BC and Yukon Book Prizes

“A community where books matter and every story has a home.”

The BC and Yukon Book Prizes (BCYBP), established in 1985, celebrates and promotes literary and cultural excellence in writing and book publishing while connecting authors and their work to communities throughout British Columbia and Yukon.

The society awards 10 prizes annually across a range of categories including fiction, non-fiction, regional writing, poetry, children’s literature, children’s illustrated literature, and provocative writing. Finalist shortlists are announced each spring, and the prizes are awarded at a gala dinner in September.

Additionally, the BCYBP facilitates panel discussions as part of the monthly Storied series and organizes readings and school visits across the province and territory, providing free workshops to schools and communities in remote areas. Writing the Coast, the official podcast of the BC and Yukon Book Prizes, features interviews with finalist authors and members of the writing community.

The BC and Yukon Book Prizes Adopt-A-Library program is a year-round community initiative created in 2007 to put British Columbia and Yukon authored books into schools and public libraries. Books used in this initiative are purchased with donations from community-minded businesses and individuals, and through sponsorships secured by the BCYBP. The finalist book sets are valued at $500 per school or public library. The program has delivered over $100,000 worth of books into classrooms.

A vibrant culture of writing, publishing, and reading are crucial components to an effective society. We celebrate the literary excellence in our region and work to build a stronger community that supports the next generation of literary creators.