Canada Reads 2026 is about to start

Canada Reads 2026: daylight i

hither ar the five titles aiming to be the winner of this year's Canada Reads. While you don't need to read all the books before watching the show, it helps to know what they're about. Here's a summary of each.

A Minor Chorus by Billy-Ray Belcourt is an experimental novel about an unnamed queer, Indigenous academic who abandons his thesis and goes back to his hometown in northern Alberta. 

Searching for Terry Punchout by Tyler Hellard is a novel about Adam, a failing sports journalist who has one shot at a Sports Illustrated profile of a notorious hockey goon — his estranged and reclusive father. 

The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor is a historical fiction novel about Kit McNair, who struggles to fit the expectations set out for them as an Ontario farm girl. When they meet Rebekah, everything falls into place, but a love triangle and the Second World War force them to go their separate ways. 

Foe by Iain Reid is a speculative thriller about Junior and his wife Henrietta, whose peaceful existence living in an isolated farmhouse is upended when a mysterious man shows up, claiming Junior has been randomly selected for a scientific program and will be leaving home for the indefinite future. 

It's Different This Time by Joss Richard is a romance novel about June Heyward, an actor who, in a twist of fate, finds herself back at the New York City brownstone she never thought she'd return to, with the one person she swore she'd never see again.

Canada Reads 2026 is officially underway! I’m excited to see what’s in store for the first day of the debates.

Because Canada Reads airs live in the morning, our team always makes a pretty conscious effort to keep show spoilers out of our headlines. 

This year, since we're doing this live page, it'll be a bit different. We'll be updating you on everything here, as it happens. 

From Giller Prize winners to books that got major TV and film adaptations, the Canada Reads deck is stacked with some of the greatest Canadian books out there, year after year. 

Here's a look back at some of its most notable inclusions, and their champions.

In 2022, Five Little Indians by Michelle Good was championed by Christian Allaire and What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad was championed by Tareq Hadhad.

The list of former Canada Reads panellists is a real who's who of iconic Canadians. 

Olympians like Donovan Bailey, Mark Tewksbury, Clara Hughes and Maggie Mac Neil, and actors including Devery Jacobs, Alan Thicke, Yanic Truesdale, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jay Baruchel have all been on the show. 

Didn't have the chance to watch last year's show? Let's get you up to date.

Shayla Stonechild championed A Two-Spirit Journey to victory in Canada Reads 2025, describing Ma-Nee Chacaby's memoir as "one book to change the narrative."

Stonechild, a podcaster, wellness advocate and brand ambassador, says she uses her presence to advocate for language revitalization and Indigenous rights.

Chacaby is an Ojibwa-Cree lesbian who grew up in a remote northern Ontario community. A Two-Spirit Journey tells her story of overcoming abuse and alcohol addiction to become a counsellor and eventually lead Thunder Bay's first gay pride parade.

There's no monetary prize for winning Canada Reads, but panellists and authors who win get eternal bragging rights — and the books themselves often sell many more copies as a result.

But it's also an honour just to be nominated. No, seriously, it is. Being shortlisted for Canada Reads comes with a major sales boost, according to BookNet, an organization that tracks book sales in Canada. 

When the 2025 short list was announced, all of the books' sales increased by over 1,000 per cent, with Etta and Otto and Russell and James growing the most by 37,700 per cent, and Watch Out for Her growing the least, but still at a whopping 1,191 per cent.

We’re almost at showtime! Here’s a sneak peek at our set — including the iconic Canada Reads table, where our panellists will make the case for why their book is the one all Canadians should read.

Canada Reads 2026 Trailer

Canada Reads 2026 will take place April 13-16. This year, the great Canadian book debate is looking for one book to build bridges.

Canada Reads premiered in 2002, so this year marks its 25th anniversary!

The first winning book was In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje, which was defended by musician Steven Page.

Canada Reads 2026 will be hosted by actor, comedian and broadcaster Ali Hassan.

"If you had told me 10 years ago that I'd be the host of Canada Reads for a decade, I wouldn't have believed you. I still don't believe it," said Hassan in a press statement.

"I'm so grateful and so inspired to be part of this show — a show that continues to challenge people, encourage debate and promote the best of Canadian literature."

Hassan is no stranger to the world of writing himself; his comedic memoir, Is There Bacon in Heaven?, came out in 2022.

Every year, Canada Reads has a theme to help ground the debates. 

On Canada Reads 2026, we're looking for a book to build bridges.

Stories connect us to different people, places and perspectives. The collection of titles for 2026 showcases the power of storytelling to inspire, connect and grow — together.

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