Winners of Ontario’s foremost prize for literary excellence, the Trillium Book Award/Prix Trillium, were announced today by the Hon. Aileen Carroll, Ontario Minister of Culture, and Kevin Shea, Chair of the Ontario Media Development Corporation at a luncheon held at Hart House.

Trillium Book Award English-language and French-language winners receive $20,000. Publishers of the winning books each receive $2,500 towards their promotional costs. The respective winners of the Trillium Book Award for Poetry in English language and Trillium Book Award for Poetry in French language each receive $10,000 and their publishers receive $2,000. All finalists receive a $500 honorarium.

• This year’s winner for the Trillium Book Award in English-language is: Barbara Gowdy, Helpless (HarperCollins Publisher)
• The winner for the Trillium Book Award in French-language is: Pierre Raphaël Pelletier, L’Œil de la lumière (Les Éditions L’Interligne)
• This year’s English-language for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry is: Rachel Zolf, Human Resources (Coach House Books)
• The winner for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry in French-language is: Tina Charlebois, Poils lisses (Les Éditions L’Interligne)

"The Trillium Book Award gives us an opportunity to celebrate and promote some of our finest authors,” said Minister of Culture Aileen Carroll. "The finalists and award winners have all played an important role in fostering a culture of creativity in our province. I congratulate each of them on receiving this distinguished prize."

"This year’s winners of the 21st Trillium Book Award reflect the talent, diversity and appeal of Ontario’s literary heritage, as well as its future,” said OMDC Chair Kevin Shea. “We congratulate all the authors and their publishers for continuing to enrich the lives of readers at home and around the world."

Celebrating its 21st Anniversary this year, the Trillium Book Award is among the most highly regarded national and international literary prizes. Previous winners have included world-renowned authors such as Margaret Atwood, Wayson Choy, Thomas King, Michael Ondaatje, Maurice Henri and Michèle Matteau.

According to statistics Canada, Ontario book publishers had $1.5 billion in revenue in 2005. The Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario (OBPO) estimates that the Canadian-owned share of the market is approximately 35%, for annual sales of approximately $530 million.

The Ontario government established the Trillium Book Award in 1987 to recognize excellence, support marketing and foster increased public awareness of the quality and diversity of Ontario writers and writing.

Ontario Media Development Corporation administers the Trillium Book Awards on behalf of the Ministry of Culture.

www.omdc.on.ca