Alden Albert Nowlan was a Canadian poet, novelist, playwright, and journalist.

Born in Stanley, Nova Scotia, Nowlan eventually settled in New Brunswick, where he earned his living primarily through journalism. In 1963, he married Claudine Orser, a typesetter on his former paper, The Observer, and moved to Saint John with her and her son, John, whom he legally adopted. Though largely self-educated, some of his most notable achievements include the Governor General's Award for Bread, Wine and Salt as well a Guggenheim fellowship. He was the Writer-in-Residence at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton from 1969 until his death in 1983, and has a provincial poetry award named in his honour.