Executive Director 2017 Year End Report Paddle Canada Executive Director 2017 Year End Report photo: Thompson River University

Strategic Plan Update

Strategic Plan Update Float Plan for Success 2016-2018 Sustainability by 2019

Strategic Plan Update Float Plan for Success 2016-2018 Youth: Schools, Scouts, Cadets, Canoe Kayak Canada (CanoeKids) & Eau Vive Quebec’s Jeunes Pagayeurs – with PaddleSmart and or PC Intro Kayak & Canoe programs

Strategic Plan Update Float Plan for Success 2016-2018 Public Awarness & Membership: 2017 was the highest number of course participant and memberships in decades

Strategic Plan Update Float Plan for Success 2016-2018 Partnerships with Duke of Edinburgh Award Program for PaddleSmart reaching 60,000 youth by end of 2018 Instructor Member purchase partners Kayak Distributions (Riot Kayaks, Boreal Designs) & Aquabound/Bending Branches.

Strategic Plan Update Float Plan for Success 2016-2018 Instructor Development - improved Certification Maintenance policies and resources, online course, membership registration and payments

New Public and Member Website Rebuild of PaddleCanada.com public and members site managed by two different teams Member website is available in both English and French We are very thankful for the financial contribution Mountain Equipment Co-op and Paddle Manitoba.

PaddleSmart Last year of project winding down by March 31, 2018. Over 250,000 annually reached in face to face workshops, public outreach of PaddleSmart’s Three T’s message Re-applied in November 2017 for another 3 years of new initiatives for PaddleSmart project. Safety Messaging of PaddleSmart distributed nationally in multi-media with partners Blue Ant Media 11 Million Social Media impressions & 6.2 Million Print 1.2 Million Video Views

PaddleSmart

PaddleSmart

Business Services www.bmsgroup.com/canada BMS Risk Services now provide Paddle Canada Organization and all it’s members and course Liability and Sport Accident Insurance BMS also provides great rates to PC members who need insurance for their own businesses which then in turns supports Paddle Canada. BMS provides: event insurance via application form customer service in both languages online webinars for members on risk, waivers, insurance and more. We are pleased to be working with BMS Risk Services, Ottawa who specialize in non profit association insurance. www.bmsgroup.com/canada

Staffing Updates Committee Updates Nathan Vatcher – Executive Assistant and Member Services Coordinator since May 2017 Committee Updates A new adaptive paddling committee was created to help support Paddle Canada instructors with resources and best practices for all different abilities and groups who want to access kayaks, canoes and sup’s. photo: angleoar.com

Over 20 Events Nationally Toronto Boat Show – PaddleSmart Presenter Training Halifax Boat Show – Exhibitor and PaddleSmart Training Winnipeg Boat Show - Exhibitor Calgary, Ottawa and Montreal Outdoor Adventure Shows - Exhibitor Cottage Life Spring and Fall Shows – Toronto and Edmonton Ontario Camps Association Counselor Training Days - Exhibitor Canadian School Leadership Conference (Waterloo, ON) – Exhibitor Ontario Student Leadership Conference, Niagara Falls, ON PaddleCopia – Trailhead Paddleshack (Ottawa) – Exhibitor National Paddling Week – National MEC Paddlefest (4 of 7 events nationally) PaddleSports Retailer – (Madison, WI) – Exhibitor Ottawa River Keeper Parade (Ottawa) – Exhibitor SARSCENE (Winnipeg) - Exhibitor

Advocacy Paddle Canada continues to be involved with: GetKidsPaddling – working committee getting more kids on the water (ORCKA, Outward Bound, Scouts Canada and others) Transport Canada National Recreational Boating Advisory Council with many other national boating association members SAR Prevention Working Group – Members include Coast Guard, National Defense, Transport Canada, Avalanche Canada, RCMP and regional Police Services, SARVAC, First Nations and others Navigation Protection Act – as we continue to monitor, present before House of Commons Committee and make recommendations on Bill C-69

Annual Projects Waterwalker Film Festival – multiple screenings at many small events - $1032 in profits Bill Mason Scholarship – Awarded $1000 annual award to Maeve McDonald (School of Architecture at Laurentian University with a minor in Indigenous studies and study in building solutions in northern climates). $14,500 left in GIC Scholarship Account www.paddleweek.ca

Social Media 6830 Followers 10% growth over 2016 Avg Post Reach 2500 Enewsletter 15,238 5824 Followers 2 % growth over 2016 21.2 K Followers 17% growth over 2016 Avg Reach 12 K, Avg Impressions 58K

Membership 2017 2257 Total Members ( up 2%) 2209 Instructors (up 4% ) 48 Individuals (down 38%) 7 Regional Member Associations 4 Paddling Associations (Clubs) This is an all time high membership number in last decade. There were 1300 members in 2010. We have experienced 73% growth in the last 8 years in membership.

Courses & Clinics Courses & Clinics Courses 1223 Clinics 347 Instructor 313 Total: 1883 Participants: Skill 6288 Instructor 1428 Trainer Mentorships 57 Clinics 2082 *estimated Total 9855

Five Year Participation Instructor & Skill Combined

Executive Director 2017 Year End Report Paddle Canada Executive Director 2017 Year End Report photo : jim macdonald