52 Best universities for Creative Writing in Canada

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Canada ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 396K citations received by 24.6K academic papers made by 52 universities in Canada was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Toronto

Ontario | Toronto

For Creative Writing

#1 in North America

#1 in the World

Enrollment: 102,431
Founded: 1827

2. University of British Columbia

British Columbia | Vancouver

For Creative Writing

#4 in North America

#7 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 71,201
Founded: 1908

3. University of Alberta

Alberta | Edmonton

For Creative Writing

#9 in North America

#14 in the World

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

4. McGill University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#24 in North America

#39 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

5. York University

Ontario | Toronto

For Creative Writing

#26 in North America

#41 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 53,000
Founded: 1959

6. University of Calgary

Alberta | Calgary

For Creative Writing

#38 in North America

#65 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 33,000
Founded: 1966

7. University of Victoria

British Columbia | Victoria

For Creative Writing

#44 in North America

#80 in the World

Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1963

8. Western University

Ontario | London

For Creative Writing

#47 in North America

#89 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 21,836
Founded: 1878

9. University of Ottawa

Ontario | Ottawa

For Creative Writing

#61 in North America

#117 in the World

Enrollment: 42,027
Founded: 1848

10. Simon Fraser University

British Columbia | Burnaby

For Creative Writing

#62 in North America

#119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1965

11. Queen's University

Ontario | Kingston

For Creative Writing

#65 in North America

#127 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Enrollment: 35,612
Founded: 1841

12. Carleton University

Ontario | Ottawa

For Creative Writing

#74 in North America

#150 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 9,109
Founded: 1942

13. University of Waterloo

Ontario | Waterloo

For Creative Writing

#83 in North America

#171 in the World

Founded: 1957

14. Ryerson University

Ontario | Toronto

For Creative Writing

#90 in North America

#180 in the World

Enrollment: 38,950
Founded: 1948

15. University of Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#92 in North America

#186 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 66,972
Founded: 1878

16. McMaster University

Ontario | Hamilton

For Creative Writing

#93 in North America

#187 in the World

Enrollment: 27,965
Founded: 1887

17. University of Manitoba

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Creative Writing

#109 in North America

#239 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 29,800
Founded: 1877

18. Memorial University of Newfoundland

Newfoundland and Labrador | St. John's

For Creative Writing

#114 in North America

#252 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1925

19. Dalhousie University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Creative Writing

#119 in North America

#265 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 30,867
Founded: 1818

20. Wilfrid Laurier University

Ontario | Waterloo

For Creative Writing

#121 in North America

#272 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1911

21. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan | Saskatoon

For Creative Writing

#123 in North America

#279 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 20,953
Founded: 1907

22. Concordia University

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#125 in North America

#289 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1974

23. Brock University

Ontario | St. Catharines

For Creative Writing

#145 in North America

#339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 1964

24. University of Quebec in Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#155 in North America

#367 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1969

25. University of Windsor

Ontario | Windsor

For Creative Writing

#163 in North America

#380 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 16,092
Founded: 1857

26. University of Guelph

Ontario | Guelph

For Creative Writing

#166 in North America

#387 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1964

27. Laval University

Quebec State | Quebec City

For Creative Writing

#167 in North America

#388 in the World

Enrollment: 56,000
Founded: 1852

28. University of Regina

Saskatchewan | Regina

For Creative Writing

#177 in North America

#429 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Founded: 1911

29. Trent University

Ontario | Peterborough

For Creative Writing

#197 in North America

#497 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1963

30. University of Winnipeg

Manitoba | Winnipeg

For Creative Writing

#218 in North America

#556 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 1871

31. Laurentian University

Ontario | Greater Sudbury

For Creative Writing

#224 in North America

#571 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 9,323
Founded: 1960

32. University of Lethbridge

Alberta | Lethbridge

For Creative Writing

#247 in North America

#642 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Founded: 1967

33. St. Francis Xavier University

Nova Scotia | Antigonish

For Creative Writing

#249 in North America

#648 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1853

34. University of New Brunswick

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Creative Writing

#251 in North America

#651 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 32,036
Founded: 1785

35. St. Thomas University - Canada

New Brunswick | Fredericton

For Creative Writing

#284 in North America

#756 in the World

Enrollment: 2,000
Founded: 1910

36. Lakehead University

Ontario | Thunder Bay

For Creative Writing

#285 in North America

#761 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1965

37. University of Northern British Columbia

British Columbia | Prince George

For Creative Writing

#292 in North America

#780 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 28,609
Founded: 1990

38. University of Sherbrooke

Quebec State | Sherbrooke

For Creative Writing

#294 in North America

#787 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1954

39. Mount Saint Vincent University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Creative Writing

#330 in North America

#886 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 4,050
Founded: 1873

40. HEC Montreal

Quebec State | Montreal

For Creative Writing

#334 in North America

#895 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Founded: 1907

41. University of Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island | Charlottetown

For Creative Writing

#346 in North America

#928 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 4,336
Founded: 1969

42. MacEwan University

Alberta | Edmonton

For Creative Writing

#367 in North America

#1005 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1971

43. Saint Mary's University

Nova Scotia | Halifax

For Creative Writing

#377 in North America

#1034 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 7,281
Founded: 1802

44. Mount Royal University

Alberta | Calgary

For Creative Writing

#382 in North America

#1048 in the World

Founded: 1910

45. Acadia University

Nova Scotia | Wolfville

For Creative Writing

#402 in North America

#1114 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 1838

46. Ontario Tech University

Ontario | Oshawa

For Creative Writing

#403 in North America

#1122 in the World

Founded: 2002

47. Nipissing University

Ontario | North Bay

For Creative Writing

#404 in North America

#1127 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

48. Thompson Rivers University

British Columbia | Kamloops

For Creative Writing

#466 in North America

#1323 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Founded: 1970

49. Brandon University

Manitoba | Brandon

For Creative Writing

#484 in North America

#1391 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1899

50. Mount Allison University

New Brunswick | Sackville

For Creative Writing

#505 in North America

#1486 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 72,100
Founded: 1839

51. Trinity Western University

British Columbia | Langley

For Creative Writing

#520 in North America

#1598 in the World

Enrollment: 7,475
Founded: 1986

52. Cape Breton University

Nova Scotia | Sydney

For Creative Writing

#522 in North America

#1619 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 1974

The best cities to study Creative Writing in Canada based on the number of universities and their ranks are Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Montreal.