May 5th, 2010 Coaching Association of Canada reviewed and approved the NEW CKC Whitewater Kayak Program - Leader2/Instructor2 program. This is great news for our sport, as it means the embedded NCCP values are accepted as being integrated into the CKC ww program. Additional great news is that Paddle Canada has agreed to drop its River Kayak instructor program in favour of the CKC program bringing - partnering with CanoeKayak Canada making for one national kayak instructor program in Canada that encompasses all 10 provinces and 3 territories.

The new Canadian Sports model has three pillars:

      COMPETITION / INSTRUCTION / COMMUNITY

The CKC whitewater Kayak Instructor / Leader program fits into both the instruction and community (leader) pillars. Three new 'titles' are used in the new sports models: Master Learning Facilitators, Learning Facilitators (formerly IT's), certified instructors and/or Trip Leaders. In taking an Instructor or Leader Workshop, candidates are then trained, but then need to be evaluated with real students before being 'certified'.

Whitewater Kayak Master Learning Facilitators in Canada are:
National - Chuck Lee
BC - Don Barrie
AB - Mark Taylor
ON - Claudia Van Wijk
QC - Marc Gilbert
NWT - Saskia Van Mourik

 The Leader (trip leader) component is the exciting new element, that needs to be taken before the instructor course. This will become extremely helpful to clubs, and organizations leading river trips. With this new certification, insurance for leading river trips will become available as long as they are listed on the Provindial Paddling Associations' (member of CKC) website.

May 1-2,2010 the L2I2 was launched on the Kananaskis River in Alberta, where 5 Learning Facilitators ( 1 MB, 3 AB, 1 BC) and 5 instructors were recerted under the new program. In Ontario, this recert will be next weekend, May 28-30th at MKC. Any certified instructor is invited to recert into the new CKC program - please register with Donna at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.