Giller Prize 2022: Complete list of winners

The Scotiabank Giller Prize, one of Canada’s most prestigious literary awards, crowned Suzette Mayr’s The Sleeping Car Porter as its 2022 fiction winner. Mayr’s debut novel marks a significant moment for the Giller Prize, which has long championed Canadian fiction that challenges conventional storytelling. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century railway history, The Sleeping Car Porter explores the experiences of a Black porter working on Canadian trains, weaving together themes of identity, labor, and belonging with Mayr’s distinctive narrative style.

What makes Mayr’s win particularly resonant this year is how The Sleeping Car Porter brings long-overlooked historical perspectives into the literary spotlight. The novel’s recognition underscores the Giller Prize’s commitment to amplifying voices that expand our understanding of Canadian history and literature. As one of the country’s most watched book awards—alongside the Governor General’s Literary Awards and the Canada Reads competition—the Giller Prize continues to shape which Canadian stories reach readers nationwide.

Below, you’ll find the complete list of 2022 Giller Prize winners and finalists:

Fiction

• The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr