Canada’s Top Literary Prize at Risk: Giller Foundation Appeals for Lifeline

One of Canada’s most prestigious literary honors, the $100,000 Giller Prize, is on the brink of extinction. Without federal intervention, the award that has elevated countless Canadian authors could disappear by the end of 2025.

According to reporting from The Globe and Mail, the Giller Foundation is preparing to ask the Canadian government for $5 million in funding spread over three years. Though the official request hasn’t been sent yet, the foundation is reportedly circulating a draft letter to prominent literary figures in hopes of building support.

The Giller Prize, known for spotlighting Canada’s top fiction writers, parted ways with longtime sponsor Scotiabank earlier this year. The split followed public outcry over Scotiabank’s alleged ties to an Israeli arms manufacturer. The loss of its primary sponsor has left the organization financially vulnerable.

In the draft letter, the foundation warns that “without stable funding, the Giller will be forced to cease operations at the end of 2025.” That shutdown would not only end the prize itself but also halt the annual Giller gala and its popular author tour—key events that bring Canadian literature to a broader audience.

Further complicating matters, the Giller’s three-year travel-sponsorship deal with the Azrieli Foundation, a major Canadian-Israeli philanthropic group, is also set to expire this year with no renewal in sight.

For decades, the Giller Prize has been a cultural cornerstone, celebrating excellence in Canadian fiction and helping authors gain national and international attention. As the foundation seeks a new funding model, it’s unclear whether the federal government will step in.

If it doesn’t, Canada could soon lose a literary institution that has shaped the country’s cultural identity for over 30 years.