A selection of 30 writers from various regions in Canada has been chosen for the longlist of the 2026 CBC Short Story Prize from nearly 3,000 entries. The list includes works such as “YSL Classes” by Oluwatoke Adejoye, “Things I Know for Sure” by Katrina Agbayani, and “Pattern Recognition” by Amber Allen, among others.
Submissions undergo a two-step evaluation process by a panel of editors and writers from different parts of Canada. Each entry is reviewed by two readers, who create an initial list of around 100 submissions. A second committee then selects approximately 30 entries for the longlist, which is later assessed by a jury based on language usage, subject creativity, and writing style.
The jury, consisting of Maria Reva, Terry Fallis, and Tracey Lindberg, will determine the shortlist and eventual winner. The winner of the 2026 CBC Short Story Prize will be awarded $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, a two-week writing residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and publication on CBC Books. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 and have their work published as well.
The shortlist will be unveiled on April 30, with the winner announced on May 7. Last year’s winner was Dorian McNamara for the story “You (Streetcar at Night).” Additionally, the longlist for the French-language competition has also been disclosed.
For those interested in the CBC Literary Prizes, the 2026 CBC Poetry Prize is currently open for submissions until June 1. The 2027 CBC Short Story Prize will open in September, and the 2027 CBC Nonfiction Prize will open in January.