
BC Celebrates Canada's Best
The Largest Non-Fiction Book Prize in Canada
Previous winners for the British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction include:Russell Wangersky for Burning Down the House (2009)
Lorna Goodison for From Harvey River (2008)
Noah Richler for This Is My Country, What's Yours? (2007)
Rebecca Godfrey for Under the Bridge (2006)
Patrick Lane for There Is a Season (2005)
About the Prize
The British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction recognizes Canada's finest writers of literary non-fiction. The award celebrates a genre that stimulates our national discourse and illuminates our shared experiences and the complex world in which we live.Now in its sixth year, this national award has increased its prize value to $40,000, making it the largest literary nonfiction prize in the country. Each shortlisted author will now receive $2,500.
The British Columbia's Achievement Foundation was established and endowed by the Province of British Columbia in 2003 to celebrate excellence and achievement in the arts, humanities, enterprise and community service. It presents national awards, such as the British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, as well as provincial awards.
Prize
The shortlist will be announced in November 2009, and the award will be presented at a special ceremony in Vancouver in early 2010.
Jury
An independent qualified jury panel will consider submitted books and select the short list and the winner based on literary excellence. The jury's decision regarding eligibility, interpretation of the rules, the shortlist and the winner is final.AWARD GUIDELINES
Eligibility
- All entries must be first print editions published in Canada in English between November 1, 2008 and October 31, 2009, and be widely available to Canadian readers in bookstores and libraries. Books not published by August 31, 2009 but to be published by October 31, 2009 may be submitted as bound galley proofs.
- All entries must be authored by a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
- Entries may be authored by one or two individuals. Multi-authored titles are not eligible.
- Only works of literary non-fiction are eligible. Entries should demonstrate a high standard of craft and quality of thought, whatever their subject or category within the genre.
- Self-published books are not eligible. These are understood to include books authored by a senior officer of the book's publishing firm, and/or whose publication was underwritten in part or whole by the author. Such books as textbooks, how-to books, photographic books, etc. are not eligible.
- Posthumously published books are not eligible.
- If a book is shortlisted, it is understood that the author will attend the Presentation Ceremony in Vancouver, British Columbia.
- The jury may request submissions at its discretion.
Submission Process
- All entries must be submitted by an eligible publisher, a firm whose primary business is book publishing and one with established national distribution.
- All entries must be received by August 31, 2009. For those books published between November 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009, please submit as soon as possible by July 31, 2009.
- Submit finished print copies of books published betweenNovember 1, 2008 and August 31, 2009. Books not published by August 31 but to be published by October 31, 2009 may be submitted as bound galley proofs.
- Publishers must submit four copies of each nominated title. Books will not be returned.
Selection of Shortlist
Conditions of the Award
Publishers of the shortlisted books will be required to provide biographies and photos of the authors and ten additional books for publicity purposes.Publishers of the winning book agree to acknowledge receipt of the prize in advertising and promotion of the books subsequent to the award. Further, the publisher may add the British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction seal on the front jacket of the book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. If my book was published in November, 2007, is it eligible for the sixth annual BC Award for Canadian Non-Fiction?A. No, books published in November and December, 2007 were eligible for the fifth annual awards presented in February, 2009.
Q. What will be the time line for the sixth annual awards?
A. Going forward, books published between November 1, 2008 and October 31, 2009 will be eligible. The deadline for entries is August 31, 2009.
The submission package should be sent to:
British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction
c/o 6209 Angus Drive
Vancouver, BC
V6M 3P2
For further information, please contact:
British Columbia Achievement Foundation
w. www.bcachievement.com
e. info@bcachievement.com
t. 604-261-9777
Entry deadline: August 31, 2009
DOWNLOAD
Call for Submission (pdf, 181kB)
2009 Award
2009 Award Winner
Introduction of Russell Wangersky given by Elizabeth Bachinsky
Photos from the Awards Presentation
2009 Award Finalists
What's Being Said
Media Resources
2008 Award
2008 Award Winner
Photos from the 2008 presentation ceremony
2008 Award Finalists
Media Resources
What's being said
2008 Jury
2007 Award
2007 Award Winner
Photos from the 2007 presentation ceremony
2007 Award Finalists
Media Resources
What's being said
2007 Jury
2006 Award
2006 Award Winner
Photos from the 2006 presentation ceremony
2006 Award Finalists
What's being said
2005 Award
2005 winner and presentation event
2009 Award
2008 Award
See the 2008 award ceremony video
2007 Award
See the 2007 award ceremony video
2006 Award
2005 Award