Municipal poets laureate in Ontario

This is a list of municipal poets laureate in the province of Ontario, Canada.

Barrie
The city of Barrie has had four poets laureate Tyneisha Ternent (2022 - present), Victoria Butler (2018 – 2022), Damian Lopes (2014 – 2018), and Dr. Bruce Meyer (2010-2014).

Brantford
The city of Brantford named John B. Lee poet laureate in perpetuity in 2005.

Cobalt
The town of Cobalt named Ann Margetson poet laureate

Cobourg
Cobourg’s poets laureate are Jessica Outram (2019 – 2022), Ted Amsden (2011 – 2018), Jill Battson (2009 – 2011), and Eric Winter (1997 – 2009)

Dufferin County
Dufferin County's poets laureate is Harry Posner (2017–present)

Kingston
Kingston’s poets laureate are Jason Heroux (2019 – present), Helen Humphreys (2015 – 2019), and Eric Folsom (2011 – 2015).

London
London’s poets laureate are Tom Cull (2016 – present), and Penn Kemp (2011 – 2013)

Mississauga
Mississauga’s poets laureate program was created in 2015. Poets are required to produce at least three poems for city-determined events annually, and read at civic events. Most serve a 2-year term, with Ayomide Bayowa being assigned the role for 30 months, due to delays in selection due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


 * 2015–2017: Anna Yin
 * 2017–2019: Wali Shah
 * 2019–2021: Paul Edward Costa
 * 2021–2024: Ayomide Bayowa

Norfolk County
In Norfolk County John B. Lee was appointed in 2011.

Ottawa
Ottawa’s poets laureate are Albert Dumont (Anglophone) (2021-2022) and Gilles Latour (Francophone) (2021-2022), Margaret Michèle Cook (Francophone) and Diana Young (Anglophone) (2019 – 2021), Andrée Lacelle (Francophone) and Jamaal Jackson Rogers (Anglophone) (2017 – 2019).

Owen Sound
Owen Sound’s poets laureate are Rebecca Diem (2024 - 2025), Richard-Yves Sitoski (2019 – 2023), Lauren Best (2017-2019), Rob Rolfe & Larry Jensen (2015 – 2017), Terry Burns (2013 – 2014), Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm (2011 – 2012), Kristan Anderson (2008 – 2010), Liz Zetlin (2007 – 2008).

Greater Sudbury
Greater Sudbury’s poets laureate are Kyla Heming (2022 – present), Vera Constantineau (2020 – 2022), Chloé LaDuchesse (2018 – 2020), Kim Fahner (2016 – 2018), Thomas Leduc (2014 – 2015), Daniel Aubin (2012 – 2013), and Roger Nash (2010 – 2011). Prior to its amalgamation into Greater Sudbury, the City of Sudbury named Robert Zenik (1986 – 1988) as its first and only Poet Laureate.

Toronto
The Poet Laureate of Toronto program was established in 2001, naming Dennis Lee as the first poet laureate. Successors include: A. F. Moritz (2019 – 2022), Anne Michaels (2016 – 2019), George Elliott Clarke (2012 – 2015), Dionne Brand (2009 – 2012), and Pier Giorgio Di Cicco (2004 – 2009).

The title of "Poet Laureate of Emery," referring to the Emery Village community in the former borough of North York, was created by then-Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti. Dr. Laurence Hutchman was given the title in 2017.

Windsor
The city of Windsor poets laureate are Mary Ann Mulhern (2019 – 2022), Marty Gervais (2011 – 2019) and Vanessa Shields (April 2022- September 2022).

Woodstock
The city of Woodstock posthumously named Barry C. Butson poet laureate emeritus.