2008
- AthletesCAN and the Canadian Paralympic Committee teams up to select the athlete ombudsperson for the 2008 Paralympic Summer Games in Beijing, China
- AthletesCAN introduces the Athlete Leader Series, a monthly article recognizing athletes who have helped to shape the organization, and/or who are currently training and competing in preparation for the Olympics/Paralympics and continue to find time to make a difference as athlete leaders
- AthletesCAN negotiates a national contract with Purolator to provide shipping discounts to all national, provincial and multi-sport organizations in Canada
- AthletesCAN and Mitsubishi Motors launch the VIP New Vehicle Purchase Program for Canada’s National Team Athletes
- Moira Lassen takes over as Executive Director while Jasmine Northcott is on Maternity Leave
- Danika Tanguay joins the AthletesCAN team as Operations Coordinator
- Andrew Nisker is elected President of AthletesCAN
2007
- AthletesCAN leads a working group on transitioning and transitioned athletes and submits a proposal to do research and provide information to the sport community on the subject
- AthletesCAN collaborates with partners in the sport community on the creation of Sport Fest—a week of celebration of sport culminating with the Canadian Sport Awards
- AthletesCAN brings the athlete perspective to government committees to ensure Bill C-47 – The Olympic and Parlaympic Trademarks Act protects the rights of athletes
- AthletesCAN partners with IndieCan, the association representing Canada’s independent musicians to raise money and awareness for amateur athletes and amateur musicians
- AthletesCAN introduces the Team ACAN Program which matches athlete representatives (reps) with AthletesCAN board members to encourage ongoing dialogue
- AthletesCAN facilitates the creation of an interim Athletes Council for the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and Paralympic athletes
- AthletesCAN brings together Canadian athletes to provide feedback to the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport on doping processes for athletes with a disability and on the whereabouts program
- Jasmine Northcott becomes Executive Director of AthletesCAN
2006
· AthletesNOW—the redesigned electronic newsletter of AthletesCAN is launched
· Ashley Kilburn joins the AthletesCAN team as Administrative Officer
· AthletesCAN hosts its first-ever Interactive School Day as part of the 2006 Forum. 20 current and former national team athletes spread the message of the importance of physical activity by visiting schools in the Fredericton capital region and speaking and engaging in sporting activities with over 2,000 children
· In partnership with Sport Canada, AthletesCAN officially releases the results of the Status of High Performance Athlete Survey
· AthletesCAN participates in Sport Matters’ Parliamentary Sport and Physical Activity Forum to bring Canadians who care about sport and physical activity together with members of Parliament to discuss their shared contribution to their communities and to Canada
· AthletesCAN works with CMG Canada to create a comprehensive sponsorship package
· Claire Carver-Dias is elected president of AthletesCAN
2005
· Tom Jones steps down as CEO
· Jasmine Northcott becomes Interim Leader (January 2005-June 2005) and Athlete Forums Director and Operations Manager (June 2005-present)
· Guy Tanguay is hired as CEO
· Rachal Fleury is hired as Communications Coordinator
· AthletesCAN launches its new corporate image
· AthletesCAN produces its first-ever annual report
2004
· Jason Hussak is hired as the new Administrative Assistant
· AthletesCAN successfully advocates for an increase in the Athlete Assistance Program stipends
· AthletesCAN assisted with the creation of the BC Athlete Voice
· AthletesCAN developed a position paper urging the Canadian Olympic Committee to reconsider its position on its top-12 Olympic qualification criteria
· Through partnership with Sport Canada, AthletesCAN implemented the Status of the High Performance Athlete Survey
· AthletesCAN and Bell Canada enter into a seven year partnership to enhance the Athletes Connect program
2003
· Board changes from operational to a governance structure
· Michael Smith becomes the first President of AthletesCAN (changed from chair)
· AthletesCAN and athletes meet with the Prime Minister to communicate sport messages
2002
· AthletesCAN is actively involved in team selection issues for Salt Lake City Games
· AthletesCAN testifies at Senate and Parliamentary hearings for Bill C-54, a bill to promote sport and physical activity (the bill is passed and a new Sport Act is created)
· AthletesCAN creates the first ever Athlete Declaration
· Ian Bird is named chair of AthletesCAN
2001
· Fast Forward, the newsletter of AthletesCAN, goes on-line
· AthletesCAN relocates to Ottawa, Ont.
· AthletesCAN hires its first national office staff members — Executive Director Tom Jones and Program Coordinator Jasmine Northcott
· AthletesCAN partners with Investors Group to create the Team Investors Group Amateur Athletes Fund which annually awards 20 $5,000 bursaries to Canada’s high performance athletes
· Greg Edgelow becomes chair of AthletesCAN
2000
- AthletesCAN publishes a discussion paper on the development of a national sport policy
- AthletesCAN creates an athletes’ round table to incorporate athlete feedback into the development of a new national sport policy
- AthletesCAN publishes a report outlining its position on the development of a national sport policy
- Susanne Dandenault is named chair of AthletesCAN
1999
· AthletesCAN launches its first web site
· AthletesCAN introduces its Canada Games programming for the first time in Corner Brook, Newfoundland
1998
· AthletesCAN works on the 20% Solution – a system-wide goal proposing that key NSO committees related to high performance sport decision-making should have 20% athlete representation
· AthletesCAN and Commonwealth Games Canada partner to create a new process to select flagbearers for Canada
1997
· AthletesCAN and Bell Canada launch the Athletes Connect program which provides national team athletes with telecommunications hardware, airtime and Internet access at no charge
· AthletesCAN sets up its first office at the University of Toronto and hires its first staff member – Michele Comeau
· Lori Johnstone is elected chair of AthletesCAN
1996
· The CAA changes its name to AthletesCAN
· The Sport Solution—a joint project between AthletesCAN, the Dispute Resolution Center and the Faculty of Law at the University of Western Ontario—is created to provide athletes with legal information and assistance
· Following a proposal from AthletesCAN, the Canadian Olympic Association (COA) creates an Athlete Fund (in 1997, the fund awards $648,000 to athletes in Olympic and Pan Am sports)
· Ed Drakich becomes chair of AthletesCAN
1995
- The CAA partners with Dale Carnegie and Associates to offer free communications training to Canada’s high performance athletes
- Lobbying by the CAA results in a 25% increase in Athlete Assistance Program stipends
1994
- AthletesCAN works with major Games organizations to establish an Athlete Advocate position for all future Games
1993
- The CAA holds its first Athletes Forum in Kimberley, Ont.
- The CAA’s first Board of Directors is elected
- Ann Peel becomes the first chair of the CAA
1992
- The Canadian Athletes Association (CAA) is formed in Toronto, Ont.
- Ann Peel and Dan Thompson chair the provisional board
