Canada West Universities Athletic Association

{{Short description|Association for universities in Western Canada}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Infobox sports league | name = Canada West | title = Canada West Universities Athletic Association | logo = Canada West Logo.png | logo_size = 180px | founded = {{start date|1972}} | conference = U Sports | teams = 17 (18 in 2027) | sports = 12 | mens = 9 | womens = 11 | region = Western Canada | formerly = Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (1919–19xx) Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association (19xx–1972) | website = {{URL|https://www.canadawest.org|canadawest.org}} }}

'''Canada West''' (formally the '''Canada West Universities Athletic Association''' or '''CWUAA''') is a regional membership association for universities in Western Canada which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and events to the public and the media. This is similar to what would be called a college athletic conference in the United States. Canada West is one of four such bodies that are members of the country's governing body for university athletics, U Sports. The other three regional associations coordinating university-level sports in Canada are Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Atlantic University Sport (AUS), and the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ).

==History== {{Location map+ |Canada Western |width=425 |float=right |caption=Locations of the Canada West member institutions |places= {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=49.891612 |long=-97.1556482 |label=Winnipeg |mark=Blue pog.svg |position=bottom}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=53.523218 |long=-113.528507 |label=Alberta |mark=Red-green dot.svg |position=left}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=49.845352 |long=-99.9643477 |label=Brandon |position=top}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=49.941015 |long=-119.399102 |label=UBC Okanagan |position=bottom}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=51.078159 |long=-114.137989 |label=Calgary |mark=Red-blue pog.svg |position=top}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=49.678615 |long=-112.862306 |label=Lethbridge |position=bottom}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=53.547054 |long=-113.508817 |label=MacEwan |mark=Red-green dot.svg |position=right}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=51.078159 |long=-114.137989 |label=Mount Royal |mark=Clear pog.svg |position=bottom}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=50.670707 |long=-120.365987 |label=Thompson Rivers |position=top}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=53.892203 |long=-122.815549 |label=UNBC |position=top}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=50.415492 |long=-104.590701 |label=Regina |position=bottom}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=52.1334 |long=-106.633546 |label=Saskatchewan |position=bottom}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=48.461695 |long=-123.313496 |label=Victoria |position=left}} {{Location map~ |Canada Western |lat=49.240493 |long=-123.002328 |label=Lower Mainland |mark=Blue pog.svg |position=top}}

{{Location map~ |Canada Western |mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |marksize=1 |lat=51.21 |long=-92.93 |label=<div style="font-size:80%;">'''Winnipeg schools:''' Manitoba Winnipeg </div>|position=right}}

{{Location map~ |Canada Western |mark=TransparentPlaceholder.png |marksize=1 |lat=56.71 |long=-92.93 |label=<div style="font-size:80%;">'''Lower Mainland schools:''' UFV SFU (2027) TWU UBC </div>|position=right}} }}

The Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WCIAU — later renamed Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association) was formed in 1919–20 as the first recognized western-based post-secondary athletic organization in Canada, with the University of Manitoba winning the first-ever league championship, a men's hockey title, in 1920.

In the spring of 1972, the WCIAA was split into the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) and the Great Plains Athletic Association (GPAA - later renamed the Great Plains Athletic Conference).

CWUAA consisted of schools spanning from Victoria to Saskatoon (Victoria, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, Lethbridge and Saskatchewan), while GPAA's member institutions stretched from Regina to Thunder Bay (Regina, Brandon, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Lakehead).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://canadawest.org/information/history|title=Canada West Universities Athletic Association|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en}}</ref>

===Membership changes=== In 1985–86, Canada West offered playing privileges to men's hockey teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) with other sports following over the years, culminating with the 2001–02 merger of basketball.

Since 1999, 11 additional schools have joined the Canada West's six charter members. Trinity Western joined in 1999–00 and, in 2000–01, all schools from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) except for Brandon were provided full membership in Canada West (Manitoba, Regina and Winnipeg). Brandon joined as an associate member at the time, until full membership was granted in 2005.

Simon Fraser joined Canada West in 2000, followed by Thompson Rivers in 2005 and Fraser Valley in 2006.

Simon Fraser withdrew from the conference as a member after the 2009–10 season, following this, Simon Fraser officially became the first Canadian university to join the NCAA in the 2011–12 season; while both Thompson Rivers and Fraser Valley were awarded full membership in 2010 and, at the same time, UBC Okanagan received probationary membership.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.ok.ubc.ca/athrec/2010/09/01/1320/|title=UBC Okanagan joins Canada West; TRU & UFV full members|date=2010-09-02|work=Athletics & Recreation News|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2011, Mount Royal University<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.canadawest.org/cwest/2011-12/releases/CW_0901112032.html|title=Mount Royal University officially joins Canada West Athletics|date=2011-09-01|work=Canada West Universities Athletic Association|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en}}</ref> and the University of Northern British Columbia<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/unbc-joins-canada-west/|title=UNBC becomes latest member of Canada West sports division {{!}} University Affairs|work=University Affairs|access-date=2018-03-20|language=en-US}}</ref> were voted in as probationary members and began active competing in 2012–13.

In 2013, UBC Okanagan was awarded full membership, while Mount Royal University and the University of Northern British Columbia were awarded full membership in 2014.

Full membership was granted to MacEwan University in the spring of 2015,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macewan.ca/wcm/MacEwanNews/GRIFFINS_CW_MEMBERSHIP_050516|title=MacEwan University granted full membership in Canada West|website=MacEwan University|language=en|access-date=2018-03-20}}</ref> after the Edmonton-based university fulfilled their probationary membership requirements and was accepted by Canada West membership as the conference's 17th member.

In 2025, Simon Fraser announced their withdrawal from the NCAA and their intent to return to Canada West and U Sports effective for the fall of 2027.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Simon Fraser athletics to pursue U SPORTS membership |url=https://gnacsports.com/news/2025/11/26/general-simon-fraser-athletics-to-pursue-u-sports-membership.aspx |access-date=2026-01-29 |website=gnacsports.com |language=en}}</ref> The university is currently pending approval.

==Member schools== ===Current members=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! Institution ! Location ! Founded ! Affiliation ! Enrollment ! Endowment ! Nickname ! Joined{{efn|group=full|Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.}} ! Division |- | {{sort|Alberta|'''University of Alberta'''}} | Edmonton, Alberta | 1908 | Public | 36,435 | $1.7B | Golden Bears (men's) Pandas (women's) | 1972 | Prairie |- | '''Brandon University''' | Brandon, Manitoba | 1890 | Public | 3,383 | $34M | Bobcats | 2001 | Prairie |- | {{sort|British Columbia|'''University of British Columbia'''}} | Vancouver, British Columbia | 1908 | Public | 43,579 | rowspan="2" | $2.8B | Thunderbirds | 1972 | Pacific |- | {{sort|British Columbia–Okanagan|'''University of British Columbia–Okanagan'''}} | Kelowna, British Columbia | 2005 | Public | 8,307 | Heat | 2010 | Pacific |- | {{sort|Calgary|'''University of Calgary'''}} | Calgary, Alberta | 1966 | Public | 28,196 | $1.17B | Dinos | 1972 | Prairie |- | {{sort|Fraser Valley|'''University of the Fraser Valley'''}} | Abbotsford, British Columbia | 1974 | Public | 21,500 | --- | Cascades | 2006 | Pacific |- | {{sort|Lethbridge|'''University of Lethbridge'''}} | Lethbridge, Alberta | 1967 | Public | 8,000+ | $104.5M | Pronghorns | 1972 | Prairie |- | {{sort|Manitoba|'''University of Manitoba'''}} | Winnipeg, Manitoba | 1877 | Public | 27,599 | $878M | Bisons | 2001 | Prairie |- | '''MacEwan University''' | Edmonton, Alberta | 1971 | Public | 19,606 | --- | Griffins | 2013 | Prairie |- | {{sort|Mount Royal|'''Mount Royal University'''}} | Calgary, Alberta | 1910 | Public | 14,175 | $99M | Cougars | 2011 | Prairie |- | {{sort|Northern British Columbia|'''University of Northern British Columbia'''}} | Prince George, British Columbia | 1990 | Public | 4,183 | $62.8M | Timberwolves | 2011 | Pacific |- | {{sort|Regina|'''University of Regina'''}} | Regina, Saskatchewan | 1911 | Public | 12,800 | $128.4M | Cougars{{efn|group=full|Nickname is used for other sports except football.}} Rams{{efn|group=full|Nickname is used for football only.}} | 2001 | Prairie |- | {{sort|Saskatchewan|'''University of Saskatchewan'''}} | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | 1907 | Public | 19,082 | $509.1M | Huskies | 1972 | Prairie |- | '''Thompson Rivers University''' | Kamloops, British Columbia | 1970 | Public | 13,072 | --- | WolfPack | 2005 | Pacific |- | '''Trinity Western University''' | Langley, British Columbia | 1962 | Evangelical/ E.F.C.C. | 2,700 | $22.4M | Spartans | 1999 | Pacific |- | {{sort|Victoria|'''University of Victoria'''}} | Victoria, British Columbia | 1903 | Public | 19,500 | $525M | Vikes | 1972 | Pacific |- | {{sort|Winnipeg|'''University of Winnipeg'''}} | Winnipeg, Manitoba | 1871 | Public | 9,219 | $64.7M | Wesmen | 2001 | Prairie |}

;Notes: {{notelist|group=full}}

===Future full member=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" !Institution !Location !Founded !Joining !Type !Enrollment !Endowment !Nickname ! class="unsortable" |Colors !Current conference |- | '''Simon Fraser University''' | Burnaby, British Columbia | 1965 | 2027{{efn|group=future|Simon Fraser was previously a full member of Canada West from 2000–2010.}} | Public | 35,604 | $605M | Red Leafs{{efn|group=future|Nickname has been used since fall 2022. Until spring 2020, its former nicknames were '''Clan''' and '''Clansmen'''.}} | {{college color boxes|Simon Fraser Red Leafs}} | Great Northwest (GNAC){{efn|group=future|name=D2|Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.}} Canada West in 2027. |}

;Notes: {{notelist|group=future}}

===Former member=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! Institution ! Location ! Founded ! Affiliation ! Enrollment ! Endowment ! Nickname ! Joined{{efn|group=former|Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.}} ! Left{{efn|group=former|Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.}} ! Current conference |- | '''Simon Fraser University''' | Burnaby, British Columbia | 1965 | Public | 35,604 | $605M | Red Leafs{{efn|group=former|Nickname has been used since fall 2022. Until spring 2020, its former nicknames were '''Clan''' and '''Clansmen'''.}} | 2000 | 2010 | Great Northwest (GNAC){{efn|group=former|name=D2|Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.}} Canada West in 2027. |}

;Notes: {{notelist|group=former}}

===Membership timeline=== <timeline>

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1972 till:2032

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5

Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) id:line value:black id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used

PlotData = width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Full from:1972 till:end text:Alberta (1972–present)

bar:2 color:Full from:1972 till:end text:British Columbia (1972–present)

bar:3 color:Full from:1972 till:end text:Calgary (1972–present)

bar:4 color:FullxF from:1972 till:end text:Lethbridge (1972–present)

bar:5 color:Full from:1972 till:end text:Saskatchewan (1972–present)

bar:6 color:FullxF from:1972 till:end text:Victoria (1972–present)

bar:7 color:FullxF from:1999 till:end text:Trinity Western (1999–present)

bar:8 color:Full from:2000 till:2010 text:Simon Fraser (2000–2010) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2010 till:2027 text:GNAC (2010–2027) bar:8 color:Full from:2027 till:end text:(2027–future)

bar:9 color:AssocOS from:2001 till:2005 text:Brandon (2001–present) bar:9 color:FullxF from:2005 till:end text:

bar:10 color:Full from:2001 till:end text:Manitoba (2001–present)

bar:11 color:Full from:2001 till:end text:Regina (2001–present)

bar:12 color:FullxF from:2001 till:end text:Winnipeg (2001–present)

bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2005 till:end text:Thompson Rivers (2005–present) bar:13 color:FullxF from:2010 till:end text:

bar:14 color:AssocOS from:2006 till:end text:Fraser Valley (2006–present) bar:14 color:FullxF from:2010 till:end text:

bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2010 till:2013 text:British Columbia–Okanagan (2010–present) bar:15 color:FullxF from:2013 till:end text:

bar:16 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2014 text:Mount Royal (2011–present) bar:16 color:FullxF from:2014 till:end text:

bar:17 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2014 text:Northern British Columbia (2011–present) bar:17 color:FullxF from:2014 till:end text:

bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2013 till:2015 text:MacEwan (2013–present) bar:18 color:FullxF from:2015 till:end text:

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:4 start:1972

TextData = fontsize:M textcolor:black pos:(0,25) tabs:(400-center) text:^"Canada West Universities Athletic Association membership history"

</timeline>

{{Font color||{{RGB|229|204|178}}| Full member (non-football) }}

==Facilities== <!-- Canadian athletic facilities are often listed by their "maximum capacity", which is often an estimate of their largest recorded crowd in the facility. These maximum capacities can and often do include standing room patrons and attendees seated on grass surrounding a playing field. Seated Capacity is the actual number of permanent seats, be they grandstands or permanently in use bleachers. This is why you will sometimes see larger capacities listed for these sites when searching for them on line. When capacity numbers have mismatched on source sites, unless the larger capacity could be confirmed as a seated capacity, the smaller capacity number has been listed here.

Please update with verified "seated capacities" only when the institutions release more accurate official seated capacities. --> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+ Facilities |- bgcolor="#efefef" !Institution!!Football Stadium!!Seated Capacity!!Basketball/Volleyball Gym!!Seated Capacity!!Hockey Arena!!Seated Capacity!!Soccer Field!!Seated Capacity |- |align="left"| Alberta || Foote Field || 3,500 || Saville Community Sports Centre || 2,600 || Clare Drake Arena || 3,000 || Foote Soccer Field || 1,500 |- |align="left"| Brandon || colspan=2 align=center |''Non-football school'' || Healthy Living Centre || 1,000 || colspan=2 align=center |''Non-hockey school'' || HLC Field || 500 |- |align="left"| UBC || Thunderbird Stadium || 3,441 || War Memorial Gymnasium || 2,222 || Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre || 7,200 || Thunderbird Stadium || 3,441 |- |align="left"| UBC Okanagan || colspan=2 align=center |''Non-football school'' || UBC Okanagan Campus Gym || 1,000 || colspan=2 align=center |''Non-hockey school'' || Nonis Sports Field || 500 |- |align="left"| Calgary || McMahon Stadium || 35,650 || Jack Simpson Gymnasium || 2,700 || Father David Bauer Olympic Arena || 1,750 || West Varsity Soccer Pitch || 500 |- |align="left"| Fraser Valley || rowspan=3 colspan=2 align=center |''Non-football school'' || Envision Athletic Centre || 1,700 || rowspan=2 colspan=2 align=center |''Non-hockey school'' || MRC Sports Complex || 500 |- |align="left"| Lethbridge || 1st Choice Savings Centre (Basketball only) || 2,500 || University Field || 2,000 |- |align="left"| MacEwan || Christenson Family Centre for Sport and Wellness || 2,000 || Downtown Community Arena || 1,000 || Jasper Place Bowl || 1,000<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edmonton.ca/activities_parks_recreation/jasper-place-bowl-artificial-turf.aspx|title=Jasper Place Bowl Artificial Turf | City of Edmonton}}</ref> |- |align="left"| Manitoba || Princess Auto Stadium || 33,500 || Investors Group Athletic Centre || 3,100 || Max Bell Centre || 1,400 || Turf East Field (Women's only) || 300 |- |align="left"| Mount Royal || rowspan=2 colspan=2 align=center |''Non-football school'' || Kenyon Court || 1,940 || Flames Community Arenas || 500 || Mount Royal Fields || 500 |- |align="left"| UNBC|| Charles Jago Northern Sports Centre (Basketball only) || 2,000 || colspan=2 align=center |''Non-hockey school'' || NCSSL Field || 1,800 |- |align="left"| Regina || Mosaic Stadium || 33,000 || UR CKHS (Basketball/Women's Volleyball only) || 2,000 || The Co-operators Centre || 1,000 || Leibel Field (Women's only) || 500 |- |align="left"| Saskatchewan || Griffiths Stadium || 6,171 || PAC || 2,426 || Merlis Belsher Place || 2,700 ||Field 7 in PotashCorp Park || 400 |-bgcolor=lightgreen |align="left"| Simon Fraser || colspan=2 alighn=center | ''Non-football school'' || West Gymnasium || 1,500 || colspan=2 alighn=center | ''Non-hockey school'' ||Terry Fox Field || 1,823 |- |align="left"| Thompson Rivers || rowspan=4 colspan=2 align=center |''Non-football school'' || Tournament Capital Centre || 2,200 || colspan=2 align=center |''Non-hockey school'' || Hillside Stadium || 1,060 |- |align="left"| Trinity Western || Langley Events Centre || 2,000 || Langley Events Centre || 5,300 || Chase Office Field || 500 |- |align="left"| Victoria || CARSA Performance Gym (Basketball only) || 2,100 || rowspan=2 colspan=2 align=center |''Non-hockey school'' || Centennial Stadium || 5,000 |- |align="left"| Winnipeg || Duckworth Centre || 1,780 ||colspan=2 align=center |''Non-soccer school'' |- |}

(Data mined from the U Sports homepage's member directory<ref>[http://www.universitysport.ca/e/members/directory_complete_print.cfm U Sports directory] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727174339/http://www.universitysport.ca/e/members/directory_complete_print.cfm |date=2009-07-27 }}</ref> and WorldStadiums.com.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldstadiums.com/north_america/countries/canada.shtml |title=World Stadiums.com |access-date=2009-05-26 |archive-date=2009-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207001105/http://worldstadiums.com/north_america/countries/canada.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> The member directory numbers seem to be ballpark figures in some cases.)

==Future expansion==

The media has reported{{examples|date=November 2017}} that the following institutions are building their athletic programs for potential admission into the association.

*Capilano University *Vancouver Island University

In 2012 the conference declared they would not take applications from new schools, as Canada West approved a bid from Grant MacEwan University (now rebranded as MacEwan University) in 2013.<ref>http://cupwire.ca/articles/51957 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526223330/http://cupwire.ca/articles/51957# |date=2013-05-26 }} - CUP - March 7, 2012 - University presidents in Canada West push for high performance division</ref>

==Scholarships, UBC, Simon Fraser University, and the NAIA==

In May 2005, UBC made a formal bid to join the NCAA, but decided in April 2011 to remain a part of Canada West Athletics. See the UBC article for more details.

Simon Fraser University (then known as the SFU Clan before changing to the Red Leafs in 2022) did not compete in what is now known as U Sports until 2002, after a failed attempt to join the U.S. NCAA. On July 10, 2009, the NCAA accepted SFU's bid to join NCAA Division II in the 2011–12 season. Canada West proceeded as a 13-team, 14 member conference for 2010–11, with the inclusion of UBC-Okanagan as a non-competing, probationary member for 2010–11, in time to begin competition (pending summer 2011 CIS approval) for the 2011–12 season. In May 2011, Mount Royal was awarded Canada West membership, effective September 2011, with competition to begin in the 2012–13 season. In May 2013, MacEwan (Formally Grant MacEwan) approved as a 17th Canada West member starting in the 2013–14 season.

From its inception in 1965, Simon Fraser competed in the NAIA to allow "full ride" scholarships. Canadian schools did not allow any form of scholarships until the late 1980s. SFU was forced to leave the NAIA in many sports due to schools in the Northwest US shifting to the NCAA. Until 2009, the NCAA limited membership to schools based in the U.S. Some Simon Fraser teams still competed in the U.S. before the school moved to the NCAA, and their men's wrestling program competed in the then-CIS and the NAIA. UBC has several of its programs (baseball, golf, outdoor track and field and softball) compete in the NAIA.

In 2025, Simon Fraser formally announced their resignation from the NCAA, opting to return back to Canada West for competition, citing the United States political landscape and the changes in the governance of the NCAA.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Matt |title=There's only one Canadian school in the NCAA, and it's leaving. Here's why. |url=https://www.extrapointsmb.com/p/there-s-only-one-canadian-school-in-the-ncaa-and-it-s-leaving-here-s-why |access-date=2026-01-29 |website=Extra Points |language=en}}</ref> On May 7, Canada West announced the university's re-acceptance as a probationary member, with all sports except women's volleyball expected to begin play in 2027.<ref>{{Cite web |last=West |first=Canada |date=May 7, 2026 |title=Canada West announces acceptance of Simon Fraser University as probationary member |url=https://en.usports.ca/general/2025-26/Releases/CWSFU |access-date=May 19, 2026}}</ref> == Canada West TV == On August 24, 2011, the association announced the launch of [https://www.canadawest.tv Canadawest.tv] as the official home of web-based broadcasting for all 14 Canada West member institutions during the 2011–12 season and beyond.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada West, Stretch Internet launch CanadaWest.TV web-based broadcasting - U SPORTS - English|url=https://presto-en.usports.ca/sports/cis_news/2011-12/releases/20110824-cw|access-date=2021-11-30|website=presto-en.usports.ca}}</ref> On May 10, 2017, Canada West announced a multi-year deal with Surrey, BC based streaming company, Yare Media, to develop a re-vamped service for the 2017–18 season.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Daum|first=Evan|title=From Canada West: Canada West, Yare Media partner on revamped Canada West TV|url=https://news.ok.ubc.ca/athrec/2017/05/10/38163/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-30|website=news.ok.ubc.ca|date=March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512060754/https://news.ok.ubc.ca/athrec/2017/05/10/38163/ |archive-date=2017-05-12 }}</ref> In 2017, a dramatic 59-yard field goal kick by Niko DiFonte with two seconds on the clock lifted the Calgary Dinos over the UBC Thunderbirds to win the 81st Hardy Cup football championship in November. Immediately, the footage circulated across mainstream media. Not only did the clip of the record-breaking kick get coverage on television networks and social media channels across North America – including Sportsnet, TSN, CBC, ESPN, NFL.com and USA Today – but it also showcased the streaming quality of the new-look Canada West TV.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada West TV success a model for livestreaming across U SPORTS|url=https://usports.ca/en/news/2018/01/3268382224/canada-west-tv-success-livestreaming|access-date=2021-11-30|website=U SPORTS|language=en|archive-date=November 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130204412/https://usports.ca/en/news/2018/01/3268382224/canada-west-tv-success-livestreaming|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2018, Canada West announced record viewing numbers for the new service.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada West TV posts record first half|url=https://www.yaremedia.com/news/press-releases/canada-west-tv-posts-record-first-half/|access-date=2021-11-30|website=Yare Media|date=January 4, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref> On June 8, 2020, the conference announced cancellation of fall sports and no events were featured on Canadawest.tv.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada West cancels 2020-21 first term team competitions|url=https://canada-west.prezly.com/canada-west-cancels-2020-21-first-term-team-competitions|access-date=2021-11-30|website=canada-west.prezly.com|date=June 8, 2020 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Throughout the remainder of 2020 the conference would announce a series of cancellations.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canada West - Search for 'covid'|url=https://canada-west.prezly.com/search?query=covid&year%5B%5D=2020|access-date=2021-11-30|website=canada-west.prezly.com|language=en-GB}}</ref> The conference announced the resumption of Canadawest.tv streaming on Aug 3, 2021. The 2021–22 season marked the tenth year of Canada West TV service and the first year with streaming partner [https://www.visaic.com Visaic] after its acquisition of Yare Media in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2021-22 Canada West TV passes on sale|url=https://canada-west.prezly.com/2021-22-canada-west-tv-passes-on-sale|access-date=2021-11-30|website=canada-west.prezly.com|date=August 3, 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Awards== {{Main|Canada West University Hockey Awards}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{ccat}} * {{Official website}}

Category:U Sports Category:University and college athletics conferences in Canada Category:U Sports basketball Category:U Sports football Category:U Sports volleyball Category:Sports in Western Canada Category:U Sports ice hockey