Packaging Your Imagination (PYI) Conference
Join us IN PERSON: Saturday, October 25 2025 at Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute in Toronto .
OR
Can't be there in person? Connect with PYI RECORDED: Recordings of PYI sessions available in early November.
Photos from PYI 2023 by Caroline Fernandez | Packaging Your Imagination Conference (PYI)CANSCAIP has hosted this highly regarded professional development conference for more than 40 years. Canada's community of children's writers, illustrators, performers and publishers gathers annually for PYI. You are welcome to join us for this inspiring day of craft, business, and networking.
Saturday, October 25, 20259:00 am to 5:00 pm
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute
209 Victoria Street, Toronto
Online videos of PYI sessions and keynotes |
PICK YOUR OWN PYIYou choose 4 of the 12 in person (or recorded) sessions. ALL registrations include both keynote speakers. RECORDINGS OF ADDITIONAL SESSIONSAfter selecting four sessions for PYI IN PERSON or PYI RECORDED, | PYI 2025 SESSIONS & SPEAKERSOPENING KEYNOTE
CLOSING KEYNOTE Writing from the Shadows – MARSHA SKRYPUCH (The Claire Mackay Memorial Lecture is sponsored annually by the Peter and Eleanor Daniels Charitable Foundation) |
ONE-TO-ONE EVALUATIONSAdd a One-to-One to your PYI IN PERSON registration for $75. 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 from your online illustration portfolio. One-to-One meetings are in person at the PYI venue on Sat Oct 25, between 5:00 and 8:30pm ET. One-to-Ones are verbal evaluations without written notes. PYI 2025 ONE-TO-ONE EVALUATORS WRITING EVALUATIONS: Margot Blankier (Tundra Book Group) Hadley Dyer (Annick Press) Erin Haggett (Scholastic Canada) Kathleen Keenan (Kids Can Press) Khary Mathurin (Annick Press) Peter Phillips, Tundra Book Group Jordan Ryder (Second Story Press) Emma Sakamoto (Groundwood Books) Jennifer Stokes (OwlKids Books) Gayna Theophilus (Annick Press) Yasemin Uçar (Kids Can Press) ILLUSTRATION EVALUATIONS: Yvonne Lam (Scholastic Canada) Sophie Paas-Lang (Tundra Book Group) | Social Events for Your PYI Long Weekend!To encourage CANSCAIPers from across Canada to come to Toronto for PYI, we’re adding some fun pay-your-own-way events. Plan a terrific PYI Long Weekend--come earlier and stay later! Friday October 24 from 6:00 to late is PUB NIGHT at the Firkin on Yonge (2 blocks from the PYI venue). Everyone is welcome to enjoy this informal gathering with drinks, food, and conversation. Saturday October 25 from 12:00 to 1:30pm is a NETWORKING LUNCH at the PYI venue, with activities and opportunities to connect with other conference goers. The extended lunch break gives you time to pick up your lunch from many nearby restaurants—or you can bring your lunch from home. Sunday October 26 at 11:00am is a BRUNCH BUFFET at the famous Hothouse Café at the corner of Church and Front Streets—in the historic heart of Old Toronto. This large and welcoming restaurant has a legendary buffet, omelet station, carving stations, desserts by the dozens, and much, much more! Monday October 27 evening is the BOOK AWARDS GALA presented by the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Many of your Canadian kidlit colleagues will be at this nice, but not formal, evening event. We'll let you know when the CCBC puts the Gala tickets on sale. Hotel InformationPantages Hotel is across the street from the PYI venue, with a block of rooms for PYI attendees at the special rate of $309 (plus taxes & fees). Room nights available: Thu Oct 23 | Fri Oct 24 | Sat Oct 25 | Sun Oct 26 | Mon Oct 27 Book a room at the Pantages Hotel. |
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." |
CANSCAIP
720 Bathurst St., Suite 412, Toronto, ON M5S 2R4
Email: office@canscaip.org
Phone: 1-416-515-1559