History of the ATTLC

Since its inception in 1975 the Literary Translators' Association of Canada (LTAC/ATTLC) has sought to promote literary translation and to protect the interests of its members throughout the country. For most of its existence, the Association has enjoyed the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. LTAC members are frequent winners and finalists for the Governor General's Award for Translation, the Quebec Writers' Federation Translation Prize and international translation prizes.

Today the LTAC has approximately one hundred and twenty members. Although the majority translate works originally written in French or English, many work in other languages: Czech, Italian, German, Polish, Danish, Norwegian, Lithuanian, Russian, Dutch, Punjabi, Arabic, Yiddish and Spanish, to name a few.

The LTAC's efforts have benefited not only its members, but all translators in Canada. Among its achievements it has obtained codified recognition of translations as literary works in the Canadian Copyright Act, and a 50% share of Public Lending Right payments for translators.

The Association's activities focus primarily on serving its members and on raising public awareness of quality in translation. To this end the LTAC sponsors the John Glassco Prize, an annual award with a $1000 purse for a first book-length translation into French or English from any language.

The Association participates actively in all manner of cultural events, including national and international book fairs such as The Word On The Street, Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival and the Salon du Livre de Montreal. The LTAC represents Canadian translators at major literary events and organizes an annual conference on literary translation. It also has official representatives in bodies such as the Public Lending Right Commission. As part of its mandate to advance the status of literary translators, the LTAC is an active member of organizations such as the Canadian Conference of the Arts, the International Federation of Translators (FIT). The Association works in partnership with writers' representative organizations in Canada.

The LTAC publishes a directory of members containing relevant professional information for distribution to libraries, publishers and cultural institutions. It also distributes a model contract and provides advice to members on contract negotiations. Finally, the LTAC publishes Transmission, an internal newsletter featuring news of relevant cultural events and members' activities.