David Helwig was born on April 5, 1938, in Toronto, Ontario and died on October 16, 2018.

He was a Canadian poet, novelist, and essayist.

At the early age of ten years old, David’s family moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, where his father ran a small business repairing and refinishing furniture and buying and selling antiques.

David Helwig earned a B.A. from the University of Toronto in 1960, and an M.A. from the University of Liverpool in 1962.

Then eventually he taught at Queen’s University from 1962 to 1974.

At Queen’s University, David Helwig also taught writing classes in Collins Bay Penitentiary and co-wrote A Book about Billie with a former inmate.

Helwig founded and was long-time editor of the Best Canadian Stories anthology series for Oberon Press, in 1971.

David Helwig was a literary manager for CBC Television’s drama department (1974 to 1976), then returned to Queen’s as a part-time instructor, while doing a great deal of freelance work.

David Helwig retired from teaching and became a full-time writer during 1980

During his later years, David Helwig lived on Prince Edward Island.

On January 23, 2008, David was appointed Prince Edward Island’s third Poet Laureate, and on July 1, 2009, was named a Member of the Order of Canada.

David Helwig’s daughter, Maggie Helwig, is also a noted writer.

He died at 80 years old at a hospital in Montague, Prince Edward Island.