The World of Canadian Publishers
© Paula E. Kirman
Canada's publishing houses are as diverse as the country's landscape. They range from Canadian offices of major publishers, to small academic publishers, to independent literary presses. The kinds of genres they publish really depend on their budgets and ability to promote their writers, but all contribute to the world of Canadian literature.
The publisher McLelland & Stewart will forever be synonymous with Canadian literature. The publisher of many of Canada's legendary writers such as Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, and the late Mordecai Richler, M&S also publishes promising new writers, as well as reprints of classic titles.
Random House has major Canadian representation, even though it is not a Canadian publisher in origin. David Gilmour's novels are published by the company. Doubleday is also affiliated with Random House. Fifth House, with fiction and history, is slowly growing into one of Canada's major publishers, even though it is based in Calgary and not the east.
Many of the country's major universities have a publishing house that publishes titles by professors and writers from outside the particular institution. While most books published by a university press has an academic bent, there are sometimes notable literary titles. Robert Kroetsch's award-winning The Hornbooks of Rita K. was published by the University of Alberta Press. The University of Calgary Press and The University of Toronto Press have also published literary fiction and non-fiction. The U of C tends to focus on non-fiction, both literary and academic, while U of T tends to be more academic in focus.
Red Deer Press crosses the line between an academic and a literary publisher. In fact, Red Deer Press originally started out as Red Deer College Press, before branching out from under the wings of the college.
Finally, small presses are on the cutting edge of Canadian Literature. Small presses publish fewer books per year, due to smaller budgets, but the titles they choose to publish tend to offer a lot artistically. Some writers got their starts writing for smaller publishers. Edmonton's NeWest Press is responsible for contemporary fiction, poetry, and drama from the likes of Beth Goobie and Brad Fraser.
Coteau Books is another well-known small press, as is Turnstone Press in Manitoba. Coach House Press has turned cyber, publishing e-books now as opposed to print books.
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