Skate Canada

Skate Canada

Sport	Figure skating
Jurisdiction	Canada
Founded	1887
Affiliation	International Skating Union
Headquarters	261 – 1200 St. Laurent Blvd. Box 15, Ottawa, ON, K1K 3B8, CANADA
President
Official website
www.skatecanada.ca

Skate Canada (Canadian French: Patinage Canada, lit. "Skating Canada") is the national governing body for figure skating in Canada, recognized by the International Skating Union and the Canadian Olympic Committee. It organizes the annual Canadian Figure Skating Championships, the fall Skate Canada International competition, other national and international skating competitions in Canada, and the Skate Canada Hall of Fame.

Overview[]

The organization was founded in 1887 as the Amateur Skating Association of Canada for speed and figure skating by Louis Rubenstein of Montreal's Victoria Skating Club. Later in 1914 it changed its name to "The Figure Skating Department of the Amateur Skating Association of Canada". In 1939, it changed its name to the "Canadian Figure Skating Association" (CFSA). The current name of "Skate Canada" was adopted in 2000 for consistency with the names of other national sports organizations in Canada.

Skate Canada claims to be "the oldest and largest figure skating organization in the world".^[1] The vast majority of members are not elite competitors, but recreational skaters.

In 2021, Skate Canada announced a SafeSport programme.^[2]

History[]

Louis Rubenstein

• 1887 - Amateur Skating Association of Canada for speed and figure skating is formed by Louis Rubenstein of Montreal's Victoria Skating Club.
• 1911 - First artificial ice rink is built in Vancouver.
• 1914 - First official Canadian Figure Skating Championships is held in Ottawa.
• 1914 - The Figure Skating Department of the Amateur Skating Association of Canada is formed to promote skating in Canada.
• 1928 - First year that Canadians participate at a World Championship.
• 1932 - For the first time, Canada hosts the World Figure Skating Championships (in Montreal).
• 1939 - Renamed to become the Canadian Figure Skating Association.
• 1947 - The CFSA joins the International Skating Union and establishes a national office in Ottawa.
• 1958 - Charles H. Cumming is hired as the CFSA's first full-time employee.
• 1963 - First CFSA logo is developed.
• 1973 - Skate Canada International is introduced as a major international event (first location: Calgary).
• 1981 - For the first time, Canada hosts the World Junior Championships (in London).
• 1981 - The concept of a National Team is conceived.
• 1990 - The last figures are skated in international competition at the 1990 World Championships in Halifax.
• 1990 - The Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame is established and the first members inducted in a ceremony at the CFSA's annual meeting in Edmonton.
• 1990 - The CFSA implements framework for Skating Unlimited new pre-school and adult recreational programs.
• 1991 - The Junior National Team is created.
• 1995 - Canada hosts its first-ever ISU-sanctioned international precision skating event, Precision Canada International (in Toronto).
• 2000 - Canadian Figure Skating Association changes its name to Skate Canada.
• 2021 - In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Skate Canada holds its first virtual competition, 2021 .

Organizational structure[]

Skate Canada's headquarters are in Ottawa, Ontario. The organization also has 10 sectional offices which coordinate much of the local activity within their respective areas.^[3]

Ontario formerly had four organisations, Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario, Western Ontario and Northern Ontario but they merged in 2017 to receive provincial funding.

Notable people[]

• Lou Lefaive, executive director of the Canadian Figure Skating Association from 1983 to 1986^[4]

References[]

External links[]

• Skate Canada web site