Awards guide · Canada
Canadian Interiors Best of Canada Awards: Photo Guide
For interior designers and architects entering Canadian Interiors’ national design awards. Checked against the competition page on November 1, 2026.
Canadian Interiors’ Best of Canada Awards ask for a minimum of six and a maximum of ten high-res JPG photos, no larger than 5 MB each, plus a fillable PDF that credits the photographer for every image; the magazine uses those credits if the project wins. The firm’s name must not appear in the submission. Even entries that don’t win grant Canadian Interiors the right to publish the project and its photography. In 2026 the fee was $155 per project plus tax and the deadline was 11:59 pm PST on April 27, 2026, with no late entries. The 30th-edition call has not been published.
What an entry contains
| Item | 2026 Best of Canada |
|---|---|
| Photos | Minimum 6, maximum 10 high-res .JPG files, max 5 MB each |
| Photo credits | Fillable PDF with the photographer’s name/credit for all photos, used in the magazine if the project wins |
| Description | Up to 500 words (Word file): key features and the solution to the client’s brief |
| Optional | Up to three low-res floor plan PDFs (500 KB each) and a video up to two minutes |
| Collaborators | Crediting collaborating firms is mandatory |
| Fee | $155 per project, $130 per product, plus applicable taxes |
| Deadline (2026) | 11:59 pm PST, Monday April 27, 2026. “Late entries will not be accepted.” |
| 2027 (30th edition) | Not published as of November 1, 2026 |
Source: Best of Canada competition page.
Shooting for six to ten images at 5 MB
- 5 MB is a JPG quality setting, not a resolution limit. A 4000-pixel-wide JPG at high quality usually fits. Ask for an export at the size and compression that stays under 5 MB, rather than downsizing yourself.
- Ten is the ceiling, six the floor. A set that holds up: two or three establishing views, three or four images of the defining spaces, two or three details that carry the brief.
- Anonymous judging means no branded items in frame, no signage and no firm name in file names.
- Publication rights: by entering you grant Canadian Interiors the use of the project “along with all photography” in print and online, win or not. Your photographer’s licence has to allow that.
How I photograph awards entries
I’m an architectural and interior photographer based in Richmond, working across Metro Vancouver and, with published travel fees, the rest of BC. For an awards entry the brief comes from the rules:
- A shot list built from the categories you are entering, with an image for each thing the judges score.
- Real spaces, no virtual staging, and edits limited to normal correction of exposure, colour and verticals.
- Files delivered to the programme’s spec: high-res JPG under 5 MB each, with file names free of the firm name and a completed photographer-credit list.
- A ready credit line (“Photography: Travis Zhang”) and a licence that covers the organiser’s promotional use of winning images.
- Published prices: CA$1,100 for a half day with 12 finished images, or CA$2,000 for a full day with 20 images including twilight, plus 5% GST. Details are in the cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many photos can I submit to the Canadian Interiors Best of Canada Awards?
A minimum of six and a maximum of ten high-res JPG photos, each no larger than 5 MB, plus a fillable PDF crediting the photographer for every image.
Is Best of Canada judging anonymous?
Yes. The firm's name must not appear on the submission. Collaborator credits are still required on the entry form.
When is the Best of Canada deadline?
The 2026 deadline was 11:59 pm PST on Monday April 27, 2026, with no late entries. The 30th-edition call had not been published as of November 1, 2026.
This guide summarises Canadian Interiors’ published 2026 entry requirements and is not affiliated with the magazine. The official competition page takes precedence.