Submissions are opening soon for The Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, awarded annually to recognize outstanding achievement in the following categories of crime writing. Publishers or authors may submit ebook or pdf versions of a book via the entry form on the CWC website. Self-published authors may submit if other criteria below are met.

1. Best Crime Novel 
2. Best First Crime Novel 
3. Best Crime Novel Set in Canada 
4. Best Traditional Mystery 
5. Best Crime Short Story  
6. Best French Crime Book 
7. Best Juvenile or YA Crime Book 
8. Best Novella 
9. Best Nonfiction Crime Book

Eligibility: 

• The work must fit into the crime-writing genre which includes capers, detective stories, espionage, mystery, police procedural, suspense, cozy, thrillers and crime-themed literary works, as well as fictional or factual accounts of real crimes.
• The author must be a Canadian citizen or have been granted Permanent Resident status in Canada. Authors who are Canadian citizens do not have to be residing in Canada to be eligible. Authors who are Permanent Residents of Canada may be of any nationality. If the work is co-authored, at least one of the authors must be a Canadian citizen or a Permanent Resident of Canada.
• The work must have been published for the first time in the preceding year (January 1 to December 31, 2026) in either English or French. 
• The entry form and fee must be received and confirmed on or before December 15, 2026
   

For further information and entry forms, see 
https://crimewriterscanada.com/index.php/en/page/page-content/submission-rules