Rowing for All
In July 2022, Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) was named the recipient of $885,000 in funding from the Community Sport for All Initiative. RCA has distributed this funding to the following community-level programs.
All of these programs have an organized sport active component, are delivered with minimal to no cost to the participants, and are tailored to an equity-deserving group, but not exclusionary.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Burnaby Lake Rowing Club
Burnaby Lake Rowing Club (BLRC) has partnered with community organizations Colour the Trails and MOSAIC to offer introductory sessions for members of the local community to learn the basics of rowing, including an exposure to on-land training and on-water rowing. Learn to Row sessions are offered at no cost to the participants, with the option to continue rowing in the future.
BLRC’s partnership with Colour the Trails offers a Learn to Row (LTR) session for members of the BIPOC community. Programming will be offered primarily in English by multilingual facilitators.
BLRC’s partnership with MOSAIC offers a three-week mini Learn to Row (LTR) session for new mothers and their children. Childcare will be provided by a certified provider in the Burnaby Lake Pavilion, while the mothers participate in the rowing lesson, followed by a pilates session. Programming will be offered primarily in English by multilingual facilitators, alongside translation support from MOSAIC.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club at info@burnabylakerowing.ca below:
CONTACT BURNABY LAKE ROWING CLUBFalse Creek Rowing Club
False Creek Rowing Club is dedicated to promoting rowing on one of Canada’s most accessible urban waterways. The False Creek Rowing Club has partnered with Rowing BC to provide year-round rowing program support to members of the local community.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT FALSE CREEK ROWING CLUBFort Langley Community Rowing Club
Fort Langley Community Rowing Club will be offering two six-week programs to help reduce barriers to participation and involvement in sport. In partnership with the University of Fraser Valley Pride, Fort Langley Community Rowing Club will be offering a program to reduce barriers for the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community to help their involvement in sport. The Club will also be hosting a program to reduce barriers for girls and women of university age to help influence their involvement in sport.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT FORT LANGLEY ROWING CLUBGorge Narrows Rowing Club
Gorge Narrows Rowing Club provides a flexible and supportive environment exclusively for women and girls to promote rowing participation, especially for those with limited athletic opportunities due to cultural, religious norms, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, income, or newcomer status. The program covers basic rowing techniques, teamwork, water safety, and boat handling, fostering participants’ confidence and overall sports engagement and will be presented in English.
In collaboration with the B.C. Muslim Association – Victoria Branch, Gorge Narrows Rowing Club hosted a one-day event welcoming newcomers to Canada, offering them a supportive introduction to rowing. The program included both land-based and on-water components, teaching rowing strokes, teamwork, and safety measures in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT GORGE NARROWS ROWING CLUBInlet Rowing Club
Inlet Rowing Club is excited to provide a free rowing program in partnership with the Maple Hope Foundation, tailored to Ukrainian refugee youth (13-18 years old). The purpose of this program is to help these youth integrate with others in the community and provide safe, enjoyable, and physically beneficial ways to transition to their new home. There will be two opportunities to learn to row, one session offered in the fall (September/October) and one offered in the spring (March). For those entering in the fall, following the 12 hour learn to row course, students will be able to continue working on their rowing skills for the remainder of the season as a club member with rowing and training opportunities three times per week. The courses will be taught in English with the hope of also providing a volunteer translator.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT INLET ROWING CLUBMaple Bay Rowing Club
Maple Bay Rowing Club is dedicated to enhancing the well-being and opportunities of local students and newcomers in the Cowichan Valley by introducing a comprehensive program designed to promote physical activity, build confidence, and foster community integration.
For female students aged 12-15 from Frances Kelsey and Quamichan Middle School, the Maple Bay Rowing Club is partnering with the schools’ Physical Education program to offer eight one-hour sessions. These sessions will include both indoor and on-water rowing experiences, with our coach collaborating closely with school staff. We will also facilitate a drop-in after-school indoor rowing program at our clubhouse in Maple Bay, running for two hours, twice a week over four weeks. To ensure accessibility, we are working with the Cowichan Valley School District to provide transportation for participants.
In addition, the Club is excited to extend our outreach to newcomers by offering four Come Try Rowing sessions. These events will not only introduce participants to the sport but also provide opportunities for socialization and language improvement. A light lunch will be prepared by club members, and childcare will be available if needed, all in collaboration with the Cowichan Intercultural Society. For those interested, the Club is offering club memberships at a minimal cost, granting access to our programs and further fostering a sense of belonging within the community and look forward to bringing people together and supporting their well-being through these initiatives.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT MAPLE BAY ROWING CLUBNanaimo Rowing Club
Nanaimo Rowing Club is providing an opportunity to learn the basics of rowing, including an exposure to on-land training and on-water rowing. Programming consists of an Introduction to Rowing session (one 4-hour), a Mini Learn to Row (three 2-hour sessions offered once per week) or a Learn to Row program (eight 2-hour sessions offered once per week). Programming is delivered in English language. To sign up for programs, interested individuals may contact Nanaimo Rowing Club to be referred to the appropriate organization we are working with including Girl Guides, Pacific Sport, Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Centre and Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT NANAIMO ROWING CLUBNelson Rowing Club
The Nelson Rowing Club is offering free Come Try Rowing events in partnership with Nelson Community Services. We are targeting women and girls (9+) who are interested in being physically active, but cannot afford the cost to participate. Register on Saturday August 20 or Sunday August 21 from 10 am to 1 pm at the Nelson Rowing Club. Following your first try at rowing, register for free Learn to Row sessions (either six lessons or three lessons), and you will on your way to enjoying the beautiful sport of rowing. Programming is offered in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact Dominique at 250 354 3112 or the club below:
CONTACT NELSON ROWING CLUBNicomekl Rowing Club
This Winter/Spring 2022, Nicomekl Rowing Club will be offering a youth program for low-income at-risk youth in the city who wouldn’t normally be exposed to the sport. Learning to row can be a way for these youth to build their self confidence and to have an outlet to manage stress in a regulated environment. Participants will not only learn about boat handling skills, rowing technique, and team building, but they will also have the additional benefit of being outside in nature and being exposed to a vast array of wildlife. Youth are referred and will be selected by the program’s partner, with the program delivered in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT NICOMEKL ROWING CLUBRockies Rowing Club
Rockies Rowing Club, in partnership with CBAL Settlement Services, Bellies to Babies, ANKORS, and Operation Street Angel – Ktunaxa Nation Council, will be offering Learn to Erg/Row lessons. We will be dropping in to visit our partnered organizations with the rowing ergometers and showing interested persons how to use the rowing machine and execute the rowing stroke and involve them in some fun dryland rowing activities.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact Roberta at 250-421-8582 or the club below:
CONTACT ROCKIES ROWING CLUB
Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club
Vernon Rowing and Dragon Boat Club (VRDBC) will be delivering Come Try days and Learn More About Rowing events until March 31, 2023. Girls and women, Black, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQQIA+ participants, and newcomers to Canada will all be included in the programming. The events can be held at VRDBC, community centres or at partnering organizations and will be delivered in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT VERNON ROWING AND DRAGON BOAT CLUB
SASKATCHEWAN
Lloydminster Rowing Club
The Lloydminster Rowing Club, in partnership with the Lloydminster Learning Council Association, is proud to offer Community Sport for All sponsored programming for newcomers to Canada. This program has the ability to be offered in English, French, Russian and Spanish.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact Michelle Lopez at 780 808 6967 or the club below:
CONTACT LLOYDMINSTER ROWING CLUB
Saskatoon Rowing Club
Saskatoon Rowing Club, in partnership with Saskatoon Open Door Society and various Saskatoon Public Schools, will be expanding their program offerings this fall and winter to focus on the inclusion of newcomers to Canada, girls and women, and those who are financially marginalized. We will be running indoor programming with the above groups as well as a Learn to Row (indoor) designed for girls and women with all female coaches. All programming will be run in English with the opportunity for support in French as needed.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT LLOYDMINSTER ROWING CLUB
ONTARIO
Argonaut Rowing Club
Argonaut Rowing Club, in partnership with Parkdale Collegiate Institute, have set a goal to introduce 15-20 participants from equity deserving populations (BIPOC participants, low-income participants, newcomers to Canada) to the sport of rowing and provide a clear pathway to meaningful engagement within the sport. Participants will start with an on-water Learn to Row and continue as a Learn to Train athlete throughout the winter months with programming offered in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT ARGONAUT ROWING CLUB
Don Rowing Club
Don Rowing Club, in partnership with Peel Newcomer Strategy Group, is offering rowing programming to youth and young adults as a way to quicken their integration into the Peel community and provide an opportunity to exercise for a healthy lifestyle. Participant intake and selection will be organized through Peel Newcomer Strategy Group. Programming will offer indoor training throughout the winter months, with the possibility of on-water training sessions. Programming with be offered in English and French, and with the help of our partners we look to address and manage all language barriers.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT DON ROWING CLUB
Hanlan Boat Club
For over a decade, Hanlan Boat Club has been dedicated to providing a free summer rowing camp for underserved teenage youth in Toronto, offering them exposure to a sport they might not otherwise encounter. In collaboration with organizations like the West Scarborough Boys and Girls Club, the Hanlan Boat Club camp not only teaches essential rowing techniques and water safety skills but also nurtures confidence and imparts the values of teamwork, responsibility, and perseverance. All programming is conducted in English.
In partnership with the YMCA of Greater Toronto, Hanlan Boat Club is hosting a series of five “Try Rowing” clinics for youth aged 12-17 during the 2022-2023 fall and winter seasons. These two-hour clinics, led by experienced rowing coaches and held at the Cooper Koo Family YMCA in downtown Toronto, provide participants with comprehensive instruction in English. They will learn to identify various components of a Concept2 rowing machine, master ergometer rowing with proper technique, and receive a personalized training plan for independent use after the clinic. These clinics are open to all, and YMCA membership is not required.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT HANLAN BOAT CLUB
Kingston Rowing Club
Kingston Rowing Club (KRC) offers a variety of programs to engage the community to try the sport of rowing through “Come Try Rowing” days for free, helping to reduce barriers of entry to the sport in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Through a collaboration with Youth Diversion, KRC offers two “Come Try Rowing” days this summer, catering to children aged 10-15, with a focus was on team-building skills, featuring synchronized erging, crew rowing, and a discussion on teamwork in sports. In partnership with Association of Indian Graduate Students at Queen’s University (AIGSQ), KRC welcomes newcomers to Canada to experience rowing in a free “Come Try Rowing” session that covers water and boat safety, ergometer training, dockside coaching, and on-water rowing.
KRC, along with Templeman LLP and Sanctuary, organizes junior newcomer programs three afternoons a week, with one session welcoming parents. This initiative promotes family involvement, community interaction, and intercultural understanding. Monthly gatherings provide a space for sharing stories and resources. The program runs until March, starting in December, and is conducted in English.
KRC and Queen’s University, in partnership with Youth Diversion, offer weekly indoor learn-to-erg sessions over three months. This program emphasizes life skills, such as team building and commitment, alongside physical exercise. The program is delivered in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT KINGSTON ROWING CLUBLondon Western Rowing Club
London Western Rowing Club, in partnership with Stem2Stern, Western University, and Hudson Boat Works, is offering Learn to Row programming for newcomers to Canada. Participants are invited to engage in a multi-week instructional course with both indoor and on-water rowing training as well as a boat-building component. Participants can expect to enjoy an exciting new recreational sport opportunity, make new friendships, and practice English language skills. Subsidized or no-cost transport options will be provided. Programming will be offered in English with translation support from local community resource centres where available. There are no participant fees for this program.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT LONDON WESTERN ROWING CLUB
Niagara Falls Rowing Club
Niagara Falls Rowing Club will be offering an indoor winter training program for girls and women. This rowing program, delivered in English, is designed and administered for girls and women to provide a safe and fun environment for learning and training.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact Anthony Arucuri on 905-708-8066 or the club below:
CONTACT NIAGARA FALLS ROWING CLUB
Orillia Rowing Club
Orillia Rowing Club has introduced three programming initiatives to help reduce the barriers of entry to the sport of rowing for groups in the Orillia community.
The Girls’ Indoor Rowing Program aims to promote a healthy lifestyle among girls of all fitness levels, led by Orillia Rowing Coach Anne Hodkin and an assistant coach, the program will start with a discussion on the mental and physical benefits of indoor rowing before Orillia High School students in Physical Education classes will receive instruction on using the Concept2 rowing erg machines. Afterwards, interested students can join the Orillia Rowing Club’s Winter Training Program, which leads to on-water rowing in the spring. The sessions are conducted in English.
The Female Students’ Indoor Rowing Program sees the Orillia Rowing Club in partnership with the Georgian College and Lakehead University, offer a free indoor rowing program for female students at the Orillia Recreation Centre. Led by Orillia Rowing Coach Anne Hodkin, sessions include rowing instruction on Concept2 rowing erg machines, strength exercises, walking/running, and stretching.
The Orillia Rowing Club has introduced a special Learn-to-Row program for Grade 8 students from Mnjikaning Kendaaswin Elementary School. This program helping Indigenous students try the sport of rowing, spans five on-water sessions over three weeks, open to students of all fitness levels and physical abilities. Coached by club instructors, students will learn rowing basics, equipment handling, safety rules, and essential teamwork skills. There’s even an opportunity for weekend rowing until the end of October. Students are encouraged to continue their rowing journey with our winter training program, leading to on-water rowing in the spring, with all instructions are in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT ORILLIA ROWING CLUB
Ottawa New Edinburgh Club
The Ottawa New Edinburgh Club and Ottawa Senior Pride Network, in partnership with Rowing Canada Aviron and Sport Canada, would like to invite our National Capital 2SLGBTQQIA+ senior (50+) community to our free Sport for All: Learn to Row Program! Coaching is provided primarily in English (but also with a hint of French) by 2SLGBTQQIA+ rowers and allies trained in Safe Sport. We’ll be heading out in stable crew boats (quads) together along the Ottawa River in a safe, inclusive and fun environment. Details and registration available at: .
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT OTTAWA NEW EDINBURGH CLUB
Ottawa Rowing Club
The Ottawa Rowing Club’s (ORC) outreach Everyone Rows Ottawa (ERO) program features multiple learning opportunities with land-based programming, being adaptable to a wide variety of ages 6+, and water based programming. The ORC has partnered with groups that offer free or low-cost recreation programming for youth in the Ottawa area, including Athletes Combatting Racism, the Lowertown Community Resource Centre, and Ottawa Community Housing. Athletes Combatting Racism, and the Lowertown Community Centre are returning partners this year after successfully running programs with them in 2021. The land-based programming is also transportable, with the ORC bringing ergs to community centres, etc. in order to increase access to the programming. The Everyone Rows Ottawa program is offered mainly in English and has served approximately 150-200 youth over the course of the 2022 summer/early fall.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT OTTAWA ROWING CLUB
St. Catharines Rowing Club
The St. Catharines Rowing Club is very excited to be able to introduce the sport of rowing to Niagara youth and young adults from all corners of our diverse community. Through the winter months, qualified instructors will lead individuals through indoor rowing sessions, using ergometers and an indoor rowing tank at the Brock University Rowing Centre. These sessions will be rounded out with health and wellness sessions, nutrition information and some fun rowing trivia!
Weather permitting, participants will also be able to visit the St. Catharines Rowing Club to see where all of the on-water action happens, learn how to handle the equipment and, with luck, hop in a boat to give it a try. The main language of instruction will be English, but we will work with groups to provide translation assistance as needed.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT ST. CATHARINES ROWING CLUB
Sudbury Rowing Club
The Sudbury Rowing Club is offering programming to girls and women between September and April for only $89.00. The programming “Rowing and Resilience for Girls and Women” will be offered twice a week as an on-water Learn to Row sessions throughout September and October. From November to April, there will be a focus on indoor workshops that enhance rowing knowledge, skill and fitness. This programming will be offered in English and is supported by the Sudbury Women’s Centre, Monarch Recovery Services, and the Greater Sudbury Police Services.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT SUDBURY ROWING CLUB
Toronto Sculling Club
Toronto Sculling Club, in partnership with the Scarborough Schoolboard (David and Mary Thomson High School, DMT), will introduce rowing programming to at-risk youth from low-income families this fall. Programming will introduce these young people to the sport of rowing and provide opportunities to be within a healthy team environment, engage in a new and fun fitness activity, and teach a skill which they will have not had the chance to learn otherwise. Students will be invited to join morning and/or afternoon sessions. Programming will offer nutrition support, clothing supports, and access to the Scarborough Pan Am Centre for swim lessons, alongside transportation. Programming will be delivered in English.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT TORONTO SCULLING CLUBQUEBEC
Club d’aviron de Montreal
Montreal Rowing Club will be offering a two day rowing introduction to the HikeMTL community and its members this fall. These two days will consist of an indoor and outdoor rowing introduction in primarily sculling boats at the Olympic Basin. This program will continue throughout the winter months with regular indoor training opportunities and ergometer and rowing tank workouts. All instruction will be available in both languages.
The Montreal Rowing Club, in partnership with Association récréative Milton-Parc / programme Plein Air, and will host a free five days of initiation to rowing for participants who utilizes services from these community organizations. These free days include a visit to the club’s facilities, learning the basics of sport, and putting it into practice in both an on-land and on-water experience. Participants will be invited to continue for 16 weeks of indoor training for a modest price of $5/week, with all instruction will be available in both languages.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT CLUB D'AVIRON DE MONTREAL
NEWFOUNDLAND
St. John’s Rowing Club
The St. John’s Rowing Club (SJRC) is collaborating with the First Light Friendship Centre to provide Indigenous youth with on-water rowing experiences in the fall, followed by a winter program, with a once-a-week with a facilitator from First Light Friendship Centre. The programs aim to promote ongoing participation and fitness leadership. These sessions will be conducted in English.
SJRC has teamed up with the Single Parent Association of Newfoundland and the City of St. John’s REAL program to offer free programming from January to March for youth facing financial barriers to sports participation. Transportation support is available for low-income participants and will be conducted in English.
In collaboration with the Royal St. John’s Regatta, SJRC is offering a no-cost workshop to help female fixed seat rowers transition to the slide seat rowing technique. This initiative offered in English, promotes gender equality in rowing, with SJRC members actively involved in advocating for change.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT ST. JOHN'S ROWING CLUBPRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Rowing PEI
Rowing PEI is teaming up with Stem2Stern, in collaboration with the REACH Foundation, to welcome a group of volunteers to construct a rowing shell while promoting self-esteem and confidence. This English-language program will culminate in a community celebration and a chance for participants to row the boat they built.
Additionally, Rowing PEI partnered with the Immigrant and Refugee Services Association PEI to offer outdoor rowing programs for newcomers to Canada, providing youth and their families with the opportunity to engage with the community. These programs, offered in English, included participation in the Red Island Regatta.
Rowing PEI is also introducing I-Crew, an indoor training program, in collaboration with the Immigrant and Refugee Services Association PEI. This program, conducted in English, is open to youth from the community. Participants will learn rowing techniques, stay fit, and engage in fun challenges during weekly sessions.
For more information about the club’s program, please contact the club below:
CONTACT ROWING PEI