

The $3,000 award will be presented at a celebratory event in the fall.

A peer assessment committee selects the finalist titles and the winning book from all submissions received. As a step towards integrating cultural equity and accessibility in the assessment process, Arts, Culture and Tourism has adopted policy to exceed 50% representation of people from underrepresented communities in all of its assessment bodies for grants and awards. 

Underrepresented communities that may be represented on the selection committee include xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) people, and people who identify as Indigenous; Black people and people of African descent; people of colour and racialized people; people with disabilities, disabled people, and people who live with mental health challenges; Deaf and hard of hearing people; LGBTQ2+ and gender diverse people; low-income people; refugees, newcomers, and undocumented people; minority language communities; women and girls; and, youth and seniors.

Submission Deadline is Wednesday, May 12, 2026.

Eligibility Criteria: 

1. The book may be fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama written for adults or children and may deal with any aspects of the city: history, geography, diverse communities, current affairs, or the arts.
2. The book may be written and/or published anywhere in the world.
3. The book must have been copyrighted in 2025. 
4. Reissues of a prior edition and text books are not eligible.

Evaluation Criteria:

The book must contribute significantly to the appreciation and understanding of the city of Vancouver and heighten awareness of one or more of the following:

• Rich diversity and culture, including Vancouver’s place on the unceded homelands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations
• Vancouver’s history
• Vancouver’s unique character 
• The achievements of Vancouver’s residents

The book must excel in one or more of the following:

• Content
• Illustration
• Design
• Format

 

Supported by the City of Vancouver

 

Previous winners of the City of Vancouver Book Award include Henry Tsang for White Riot (2024); Chelene Knight for Junie (2023); Karen Duffek, Bill McLennan, and Jordan Wilson for Where the Power Is: Indigenous Perspectives on Northwest Coast Art (2022); Michelle Good for Five Little Indians (2021); Catherine B Clement for Chinatown Through a Wide Lens: The Hidden Photographs of Yucho Chow (2020); Robert Watt and Susan Point for People Among the People: The public art of Susan Point (2019); Chelene Knight for Dear Current Occupant (2018); Carleigh Baker for Bad Endings (2017); and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, Karen Duffek, and Tania Willard for Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun: Unceded Territories (2016).

Review more City of Vancouver Book Award winners and finalists from previous years