William Herbert New (born March 28, 1938) is a Canadian poet and literary critic. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, he was educated at John Oliver Secondary School, where he received one of the top matriculation exam scores in British Columbia in 1956, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Leeds. He taught English literature at the University of British Columbia from 1965 to 2003, where he was also the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies from 1975–1977, and an acting head of the English Department. He also was an associate in 1971 at Cambridge University's Clare Hall. On October 5, 2006, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and was invested October 26, 2007.

For 29 years, he held editorial positions at Canadian Literature and, in 2004, was made Editor Emeritus.

He is the son of John New and Edith (Littlejohn). On July 6, 1967, William married Margaret Elizabeth Francis Ebbs-Canavan.

He is the father of actor Peter New.