For several years now Paddle Canada has been awarding bursaries to instructors in sea kayaking and SUP.  This year the River Kayak PDC is looking to further support the blended Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) - Paddle Canada (PC)  river kayaking program in Canada. The intention of the bursary is to help defray certification or travel costs for instructors coming from, or organizing courses, in underfunded areas throughout Canada.

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May 11-13, 2012 at the MWWP and the Petawawa River

This is the last chance to re-cert into the CKC whitewater instructor program for existing Kayak instructors that have prior certification. This will be a nationally run re-cert held at the Gull River MWWP, and at the Petawawa River Hell or High Water event, May 11-13th, 2012. Participants must be a member of Whitewater Ontario.

We will also welcome candidates for the Pool/Lake Learning Facilitator and Master Learning Facilitator levels of certification. For this, there is no course fee, only membership in WO or another Provincial Sport Organization and the certification fee is required.

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April 17, 2012 - The Canoe Program Development Committee passed a motion that Instructors from the following associations can now request a transfer into the Introduction Levels of Moving Water, Lake, and Canoe Tripping, if they are current Instructors in that same discipline in the following organizations:

• Ontario Recreational Canoe Kayak Association
• Recreational Canoe Association of British Columbia
• British Canoe Union
• American Canoe Association

A letter of request along with copies of their current Instructor certification(s) should be submitted to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for approval.

Other Instructors from other organizations will have to check with at local Paddle Canada Instructor Trainer for skill evaluation or make a request to the Canoe PDC.

Rob Lemmon, has stepped up to act as an 'interim Chair' while the River Kayak Program Development Commitee is in transition.  Rob is also thePaddle Canada Regional Director for New Brunswick, which will make it easier for communication purposes. We want to thank Mick Lautt, past chair of the River Kayak PDC for his contributions to the committee and to Paddle Canada over the last many years.  We would also like to thank and welcome new members Sharman Learie and Mike Smith for coming on board the commitee. Past members Mark Taylor, Claudia Van Wijk,  have elected to stay on the PDC for now.

The new committee will continue with the task of monitoring and improving the partnership with CKC with instructor training. 

Contact the River Kayak PDC at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it