Poetry in Transit turns 30
September 09th, 2026
The Association of Book Publishers of BC (Books BC) has announced the 10 poets and titles selected for the 2026–27 Poetry in Transit campaign, marking the milestone 30th anniversary of Canada’s longest-running poetry-on-transit program.
Produced in partnership with TransLink and BC Transit, the community initiative showcases regional poets by placing poetry cards inside transit vehicles across British Columbia. The launch month of September also brings dedicated transit-shelter posters to Metro Vancouver, featuring fresh graphic designs and book cover art to elevate passenger discoverability.
Selected by an independent jury from eligible collections published by Canadian presses, the 2026–27 featured poets and works are:
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Cynthia Woodman Kerkham (Victoria) – Water Quality (McGill-Queen’s University Press)
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Elizabeth Bachinsky (New Westminster) – Real Grownup (Nightwood Editions)
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Eve Joseph (Victoria) – Dismantling (Anvil Press)
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Fenn Stewart (Vancouver) – women and roosters (Book*hug Press)
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George Bowering (Vancouver) – Pearl (Talonbooks)
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Jónína Kirton (New Westminster) – Save Your Prayers – Send Money (Talonbooks)
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Murray Mann (Cowichan) – Sublime: Poems for Vanishing Ice (Caitlin Press)
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Renée Sarojini Saklikar (Vancouver) – Bramah’s Discovery (Nightwood Editions)
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Russell Thornton (North Vancouver) – Two Songs: Selected Poems 2000–2025 (Harbour Publishing)
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Wendy Donawa (Victoria) – The Time of Falling Apart (Harbour Publishing)
First launched in 1996, the program commemorates its 30th year with a public celebration at the Word Vancouver Festival at UBC Robson Square on Saturday, September 19, 2026.
The festivities kick off from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM in the Poetry Tent with readings by this year’s cohort, hosted by poet Junie Désil. A dedicated anniversary session follows immediately after, hosted by Rob Taylor and featuring alumni readers Junie Désil, Natalie Lim and former Vancouver Poet Laureate Fiona Tinwei Lam, alongside an interactive timeline and community poetry board.
Commuters spotting the new cards across the province are invited to share their sightings online using the hashtag #PoetryInTransit and tagging @readlocalbc.
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