Who we are …

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national body for competitive paddling in Canada. We are a volunteer lead and staff driven organization made up of a community of paddling enthusiasts – athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, staff and supporters – from coast to coast.

Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization which includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial and divisional paddling associations for the disciplines of sprint, whitewater and marathon. Elite National Teams proudly represent Canoe Kayak Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships.

Canoe Kayak Canada is recognized by its partners at the International Canoe Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and Sport Canada as the designated authority for the sport in Canada.

 One of Canada’s leading National Sport Organizations

What we do …

Canoe Kayak Canada administers programs at the national level to enable Canadians to enjoy the sport of paddling and achieve success at the highest levels of competition.

Canoe Kayak Canada manages sport science and research efforts behind the sport to develop high-quality programs focused on long-term athlete development. These programs are based on physiology to ensure paddlers develop the right skills and technique at the right stages to be able to achieve their goals whether those be fun, fitness or high-level international success. At the grass roots level, the organization promotes the sport and provides resources to clubs and padding associations. Canoe Kayak Canada runs the National Coach Certification Program to ensure effective leadership and inspire excellence through coaching.

On the high performance side, Canoe Kayak Canada trains a competitive National Teams and equips them with the coaching, resources and support services they need to be the best. The organization establishes selection criteria and runs trials to name the top athletes to teams that rival with the top paddlers in the world. The organization helps with logistics planning and managing teams on tour so athletes can excel. The organization manages training at National Centres and camps throughout the year to prepare elite and upcoming athletes for podium performances. These athletes become icons in their communities and in turn inspire others to pursue extraordinary goals.

Canoe Kayak Canada is a player at the international level in hosting international events and promoting Canadian values through sport. Canoe Kayak Canada holds several major competitions each year including National Team Trials and National Championships across several disciplines. The organization often works with host organizing committees to manage events and coordinates the race program and officials to ensure a fair and high quality competition. These events promote the sport and bring the paddling community together to celebrate the joys of spectacular on-water competition.

 

History

Canoe Kayak Canada was founded in 1900 as the Canadian Canoe Association. With early ties to the American association, the Canadian Association broke apart on its own as it took a great focus on war canoe racing. The war canoe remains a uniquely Canadian boat and a staple of the club system.

In 1936, sprint paddling was introduced to the Olympic Games and Francis Amyot won Canada’s first gold medal. Since then, Canoe Kayak Canada has continued to excel internationally. Having won 24 Olympic medals, it is one of Canada’s most successful summer sport organizations. The organization has had an enormous impact at the international level by championing initiatives to advance inclusion in the sport and has hosted several World Championships with great success.

The sport has evolved and grown to include many different types of paddling. New events, clubs and champions have emerged over the years to continue a steady flow of stories with every generation of paddlers.