Call for Nominations - Poet Laureate of Ontario

Toronto, August 14, 2026 - The Legislative Assembly of Ontario is inviting nominations, under the Poet Laureate of Ontario Act, for the province’s third Poet Laureate. A selection panel will review the nominations and may interview all shortlisted candidates. 

Passed by Ontario’s Legislature in December 2019, the Poet Laureate of Ontario Act (In Memory of Gord Downie) honours the late former lead singer of popular Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip, whose poetic lyrics touched the hearts of Canadians from coast to coast. A native of Kingston, Ontario, Downie passed away in October 2017. 

Who qualifies? 
To be eligible for consideration, 
• The individual must be a person whose primary residence is Ontario and who has resided in Ontario for a period of at least six months during the 12 months preceding the selection, and 
• The individual must have published at least one volume of poetry within the last 10 years or demonstrate that their body of work has brought honour to themselves and to Ontario. 

What does the position entail? 
Ontario’s Poet Laureate will be appointed for a two-year term as an Officer of the Legislative Assembly. They will: 
• Promote the arts and literacy in Ontario; 
• Raise public awareness of poetry and the spoken word; 
• Act as spokesperson for literature in general, and poetry in particular; 
• Engage in public outreach by visiting schools and community groups across the province, presenting or arranging poetry readings, writing workshops and/or other activities; and 
• Perform other duties as may be requested by the Speaker, the Lieutenant Governor or the Legislative Library. 

What information is required for a nomination? 
Standard information is required for each nominee to ensure a proper evaluation and review of each nomination: 
• Nominee’s personal information (name, address, language preference, etc.); 
• Nominator’s personal information (name, address, etc.); 
• Letter of nomination briefly describing the nominee’s significant contributions to the arts and literary community, why they should be considered a nominee for Poet Laureate, and how they have influenced or had an impact on the work of other literary artists or on the Province of Ontario; 
• Nominee’s biography or CV, including such information as education, significant achievements, publications, professional activities, awards or honours; 
• Letters from two colleagues in the literary field supporting the nomination; and 
• A minimum of two examples of the nominee’s work. These may be in print publication or in electronic, audio or video format. 
• Please note: 
o If published in print only, one copy of the publication must be submitted. 
o If published in electronic/video/audio format, either a link or one copy must be submitted. 

Who can make a nomination?
 Nominators may be Members of Provincial Parliament, members of the public and/or of the arts and literary community. Individuals may nominate themselves, as long as they have letters from two colleagues in the literary field who support the nomination. 

What is the compensation? 
This is a two-year appointment with an annual honorarium of $20,000. There is also a travel and administrative allowance. 

How do I submit a nomination? 
To apply, please submit your complete nomination package to PLnominations@ola.org.
Nominations must be received by September 25, 2026. 

For further information, contact: 

Poet Laureate nominations, PLnominations@ola.org.