The University of Victoria hosted the Western Canadian Campus Recreation Conference (WCCRC) on October 13-15th, 2016 in Victoria, British Columbia. The conference was a wonderful success with attendance from schools across Canada, Oregon, Montana, Colorado, and many more! Hot topics such as the Canada in Motion movement were covered in the Leadership Summit, which brought together important leaders from NIRSA and leaders of the Canadian Campus Recreation Association (CCRA). Despite high winds and torrential downpour (thanks Typhoon Songda – which never really hit Victoria), attendees were invited to participate in the Canada in Motion Leadership Summit, attend educational sessions offered that ranged from social media 101, learning how to create inclusion, accessible climbing, to annual survey and reporting to specific program area round tables. With over 80 students and over 60 professionals in attendance at this conference, the energy and excitement around the Canada in Motion movement was palpable. Canada Campus Recreation departments and professionals experience a very different set of governing laws and structures than those in the US, and thus the drive to create a separate Canadian Region is strong to better meet the needs of the individuals and universities in those provinces.

More about the CCRA:

The Canadian Campus Recreation Association (CCRA) is currently an informal organization made up of approximately 800 members working primarily in campus recreation at Canadian institutions. For many compelling reasons including a strong infrastructure and economies of scale to utilize, in 2013 the CCRA evaluated and subsequently requested an opportunity to create a Canadian Region within NIRSA. After several years of work, involving countless volunteers within the CCRA and NIRSA, a formal process to establish a Canadian Region of NIRSA has begun.  If adopted through a bylaws vote of NIRSA members in January 2017, this will be a significant time to build a true professional home for Canadian recreation professionals.

This is a unique moment to begin to re-position Canada’s voice, leadership and expertise. For more information about the CCRA and to join the conversation as we align a national strategy to advance our profession, please sign up for the CCRA listserve.