Cody Caetano, Helen Knott and Krista Foss among 2025 Berton House writers-in-residence
Cody Caetano, Krista Foss, Helen Knott, Angela Long, Jesse Keith Butler and Rebecca Thomas will be the 2025 writers-in-residence at the Berton House in Dawson City. The Yukon residency, which is run by the Writers' Trust of Canada, includes a two-month stay, provides a $4,000 stipend and travel to and from Dawson City.
The writers will stay in the childhood home of legendary Canadian author, and Writers' Trust co-founder, Pierre Berton.
The residency has hosted nearly 100 Canadian writers since 2007. The 2025 contingent is supported by new funding from the Lind Family Foundation and will receive operational support from The Whitehorse Public Library, the Dawson City Community Library Board and the Klondike Visitors Association.
Caetano is a Toronto-based writer of Anishinaabe and Portuguese descent and an off-reserve member of Pinaymootang First Nation. Caetano has also published a short collection of poetry, Pleasure Dome Poems and his work has appeared in publications such as Prism International and the Hart House Review.
His memoir Half-Bads in White Regalia won the 2023 Indigenous Voices Award for Best Published Prose and was on the 2023 Canada Reads longlist. It was also longlisted for 2023 Toronto Book Award and the 2023 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour.
Foss is an Ontario writer, journalist and author. Her short fiction has appeared in Granta and has twice been a finalist for the Journey Prize. Her debut novel Smoke River won the Hamilton Literary Award.
She is also the author of the novel Half Life.
Knott is a Dane Zaa, Nehiyaw, Métis and mixed Euro-descent writer from Prophet River First Nations. She is a 2019 RBC Taylor Prize Emerging author and her memoir My Own Moccasins is an international bestseller and won the Saskatchewan Book Award for Indigenous Peoples' Publishing.
Her latest book Becoming a Matriarch won the Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes, was the co-winner of the 2024 George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature and was on the longlist for Canada Reads 2025.
It was also a finalist for the 2024 Governor General's Literary Award for Nonfiction. Knott is serving as one of the judges of the 2025 CBC Nonfiction Prize.
Jesse Keith Butler is a poet who was born in Dawson City and is currently based in Ottawa. His debut collection of poetry is titled The Living Law and his work has appeared in The Orchards Poetry Journal, Blue Unicorn and Arc.
Angela Long is a writer and freelance journalist from Vancouver Island. Her work has appeared in Poetry Ireland Review, The Globe and Mail and Utne Reader. She is the author of Observations from Off the Grid and Every Day We Disappear.
Rebecca Thomas is a Mi'kmaw writer living in Dartmouth. She was the Halifax poet laureate from 2016 to 2018. She is the author of the poetry collection I place you into the fire. She is also the author of the children's books Grampy's Chair and I'm Finding My Talk, which is a poem responding to the iconic Rita Joe poem I Lost My Talk.
"The Berton House Writers' Residency is one of Canada's most beloved artist residency programs and has provided career and life-changing experiences for nearly 100 Canadian writers since 2007," said Writers' Trust of Canada executive director in a press statement.
"We look forward to welcoming Berton House's newest cohort of residents and are excited to discover the stories and ideas that will be inspired by their stay."
The 2025 Berton House writers-in-residence were selected by artist Darcy Tara McDiarmid, and past writers-in-residence Eliza Robertson and Paul Seesequasis.
The Writers' Trust of Canada is an organization that supports Canadian writers through literary awards, fellowships, financial grants, mentorships and more.
