Watch our most exciting event of the year, the Online National Finals where our 9 national finalists recited poems for the top prizes!
The National Finals was hosted by former CBC Radio personality Johanne Blais and judged by a jury of celebrated poets: Mathew Henderson, Evelyn Lau, and Damian Rogers for the English recitations; Nicole Brossard, Georgette LeBlanc and Hector Ruiz for the French recitations.
National Finalists Prizes
Online national finalists will win the following cash prizes:
- 1st place: $3,000 for the student, $1,000 for poetry books for their school’s library
- 2nd place: $2,000 for the student, $500 for poetry books for their school’s library
- 3rd place: $1,000 for the student, $250 for poetry books for their school’s library
Semifinalists Prizes
Our 42 Semifinalists were each awarded a $250 prize. This year Star Ezeano from All Saints High School in Calgary, Alberta won the English People’s Choice and Marianne Arseneault from École secondaire Val Mauricie, Shawinigan, Quebec won the French People’s Choice prize. The People’s Choice winners are awarded $500 on top of the $250 for being named a Semifinalist. You can watch all 42 of our semifinalists here: https://www.poetryinvoice.com/recite/online-contests/winners/senior-2021
2020 Online National Finals
On Friday, April 17, 2020 the top 9 student reciters from across Canada lifted poetry off the page and competed for over $35,000 in prizes in our first Online National Finals. COVID-19 forced the cancellation of our Montreal event, but all 24 students won cash prizes for their participation in the Online National Finals, and we hope to return to Montreal in 2021!
- Read about who won the Online Contest
- Meet the Semifinalists
- Meet the judges and hosts
Looking back at the 2019 National Finals in Winnipeg
Watch the Finals
- Read about who won in Winnipeg
- Meet the Semifinalists
- Meet the judges and hosts
Watch the English Semifinals
Watch the French & Bilingual Semifinals
Looking back at the 2018 National Finals in Toronto
The Awards Show:
The English Qualifiers:
The French & Bilingual Qualifiers:
Looking back at the 2017 National Finals in Vancouver
English Finals & Showcase
In this event hosted by Bill Richardson, the top 6 students from the English Stream Qualifiers competed for the prizes for themselves and their school libraries. The French and Bilingual winners from earlier in the day were also showcased.
French & Bilingual Finals
During this event hosted by Johanne Blais, six students in the French Stream and six in the Bilingual stream competed for the $5,000 grand prizes.
English Qualifiers
Hosted by former English Champion Roan Shankaruk, this competition features twelve high school students from across Canada reciting 3 poems from our anthology. The top 6 students advanced to our English Finals.
Resisting, Surviving, and Embracing: Nationhood and Identity on #Canada150
Poet Jordan Abel led a discussion among indigenous writers on the concepts of Canadian and Indigenous nationhood and the ways in which those ideas are expressed through poetry.