Packaging Your Imagination (PYI) Conference 2026
Join us at PYI IN PERSON on Saturday, October 24 at Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute in downtown Toronto .
OR
Can't be there in person? PYI LIVESTREAM on Saturday, October 24 brings you there in real time.
Canada's community of children's writers, illustrators, performers and publishers gathers annually for PYI. CANSCAIP has hosted this highly regarded professional development conference for more than 40 years. We invite you to join us for this inspiring day of craft, business, and networking.
Photos from PYI 2023 by Caroline Fernandez | PYI IN PERSONLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto Saturday, October 24, 2026 PYI LIVESTREAM (new!)Saturday, October 24, 2026 PYI RECORDED Registration opens in September
|
Pick Your Own PYI: Two Terrific Options in 2026!PYI IN PERSON and PYI LIVESTREAM |
ONE-TO-ONE EVALUATIONS @ PYI 2026For an additional $85, you can add a One-to-One to your PYI IN PERSON registration or to your PYI LIVESTREAM registration. A One-to-One is a 15-minute meeting with a publishing professional who has evaluated 1,000 words of your manuscript, or 10 images of your online illustration portfolio. One-to-Ones are verbal evaluations without written notes. Attendees of PYI IN PERSON participate in One-to-One meetings at the conference venue at the end of the PYI day on Saturday October 24, scheduled between 5:00 and 8:30pm ET. Attendees of PYI LIVESTREAM participate in One-to-One meetings via Zoom. The meetings are two weeks after the conference on Saturday November 7, scheduled between 2:00 and 5:00pm ET. PYI IN PERSON ONE-TO-ONE EVALUATORS Sat Oct 24, 5-8pm ET WRITING Hadley Dyer - Annick Press Erin Haggett - Scholastic Canada Kathleen Keenan – Owlkids Books Khary Mathurin - Annick Press Ali McDonald - 5 Otter Literary Peter Phillips - Tundra Book Group Emma Sakamoto - Goundwood Books Gayna Theophilus - Annick Press Yasemin Uçar - Kids Can Press Editor TBC - Owlkids Books Sarah Gillingham - Greystone Books PYI LIVESTREAM ONE-TO-ONE EVALUATORS Sat Nov 7, 2-5pm ET WRITING Bev Brenna - Red Deer Press Sarah Howden - Orca Book Publishers Whitney Moran - Nimbus Publishing Katie Scott - Kids Can Press Andrew Wooldridge - Orca Book Publishers Sophie Paas-Lang - Tundra Book Group | PYI 2026 SESSIONS & SPEAKERSOPENING KEYNOTE MORNING SESSIONS (choose one)
MID-MORNING SESSIONS (choose one)
CLOSING KEYNOTE Some of the Books I Have Loved and Why - PATSY ALDANA (The Claire Mackay Memorial Lecture is sponsored annually by the Peter and Eleanor Daniels Charitable Foundation) |
PYI 2026 Hotel InfoPantages Hotel is across the street from the PYI venue. Rooms with a king size bed are available at the special PYI rate of $335 (plus taxes & fees). PYI room nights: Thu Oct 22 | Fri Oct 23 | Sat Oct 24 | Sun Oct 25 WHAT ATTENDEES ARE SAYING"I always come away from PYI having learned something, having been inspired, and feeling more confident about my writing." "Always amazing--I recommend it to EVERYONE." "So well organized with great variety of presenters. I felt welcomed to this writing community as soon as I entered the building." "Thank you so much for this fantastic conference, for the speakers who know their stuff, and for the editors who give their time for the always-valuable One-to-One sessions." | Social Events for Your
|
CANSCAIP
Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers
Davisville Centre | 1920 Yonge Street, Suite 241 | Toronto, Ontario M4S 3E2
Email: office@canscaip.org
Phone: 1-416-515-1559