Skate Canada

File:Louis Rubenstein.jpg]]The earliest skating association in Canada was the Amateur Skating Association of Canada, formed by Louis Rubenstein of Montreal's Victoria Skating Club in 1888 for both speed and figure skating.{{Cite book |last=Hines |first=James R. |url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio0000hine/mode/1up?view=theater |title=Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating |date=2011 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-6859-5 |location=Lanham, Maryland |page=52}} In 1914, the Figure Skating Department of Canada, formed as a section of the Amateur Skating Association of Canada stemming from the recognition of figure skating as a sport distinct from speed skating. Although an unofficial Canadian national championships was held in 1905, the first official competition, organized by the Figure Skating Department of Canada, took place in 1914, in the city of Ottawa.{{Cite web |title=Figure Skating {{!}} The Canadian Encyclopedia |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/figure-skating |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca}}

In 1939, the Figure Skating Department of Canada was renamed as the Canadian Figure Skating Association (CFSA). In 1947, it became independent from the Amateur Skating Association of Canada, and instead operated in direct affiliation with the International Skating Union, and an ISU national office was correspondingly established in Ottawa by Charles H. Cumming. The office was run on a volunteer basis from 1947 until 1958, when Cumming was hired as the first full-time employee of the CFSA.{{Cite web |title=History – Skate Canada |url=https://skatecanada.ca/portfolio-item/history/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=skatecanada.ca}}

In 1973, Calgary hosted the CFSA's first Skate Canada International in Calgary.[http://skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10-Skate-Canada-International.pdf "Skate Canada International"] (PDF). Skate Canada. September 2015. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160201050707/http://skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/10-Skate-Canada-International.pdf Archived] (PDF) from the original on February 1, 2016. This event would later be incorporated into the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating when it was established in 1995 and is the oldest Grand Prix event.{{Cite news |date=2020-08-05 |title=Figure skating: ISU Grand Prix Series to go ahead, events targeted at domestic skaters |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-figureskating-idUSKCN2510O8 |access-date=2022-08-05}}

The CFSA's first national team was conceived in 1981, followed by its junior national team in 1991. In 1990, the Canadian Figure Skating Hall of Fame was established and the first members were inducted in a ceremony at the CFSA's annual meeting in Edmonton.

In 2000, the Canadian Figure Skating Association changed its name to Skate Canada.

In 2020, Skate Canada announced a SafeSport program for the prevention and management of misconduct, injury and general disputes.{{Cite web |title=Skate Canada launches enhanced National Safe Sport Program – Skate Canada |url=https://skatecanada.ca/2020/09/skate-canada-launches-enhanced-national-safe-sport-program/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=skatecanada.ca}} In 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Skate Canada held its first virtual competition, the 2021 Skate Canada Challenge.

Skate Canada's headquarters are in Ottawa, Ontario. The organization also has 10 sectional offices which coordinate much of the local activity within their respective areas.{{cite web |url=https://skatecanada.ca/portfolio-item/skate-canada-sections/ |title=Skate Canada – Skate Canada Sections |website=Skate Canada |access-date=14 December 2020}}

Ontario formerly had four offices, Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario, Western Ontario and Northern Ontario. However, these merged in 2017 to receive provincial funding.

• Lou Lefaive, executive director of the Canadian Figure Skating Association from 1983 to 1986{{cite book|last=Ferguson|first=Bob|author-link=Bob Ferguson (journalist)|title=Who's Who in Canadian Sport, Volume 4|publisher=Fitzhenry & Whiteside Ltd.|date=2005|location=Markham, Ontario|isbn=1-55041-855-6|page=256}}

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• [http://www.skatecanada.ca/ Skate Canada web site]

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{{Sports governing bodies of Canada}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Skate Canada (Governing Body)}}

Canada, Skate

Category:Sports governing bodies in Canada

Category:Figure skating in Canada

Category:1914 establishments in Ontario

Category:Sports organizations established in 1914

Category:National members of the International Skating Union