Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is thrilled to be a recipient of Community Sport For All grant from the Government of Canada (Sport Canada). 

The Community Sport for All Initiative (CSAI) supports NSOs in establishing more accessible and locally organized sport programs aimed at reducing barriers to participation, particularly among Black, Indigenous and racialized communities as well as 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, persons with disabilities, people with low incomes and newcomers.  

The funding has been allocated to 24 organizations, clubs and communities including: 

Provincial Sport Organizations: 

• Alberta Whitewater Association (AWA) 
• Canoe Kayak BC (CKBC) 
• Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan (CKS) 
• Manitoba Paddling Association (MPA) 

Clubs: 

• Banook Canoe Club 
• Club de Canotage de Shawinigan 
• False Creek Racing Canoe and Kayak Club 
• Gananoque Canoe Club 
• Greater Edmonton Racing Canoe and Kayak Club 
• Mississauga Canoe Club 
• North Bay Canoe Club 
• Orenda Canoe Club 
• Ottawa River Canoe Club 
• Ottawa River Runners 
• Otterburn Boating Club 
• Petrie Island Canoe Club 
• Pisiquid Canoe Club 
• Rideau Canoe Club 
• South Niagara Canoe Club 
• Sudbury Canoe Club 
• Sydenham Canoe Club 
• Wai Nui Canoe Club 
• Wascana Racing Canoe Club 
• Yorkton Canoe and Kayak Club 

These clubs and communities successfully applied for the CKC CSAI program, called ‘We Paddle’. With this funding, several communities across the country will be better equipped to increase participation in their sport at the community level while removing barriers for equity-deserving groups. 

“Canoe Kayak Canada is thrilled to be working with so many partners on our piloting of the We Paddle program and coach training,” says Kenna Robins, Director of National Program Development at CKC.  “We have great provincial and club projects underway, including Alberta Whitewater’s project, Adaptive Paddling programming for individuals with different needs and abilities, Wai Nui Canoe Club’s introduction to paddling program for new Canadians, and many more.  We are excited to be able to share all the activity going on across the country in the coming months.”  

The Government’s Community Sport for All Initiative supports National Sport Organizations (NSOs) in establishing more accessible and locally organized sport programs aimed at reducing barriers to participation. Through an investment of $16.7 million, 39 NSOs can give Canadians access to and stay involved in sport. 

CKC will be featuring the benefits of the CSAI program at our clubs in the coming months. For more information on the Sport Canada program, click here.  

It is with profound sadness that Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) mourns the loss of Mike Scott.

Mike was an iconic part of the Ottawa sports community with a strong connection and focus on padding for over 70 years. He served as a pillar in the community through being an athlete, coach, commodore, sport administrator, manager, writer and much more.

Rideau Canoe Club was where it all started in 1949. Mike raced for 11 years and as a Masters paddler he won 30 canoe titles in five different age classes. Not just giving his time as an athlete, Mike also took on roles within Rideau and was part of the board of directors for 33 years while acting as their longest serving Commodore – an incredible 25 consecutive years. Building on an extraordinary tenure at Rideau, he also served as chair of the host organizing committee for the Canadian Sprint National Championships eight times. He eventually met his late wife Lola at Rideau Canoe Club in the 1950s and were together for 60 years.

Being a place where Mike spent so much of his time and energy, while holding such a passion for the sport and the community, Rideau Canoe Club honoured Mike with a room in the club named after him – “the Mike Scott Lounge”, where he celebrated his 60th anniversary of volunteerism within the club. With such a strong connection to Rideau and all he had achieved there, Mike penned a book titled “The Rideau Canoe Club, A Century of Paddling 1902-2002”, and with his textbook sense of humour, he jokingly said “it would be his first and his last”.

Mike actively gave so much back to his community, more than just his time but also through fundraising to better the community and the infrastructure within it. He was a builder in so many ways which led to him receiving the R. Edgar Gilbert award in 1984 in the builder category, celebrating his significant and exemplary contributions to the sport of canoe and kayak.

Mike will be remembered for his generosity, compassion, friendship, humour, and contributions to the Ottawa sport community for many, many years to come.

The paddling community has truly lost an integral part of their family. The CKC staff and board of directors express and extend our deepest sympathies to Mike’s family, friends and the paddling community.

For visitation and funeral information please click here.

*with excepts taken from Ottawa Sports Pages: High Achievers by Martin Cleary

Canoe Kayak Canada announces the departure of Marc Creamer, CKC’s High Performance Para Coach. Marc shared his leadership and passion for Paracanoe and the sport as a whole for the last 7 years.

“Marc has provided strong leadership in our Paracanoe program over his seven-year tenure. Under his leadership, our Paracanoe athletes have risen to consistent world-level performance, and through positive collaboration with our partners across Canada, have seen our number of Para athletes grow,” said Ian Mortimer, CKC Chief Technical Officer, “We will certainly miss Marc as part of our leadership team, but wish him well in his new role with the Canadian Paralympic Committee”.

Marc has been an integral part of the Para paddling program within Canoe Kayak Canada, growing the National Paracanoe program and preparing the team for success through countless international competitions, including the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. He was also the Team Leader for the 2016 Paralympic Team in Rio, where he supported Canada’s first Paracanoe Team in the sport’s debut.

Marc consistently went above and beyond in his role, bringing exceptional technical and leadership skills to the team. He has played a critical role in the growth and expansion of Paracanoe in Canada. His passion and excitement for the sport will be missed here at Canoe Kayak Canada, but we look forward to seeing what the future holds as he makes his transition into his new role at the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

In the upcoming months, CKC will be shaping a plan to ensure both the Paris pathway athletes have complete support, as well as planning for the next two quadrennials ahead.

Thank you to Marc for your contribution to our sport and congratulations on your new role!

Szeged, Hungary (May 15, 2023) – Katie Vincent (Mississauga Canoe Club) headlined Team Canada’s performances collecting two gold medals in the C1 500m and C1 5000m on Sunday. Vincent also won silver in the C1 200m and bronze with C2 500m partner Sloan Mackenzie (Cheema Aquatic Club).

“Winning 4 medals this weekend hasn’t fully sunk in yet,” said Vincent. “I am grateful for my coaches and team support staff for helping us get to this point. We’ve put in a lot of work over the winter to get here and I am really excited to be in good form leading into World Championships and Olympic qualifications at the end of August.”

Sophia Jensen (Cascades) finished 4^th in the C1 500m and 8^th in the C1 200m final. Sophia also placed 5^th in the C2 500m with partner, Julia Lilley Osende (Mic Mac Aquatic Club). Michelle Russell (Cheema Aquatic Club) placed 6^th in the K1 200m final and 7^th in the K1 500m.

Alix Plomteux (Club de Canoe-Kayak Lac-Beauport) placed 6^th in the C1 500m while Connor Fitzpatrick (Senobe Aquatic Club) finished 8^th in the men’s C1 1000m final.

Canada ranked 5^th on the country medal table with Hungary at the top with a total of 11 medals.

Paralympian Brianna Hennessy (Ottawa River Canoe Club) earned a silver medal in the VL2 200m paracanoe event along with teammate Erica Scarff (Balmy Beach Canoe Club) paddling to bronze in the VL3 200m. Mathieu St. Pierre (Club de canotage du Shawinigan) ranked just off the podium in 4^th place in the VL2 200m. Canada ranked 7^th on the Paracanoe medal table with Great Britain topping the leaderboard.

The team will return to Canada and prepare for National Team trials at the Olympic Basin in Montreal, QC from June 23-25.

Full results from ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup Szeged can be found here.

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 26 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships.

The Events Officer will be responsible for assisting with the delivery of domestic canoe kayak events playing a key role in planning, coordinating, monitoring, executing, and reporting on National level competitions. Additional responsibilities will include developing task charts for event execution, administrative, travel support, coordination and implementation of hosting guidelines for National events and servicing relationships with Host Organizing Committees (HOC).

If you or someone you know is interested in this role and would like to apply, please check out the full job description here.

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MAY 10, 2023

CKC wants to provide an overview of all the Committee/Council Openings that will be fulfilled during the Summit Time Frame (Nov/Dec).

WHITEWATER:

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

SPRINT:

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

CKC COMMITTEES:

* Contact Sam Rogers if you have any questions philanthropy@canoekayak.ca

Canoe Kayak Canada is looking for one individual to join the organization’s Board of Directors.  This position is representative of the Paddling Association members of CKC and will be instrumental in providing a member perspective to the discussions and decision-making of the organization.

The Board of Directors is comprised of a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 11 people.  Below outlines how these positions are elected or appointed by the two classes of membership within CKC:

• Each of the 3 Paddling Disciplines have 2 positions which they elect or appoint from their discipline members for a total of 6 positions
• The Paddling Association members elect 4 positions from amongst the entire CKC membership

Candidates must meet the following minimum criteria:

• Be 18 years of age or older,
• Have the power under law to contract,
• Be a resident of Canada,
• Have not been declared incapable by a court in Canada or in another country,
• Do not have the status of bankrupt, and
• Satisfies the requirements of the Income Tax Act in relation to the eligibility to serve as a director of a registered charity
• Be a current member in good standing of a Paddling Association member of CKC

In addition, the ideal candidate will have:

• Experience in serving on Not For Profit Boards of Directors
• Knowledge of CKC and its member disciplines
• A specific skill set or expertise that would be of benefit to the organization
• Knowledge of the Canadian sport system is an asset but not required
• Ability to commit approximately 10 – 15 hours per month to the work of the Board
• Willing and able to travel if necessary

This is a volunteer position with a term of three years.

Interested candidates are required to complete this form in order to be considered for the position.

Deadline for applications is midnight EST on Sept 3, 2021.

Please send applications to Chair of the CKC Nominating Committee, care of Kathy Hare by email to khare@canoekayak.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (October 23, 2019) – Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is delighted to announce that Chris Helyar has been confirmed by the Board of Directors as CKC’s new President for the next two years.

Hailing from Toronto, Helyar has been a key member of our Board for the past four years and has volunteered on several fronts including serving as Treasurer of our Finance Committee, Chair of CKC’s Sprint High Performance Committee and provided interim volunteer assistance with our high performance program management in the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Chris also Chaired the Sport Organizing Committee for Canoe Sprint for the 2015 Pan Am Games and served as a lead official at 2017 Canoe Polo World Championships. Chris is also an avid paddler who participates regularly in Masters Sprint competitions and Marathon Canoe Events.

“We’re delighted to have Chris play a lead role for the Organization,” said Casey Wade, CEO of Canoe Kayak Canada. “It’s been over four years since our new governance model and related structures have been in place and Chris is well positioned to lead, with our Board and staff, the assessment of where we are at as we continue to look at ways to strengthen the organization.

CKC would also like to thank outgoing President Peter Giles who served in the position for four years. Peter played a valuable role in leading CKC through a critical time of change as we developed our new governance approach with supporting strategic direction guided by key organizational values and goals.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Colleen Coderre

Communications Lead

ccoderre@canoekayak.ca

Maryn Sommerfeldt

Communications Assistant

intern@canoekayak.ca

Canoe Kayak Canada is looking for an individual to join the Sprint Racing Council and fill the role of Chair/Commodore of the Council. The Sprint Racing Council (SRC) is a technical committee of CKC that is representative of the CKC Paddling Association members active in the sprint racing discipline. It is one of three disciplines that currently make up the Paddling Discipline class of members within CKC.

The main role of the Council is to provide technical direction of the discipline and as such it operates with a relatively high degree of autonomy on technical matters specific to the discipline and to direct the sprint paddling discipline in Canada.

The Chair/Commodore of the SRC is the chief spokesperson of the Sprint Racing Discipline. He or she shall preside at all meetings of the Member clubs and of the Sprint Racing Council and shall be charged with the general supervision of the business and affairs of the Sprint Racing Discipline of CKC. As Chair/Commodore of the SRC, this person will also have a position on the CKC Board of Directors.

Candidates must meet the following minimum criteria:

• Be 18 years of age or older,
• Have the power under law to contract,
• Be a resident of Canada,
• Have not been declared incapable by a court in Canada or in another country,
• Do not have the status of bankrupt, and
• Satisfies the requirements of the Income Tax Act in relation to the eligibility to serve as a director of a registered charity
• Be a current member in good standing of a Sprint Racing Paddling Association member of CKC

In addition, the ideal candidate will have:

• Knowledge of CKC and the Sprint Racing Discipline
• Experience working on CKC volunteer committees
• A specific skill set or expertise that would be of benefit to the SRC and CKC
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills
• Knowledge of the Canadian sport system is an asset
• Ability to work in both official languages is an asset
• Ability to commit approximately 20-25 hours per month to the work of the SRC and the CKC Board
• Willing and able to travel if necessary

This is a volunteer position with a two year term.

Interested candidates are required to complete the attached form in order to be considered for the position.

Deadline for applications is Midnight EST on October 11, 2019.

Please send applications to Casey Wade, CEO, by email to cwade@canoekayak.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (April 8, 2019) – Joannie Verret will be moving on from her current role as Canoe Kayak Canada’s Communications Coordinator in mid-april to take on new position outside of the paddling environment as the Communications Director for the Siboire Breweries in Sherbrooke and Montréal, Québec. 

Joannie has been with Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) since August 2017 during which time she has worked on promoting paddling sports and athletes across all disciplines in Canada by revamping the organization’s communication processes and giving CKC’s branding more visibility by creating more video content, renewing clothing collections on the boutique and bringing the Paddles Up Magazine back to life. She has also helped implement a livestreaming strategy for the organisation as well as build strong communication strategies for the years to come.

“I would like to thank Joannie for her great work and dedication to Canoe Kayak Canada”, said CEO Casey Wade. “She shared her passion for paddling with us and brought an energy that made an important change to our communication objectives. We are going to miss her, and we wish her the best in her new role.”

Joannie has been paddling since she was 6 years old. She started at the Club de canotage Lac Sergent in Québec and competed in the sprint discipline with the National Team until she was 19. She has also been a coach for the Club de canoë-kayak Lac Beauport and has always been involved with the paddling community.

“It is hard for me to say goodbye to an organization and sport I have so much passion for”, said Joannie. “I have really enjoyed working in the national office and I sincerely appreciate having had the opportunity to work on the ongoing development of CKC. It was an extremely meaningful experience and I am happy I was able to give back to a sport that has always been a huge part of my life.”

Joannie will officially wrap up her duties at Canoe Kayak Canada on April 17.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Casey Wade
CEO, Canoe Kayak Canada
cwade@canoekayak.ca

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is looking for individuals to join its newly formed Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC).  The main role of the IAC is to provide cultural guidance to CKC in the development and delivery of its programming, and to provide specific guidance on the development and implementation of Indigenous programing. The IAC will work closely with the respective Domestic Development Committees, and any other relevant CKC committee to ensure alignment of processes and opportunities. The Council’s work will respect and reflect the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action. One of the first tasks of the newly formed Council will be to establish the key duties and provide input into its terms of reference. 

CKC is calling for candidates who would like to serve in the following positions on the IAC:

• Indigenous Paddling Representative, to serve in the role of Chair 
• An Indigenous Elder 
• Representative from an Indigenous CKC Paddling Member Community Organization (Club or Other)
• A Representative from an Indigenous Provincial Territorial Aboriginal Sport

These are volunteer positions with two-year terms. Candidates must be 18 years of age or older. 

Interested candidates should send a cover letter outlining their experience and position in their indigenous community/organization as well as what they hope to bring to the council, along with a CV, to CEO Casey Wade by email to cwade@canoekayak.ca. The deadline for applications is Midnight EST on February 21, 2019.

For more information:

Joannie Verret
Communications Coodinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
418.271.3785

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (December 5, 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC), the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, is excited to offer this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) for a new National Registration System. CKC extends the deadline for submission to January 31, 2019.

As CKC works toward Vision 2024, and as referenced in the 2016 and 2017 Annual Reports, a new national registration system is at the forefront of our commitment to maximize member efficiency and meet the digital registration needs of the entire CKC community.

The CKC Registration System (“CKCRS”) will deliver three core purposes: membership tracking, event advertising, and event registration.

The CKCRS will more accurately track of the number and status of participants and will meet the event registration needs, of clubs, provincial/territorial organizations, and divisions. The new system is expected to launch in Spring 2019.

The RFP is posted on the CKC website and can be found here:
Canoe Kayak Canada – RFP – New deadline: January 31, 2019

Canoe Kayak Canada is eager to work with a dynamic vendor that will develop the CKCRS in partnership with our organization over the coming months.

Proposals are encouraged from all interested vendors. Proposals and any questions about the RFP should be directed to Kevin Lawrie at KRL@sportlaw.ca by January 31, 2019.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Kevin Lawrie

KRL@sportlaw.ca

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

*Reference Documents:
Canoe Kayak Canada – RFP
CKC Registration System Requirements 3.0

(August 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada is looking for one individual to join the organization’s Board of Directors. This position is representative of the Paddling Association members of CKC and will be instrumental in providing a member perspective to the discussions and decision-making of the organization. Athlete as defined below are encouraged to apply.