Dear Member,
Hello/Bonjour and greetings from the Board of Directors of Paddle Canada and our Regional Member Associations. I thank you for your obvious interest in safe recreational paddling and continued support our organization. The following letter outlines some of the most significant changes and news items in 2015.
Paddle Canada Decals
The newly designed PC decal is included in this mailing and enables paddlers to show their support of Paddle Canada and our aims and objectives. The new design features our logo, website, and hashtag #paddlecanada. This new weatherproof decal is designed to brand Paddle Canada as a leader in recreational paddling.
New Partners In Business
We would like to introduce Tate Products, a great company of people out of Burlington, Ontario who host our online PC branded product store (paddlecanada.com/store). Purchasing products helps support our organization and in return Tate handles the efficiently shipping that product to you with phone order support. We enjoy working with the team at Tate and hope you will too.
Blue Ant Media, (Toronto, On) producers of Cottage Life TV and Magazines, Outdoor Canada, Smithsonian TV, TravelandEscape TV to name a few, is handling a large media project to promote Paddle Canada’s PaddleSmart program. The national campaign includes a variety of multi media and social media promotions. This project is funded by a SAR NIF federal government grant to expand PaddleSmart program nationally over the next 2 years. We look forward to working with the fun and creative team at Blue Ant Media and will be sharing their exciting work with you next spring.
Adrian Camara (Media Manager and Editor of Kanawa) and his newly formed company Yeti Media will continue to provide us with the great digital and social media services we have enjoyed these past few years. Yeti Media will expand its scope in 2016 to seek new marketing and sponsorship opportunities on behalf of Paddle Canada such as sales and distribution of the Paddling Market Reports, more contests/prizes and event sponsorship.
Winter and Spring Trade Shows
Paddle Canada and PaddleSmart will be attending a number of upcoming national trade shows. These include:
- Toronto International Boat Show – January 8-17, 2016
- Vancouver Boat Show – January 20-24, 2016
- Halifax Boat Show – Feb 19-22, 2016
- Winnipeg Mid Canada Boat Show – March 3-6, 2016
- Calgary Outdoor Adventure Show – March 19-20, 2016
- Toronto Cottage Life Spring Show – March 31 – April 3, 2016
- Montreal Outdoor Adventure Show – April 2-3, 2016
- Sudbury, Ontario Sportsman Show – April 8-10, 2016
- Edmonton Cottage Life Spring Show – April 21-24, 2016
- Petawawa Ontario Upper Ottawa River Race – Aug 5-7, 2016
There will be more events to come in summer and fall as well.
We invite you to come out and support us and the recreational boating community at these shows. We are also looking for volunteers to help us at these events. Volunteering is a great opportunity to meet other PC members, learn about our new PaddleSmart program and connect with paddling and boating community locally. If interested in learning more, please contact PaddleSmart Co-ordinator Dawn Callan at 1-888-252-6292 ext 12 or at [email protected].
Paddling Market Reports
Thanks to all of you that responded to our market survey. We’re almost ready to publish four 2015 Canada Paddling Market Reports (National, SUP, Canoe and Kayak reports). They provide exceptionally deep insights into the paddling, safety, online and consumer behaviour of paddlers. These can help outdoor product and services companies learn how and who to target for product messaging and outreach to make their dollars far more effective. Reports may be ordered for your company at $250 each plus tax. To find out more info or how to order please contact Adrian Camara at [email protected].
Membership Renewal Dates and Your Support
Individual members will be notified by email a month before your renewal date which varies depending on when you signed up. Instructor member renewal is January 1, 2016. Instructor memberships include thousands of dollars in value in insurance and access to products at a discount. We hope you enjoy these benefits and will consider renewing early in the New Year to help us complete much needed projects prior to start of the spring 2016 paddling season. By taking out a membership with Paddle Canada, you are supporting a worthwhile non-profit organization committed to promoting values you believe in.
Once again, on behalf of the Board of Directors and our Regional Member Associations, I thank you for your continued support of Paddle Canada and of recreational paddling in this great paddling nation of ours.
Have a great winter season & see you on the water next year,
Sincerely,
Graham Ketcheson
Executive Director
Paddle Canada / Pagaie Canada
