Deadline: April 30, 2025

The  Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Prize for Canadian Youth was established to foster a lifelong relationship between Canadian youth and the literary arts, specifically poetry. The prize is supported through a generous donation from the Stursberg family and other donors in honour of Jessamy Stursberg.

The League of Canadian Poets’ mandate is to elevate the cultural significance of poetry and champion the role of poets. Working to nurture and expand poetry communities and audiences, the organization cultivates the local, national, and international publication, performance, and recognition of poetry. The League supports equitable and inclusive artistic practice through poetry education and development.

Benefits

• The prize accepts submissions from young poets all across Canada, with three cash prizes ($450, 400, and $350) awarded in both the Junior (grades 7 to 9) and Senior (grades 10 to 12) categories.

Eligibility

• Students must be in one of the two categories: grades 7-9 (junior) or grades 10-12 (senior)
• Students may submit only one (1) poem
• Poems must be a maximum of one (1) page long
• Students must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents
• Homeschooled students are welcome to submit. Please select the grade most appropriate for your age or year of study
• Parents, guardians, and teachers are permitted to submit poems on behalf of students as long as the student has provided their consent

For more information, visit

To submit your entry, click here