City of Toronto Announces Shortlist for 2026 Literary Prize
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Five authors have been named as finalists for the Toronto Book Awards, celebrating works that reflect the city's diverse communities and histories.
The City of Toronto and Toronto Public Library have announced the shortlist for the 2026 Toronto Book Awards, a prize established in 1974 to recognize authors whose works capture the people, places, history, and spirit of the city, according to a City of Toronto news release.
The five titles selected for the shortlist are:
* Don Gillmor's *Cherry Beach* (Biblioasis) * *Fatal Confession: A Girl’s Murder, a Man’s Execution, and the Fitton Case* by Carolyn Strange (UBC Press) * Sharon Bala's *Good Guys* (McClelland & Stewart) * *Property* by Kate Cayley (Coach House Books) * Jackie Khalilieh's *You Started It* (Tundra Books)
A $2,000 prize will be given to each shortlisted author, and the overall winner will take home $20,000. The winner will be announced during a ceremony on Tuesday, November 10, at the Toronto Reference Library.
As reported by the City of Toronto, the awards are part of Culture Connects, a 10-year action plan for culture designed to support literary excellence and elevate local voices. This year's jury consists of literary agent Julia Kim, author and poet Jake Byrne, novelist and non-fiction writer Kristen den Hartog, poet, translator and curator Bänoo Zan, and writer, educator, and anti-racism advocate Matthew R. Morris.