1.  Paddle Canada Executive Director 2015 Year End Report

2.  Attended the symposium at Pearson College with over 100 participants and coaches from Canada and the US Launched a new Paddling Association (Club) Membership category with insurance benefits among other promotional ones and had 4 clubs join.

3.  Following a membership survey, we put together a promotional membership benefits brochure as a tool to sell the value of PC membership to public.

4.  Applied to MEC for: Capacity Building Grant Funding for $20,000 to help in new membership and course database build Event Support for National Paddling Week for $15,000 Unfortunately both applications were denied but we were invited to re-apply for Capacity Building one in March 2016. Introduced 2 new partners to our Instructor Support Program Trak Kayaks InReach Launched new online PC Product Store with partners Tate Products

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7.  We were successful last minute for a 1 month $21,000 funding for event and workshop support for PaddleSmart to be spent by March 31. Successful on our 3 year funding application to Search and Rescue New Initiative Fund for 2.1 Million to further training and promotion of PaddleSmart program. Hired 1 full time project manager, 1 part time administrator.

8.  National Paddling Week – www.paddleweek.ca Approximately 659 events were registered nationally with over 15,000 participating Partnerships Rivers to Ocenas Week (Canadian Wild Life Foundation) Get out and Sail (Ontario Sailing and ROWONTARIO) In Kind Non Cash contributions included: Youth Prize package from Canadian Canoe Foundation; 19 volunteer hours totalling 76 hours for help at all national trade shows; and Print Media Sponsorship.

9.  Met with both Federation Quebec Canoe Kayak and Federation Quebec Canot- Kayak Eau Vive to discuss future projects, opportunities, equivalencies and the PC SUP program. Mike Gilbert and I met with Parks Canada new visitor safety manager, Sebastien Marcoux to work on recognition of PC certifications for BC Marine Parks business applications. To date, Pacific Rim is the first park to adopt PC recognition and hope others will follow.

10.  Challenges Competing programs continue to add to consumer confusion and fragment the industry: SUP: Paddlefit, World Paddling Association, Academy of Surf Instructors, Professional Stand Up Paddleboard Association Sea Kayak: Federation Quebec Canot Kayak (FQCK), Ontario Recreational Canoe and Kayak Association (ORCKA), British Canoe Union (BCU). Canoe: Recreational Canoeing Association of BC, ORCKA, FQCK, BCU

11.  Government Advocacy I continue to represent PC at Transport Canada’s public forum on Recreational Boating Standing Committee meetings and private forum on the National Recreational Boating Advisory Committee in Ottawa. We continue to give input into policies, updates and regulations related to human- powered watercraft (canoes, kayaks and SUP’s) PC Safety Committee collaborated with Transport Canada on helping develop a Rental Operators Safety Checklist for Canoes, Kayaks and SUP.

12.  Election of Directors: Re-elected Mike Gilbert (BC) and Dan Wong (NWT) Welcomed new directors: Karl Vollmer (NS) and James Roberts (ON) Thanked outgoing directors: Tim White (NS) and Matt Cuccaro (ON)

13.  Funding approved for 50% Translation of PC Sea Kayak Manual via Heritage Canada grant which was completed by end of the year. Programme Kayak de Mer

14.  Annual Projects Waterwalker Film Festival – multiple screenings at many small events - $1240 in profits Bill Mason Scholarship – Awarded $1000 annual award to Amber Dyck from University of Ottawa.

15.  Paddle Canada In China PC Trainer Dave Woolridge delivered one of the first PC Lake Canoe Instructor Courses last summer followed by another skill course in Beijing in the Fall.

16.  Trade Show Events that PC and PaddleSmart attended: Attended Outdoor Adventure Shows in Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto. Pacific Paddling Symposium, Victoria BC Ontario Camps Association Conference, Toronto, ON Cottage Life Show Toronto Outdoor Cottage Life Show – Dockside Gravenhurst, Ontario MEC Paddlefest Winnipeg, Halifax, Victoria, Edmonton Standup Paddling for CHEO fundraiser events Ottawa, Kingston, Petawawa, Ontario. River Days in Pembroke, Ontario. SARscene - Search and Rescue Conference, PEI Panellist Presenter at Rideau Tourism Industry Conference, Smith Falls, ON Physical Health Education Association Conferences in New Brunswick and Ontario. Total outreach potential of these combined events was almost 180,000

17.  We remember: Newfoundland PC Instructor community lost Paddling Pioneer and Leader Jim Price. Saskatchewan Instructor member Vinessa Currie-Foster, who was influential with the provincial Paddling Symposium and local Common Currents Paddling Association.

18. Social Media 5000 Followers 50 – 100 K Avg Reach 10 – 20 K Avg Engagement 5200 Followers 7000 Followers (new since August 2015)

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21.  Membership 1956 Total Members 1740 Instructors 216 Individuals 7 Regional Member Associations 4 Paddling Associations (Clubs) This is an all time high membership number in last decade

22. National Instructor Courses Totals 2015 v. 2014

23. National Totals Skills 2015 vs 2014

24.  Paddle Canada Executive Director 2015 Year End Report