40 Canadian Publications that Work with Freelance Writers

For those who want to work with Canadian publishers, here’s a list of 40 publications that work with freelance writers.

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1. The Maple is a 100% reader-funded publication featuring Canadian news and perspectives that challenge the status quo. They welcome pitches for long-form news stories and explainer pieces that shed new light on the top political issues of the day. According to their pitch guide, news stories (usually 1,500 words) pay $500 CAD, shorter opinion pieces (700-1,200 words) pay $260 CAD, and more in-depth analysis articles (1,500-2,000 words) pay $450 CAD. When a piece is assigned and rejected without any request for revision, they pay 50% of the agreed upon fee. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. The Peak is “Canada’s source for fast, smart news on business, tech, and markets.” They’re seeking smart, talented writers. They’re looking for 800-to-1,200-word stories of original business reporting with a strong Canadian angle, and are interested in stories that take on exciting and unique subject matter, or are able to make traditionally stuffy material fresh and interesting. They are also looking for explainer-style pieces about ongoing international events/issues. Stories that offer clear and precise analysis of hot-button issues or under-reported world events you think are worthy of attention. This could include updates on long-running conflicts, breakdowns of foreign election results, or answering high-level economic questions. According to their pitch guide, they pay a minimum of $1000 for longer features with significant reporting (1200+ words) and a minimum of $500 for shorter stories with minimal reporting (under 1000 words). For details, refer to this page.

1. Canada’s National Observer is an independent news site founded in 2015. They open to pitches from freelance creators. They look for entertaining, character-driven stories based on research, interviews and facts, and their areas of interest are not limited to climate change and the environment, although that’s their core coverage. According to their pitch guide, their rates for assigned reporting and artwork are competitive. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. Write is the The Writers’ Union of Canada quarterly magazine, available exclusively to their members. The magazine is valued most for its presentation of news and views from writers’  perspectives. It is filled with professional information, developments in the literary community, industry news, timely features, and valuable industry services. They welcome pitches from TWUC members and non-members alike who are Canadian citizens, newcomers, or permanent residents. According to their pitch guide, contributors are paid $0.50/word, based on the assigned word count. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. Geist is a Canadian magazine which “represents a convergence of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, photography, art, reviews, little-known facts of interest, cartography and the legendary Geist crossword puzzle.” They aim to publish established and emerging Canadian writers. According to their pitch guide, they pay $100-300 for short nonfiction pieces (under 2000 words), and $650 for longform essays (up to 5000 words). For comics, they pay up to $650 per page (max. of 8 pages); for fiction (up to 5000 words), they pay up to $650 and for poetry, $100 per page. For more information, refer to their submission guidelines.

1. The Tyee is an online news magazine from Vancouver, British Columbia. They accept pitches for reported coverage, analysis, and first-person pieces. They are interested in all kinds of subjects. According to their contributor guidelines, they pay a day rate of $300. When they accept a pitch for a story, they work with the freelancer to determine whether it is a one-day, two-day, or three-day story. They don’t usually assign pieces above the three-day rate. To learn more, refer to this page.

1. The Walrus is a Canadian general interest magazine that “provokes new thinking and sparks conversation on matters vital to Canadians.” They publish short essays, long-form narrative journalism, features, essays, fiction and poetry. Features run from 1,200 words to around 2,000 words, long-form journalism run from 2,500 to 5,000 words, and essays run from essays 1,000 to 4,000 words. According to their pitch guide, rates for short essays of around 1,000 words start at $500; long-form reported features pay up to $1/word.

1. C Magazine is a quarterly published contemporary art and criticism periodical based in Toronto, Canada. Each issue of the magazine has a theme. They welcome “writing on contemporary art and culture that is lively and rigorously engaged with current ideas and debates.” They accept pitches for reviews (800 to 1,000 words), columns (800 to 1,000 words), and feature essays, cultural analysis, and interviews (1,200 to 3,500 words). According to their contributors guidelines, they pay between 35 to 45 cents per word. They pay a flat rate of $430 for print reviews and $210 for online reviews.