ORCKA Communiqué
February 1, 2026

    • Have you renewed your membership? Now is the time!

    • RMP Submission — Due March 15, 2026

    • To maintain your eligibility for insurance, all Organizational Members and Trip Leaders are required to submit a current Risk Management Plan by March 15, 2026.

    • If you are an Instructor, you can support the organization(s) you work with by assisting them in reviewing and updating their plans. 

    • The purpose of this webinar is to offer guidance to members in the creation or updating of their Risk Management Plans (RMP). 

    • We will guide you through the questions you need to consider about your organization and its activities to understand the inherent risks and what safety standards and procedures should be put in place to help mitigate the risk. It will apply to ORCKA courses across all disciplines, including day and overnight trips. 

    • There will be some discussion and sharing on crisis management but the focus of this webinar is on prevention and preparedness. Examples and tools will be provided as well as follow-up support. REGISTER HERE

    • Please submit your completed Risk Management Plan by email in PDF or Word format to: ORCKA Office. Use this Risk Management Plan Guide to gather the necessary information and ensure all key components are covered.

    • When naming your document, please include your organization name and the submission date, for example: Your Organization Name_ RMP_March 2026

    • If you have any questions, please contact us at ORCKA Office

    • Thank you to those who have already posted Instructor courses for 2026!

    • Your courses will be promoted to the public at the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show on February 20-22, 2026.

    • Get your courses listed on the website before February 20th to ensure they are advertised to the public at the Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show.

    • ORCKA needs your help! We are looking for dedicated ORCKA paddlers to volunteer for a three hour shift at our booth at the upcoming Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show February 20-22, 2026 at the International Centre in Mississauga. Your duties will include informing, promoting, and connecting interested paddlers with the various programs that we offer. 

    • We are also looking for strong individuals to demonstrate their skills in SUP, basic canoeing, and kayaking in 30-minute pool demonstrations. 

    • For volunteering, you will receive an ORCKA t-shirt and free admission to the event.

    • If you are interested please contact Carl Kellum at promotion@orcka.ca

    • ORCKA’s Adaptive Paddling Train-the-Trainers workshop at the Canadian Canoe Museum - Thursday-Sunday, June 25-28, 2026. Watch ORCKA Coming Events for registration in spring 2026. Please contact Wally Van Dyke for more information.

    • Ontario Solo Canoeing Rendezvous (“OSCR”) - Friday-Sunday, June 19-21, 2026. A multi-organizational collaborative event: 

      • Potluck and speakers Friday evening

      • Curator-guided tour of the “back-room collection” of the spectacular Canadian Canoe Museum

      • WCHA Northern Lakes Chapter Mini-Assembly and Huron 14’ restoration

      • Many canoes from many manufacturers to try

      • Amazing offerings at a silent auction

      • Canoeing clinics to add functional flair to your paddling. Come share, play, and learn! Watch ORCKA Coming Events for registration in spring 2026. Please contact Lee at environment@orcka.ca for participant or sponsorship information.

    • Roger Parsons has been inducted into the International Whitewater Hall of Fame.

      • This prestigious honour recognizes his lifelong dedication to paddling, his remarkable achievements on the water, and his contributions to the broader whitewater community.

      • We invite you to read this wonderful write-up highlighting his accomplishments and celebrating this well-deserved recognition. You may recognize some other past ORCKA members in this tribute. 

      • On May 2, 2026 The Canadian Canoe Museum will host a special evening to celebrate the 2025 IWHOF Inductees surrounded by history, culture, and craftsmanship. Sign up to be notified when tickets become available! 

    • Canadian Canoe Museum - Music in the Museum: Miss Emily (Feb 14), a Speaker Series with David Pelly and Dan Wong (Feb 19), Curator-Led Tours (Feb 19 & 20), and family activities for Family Day (Feb 17), plus workshops like carving a wooden spoon.

    • Big Canoe Instructor Opportunity

      • Canoe Toronto Corp. operates 1-hour guided Canoe tours for clients. The company wishes to hire ORCKA Big Canoe Certified/Emergency First Aid with CPR Certified Canoe Instructors to safely stern Canoe tours for the April to October 2026 season on a contract basis. Contact Peter Altimas at peter.altimas@gmail.com for more information. 

      • Note: if you are interested in becoming an ORCKA Voyageur Canoe Trip Leader or ORCKA Voyageur Canoe Instructor 1 or Instructor 2, you can do so in a Voyageur Canoe Course Saturday-Wednesday May 23-27, 2026 at Agnew Lake in Webbwood. Please contact Wally Van Dyke for more information.

    • 41st Wilderness and Canoe Symposium - February 21, 2026 (9:00am-6:30pm)

    • ORCKA Regions 3, 5 and 6 Planning Meeting - February 2026

      • Regions 3, 5 and 6, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), are holding its first on-line planning meeting for 2026 on Feb 17, 2026.

      • Interested in attending? 

        • Please complete the following form.

      • For more information contact your local Regional Representative:

    • Get Kids Paddling is launching an initiative to develop The National Registry of Paddling Programs for Youth. The aim is to locate and highlight all paddling programs for youth taking place across Canada, including those within schools and communities. By putting this information into one place that is publicly accessible, opportunities for networking, creating dialogue and sharing best practices will be created, supporting our ongoing mission to Get Kids Paddling. We are looking for school-based paddling programs across Canada to complete a short survey.

      • The data gathered will be used to build our National Registry.

      • If you are interested in participating, please click HERE to fill out the survey.

  • ORCKA has regional representatives covering 16 regions in Ontario.  

    • A list of these reps can be accessed here.  

    • A map of the 16 regions can be accessed here.

    • These reps are to assist member organizations, instructors and the paddling public with course and program information. 

    • If you have not done so already, feel free to email the rep in your area to be a part of the ORCKA community communication network.

  • There are many ways for you to contact us and get your questions answered. 

    • Email info@orcka.ca and you will be directed to the appropriate contact. 

      • Remember to indicate your membership number in the subject line to expedite the process.

    • Phone 416-426-7016

    • Email canews@orcka.ca to submit ideas and suggestions.