If you wish to play sports at university, many universities in Canada offer sports programs at different levels to their students. The programs offered can vary from recreational to intramural and varsity sports. You can decide which level is best suited for you depending on your skill level in that sport and how much time you want to commit to it.
Recreational Sports
Universities offer students recreational, individual, and non-traditional sports activities. Common activities include hiking, climbing, martial arts, and yoga. These activities are good if you wish to play for fun and at your convenience.
Intramural Sports
In intramural sports, teams play against other intramural teams of the same university. These sports are often organized leagues that play throughout the year. Common sports include volleyball, ice hockey, and football. If you are skilled and enjoy competing, consider joining an intramural club team.
Varsity Sports or Intercollegiate Sports
Varsity sports teams are the main athletic teams of Canadian universities and colleges. These teams compete against varsity teams from other institutions. Common sports include basketball, curling, ice hockey, and soccer. If you are a top player and will commit time to the sport and willing to travel, varsity is the way to go.
University Athletic Associations
U SPORTS and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) are the two associations that run varsity sports in Canada. U SPORTS is the governing body for organized sports at universities, and CCAA is for organized sports at colleges. Few universities are members of both the U SPORTS and CCAA for some sports.
The sanctioned sports under U SPORTS are basketball, cross country, curling, field hockey (women), football (men), ice hockey, rugby union (women), soccer, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. The sanctioned spots under CCAA are badminton, basketball, cross-country, curling, golf, soccer, and volleyball.
There are currently 56 member universities in U SPORTS organized into four regional associations, sometimes referred to as athletic conferences:
Atlantic University Sport (AUS) covers universities in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island).
Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CW) covers universities in Western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba).
Ontario University Athletes (OUA) covers universities in Ontario.
Quebec Student Sports Network (RSEQ) covers universities in Quebec.
Following is the list of U SPORTS member universities:
Atlantic University Sports (AUS)
New Brunswick
Mount Allison University, Sackville
St. Thomas University, Fredericton
Université de Moncton, Moncton
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton
Newfoundland and Labrador
Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s
Nova Scotia
Acadia University, Wolfville
Cape Breton University, Sydney
Dalhousie University, Halifax
Saint Mary’s University, Halifax
St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish
Prince Edward Island
University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown
Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CW)
Alberta
MacEwan University, Edmonton
Mount Royal University, Calgary
UniFersity of Alberta, Edmonton
University of Calgary, Calgary
University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge
British Columbia
Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops
Trinity Western University, Langley
University of British Columbia, Vancouver
University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna
University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George
University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford
University of Victoria, Victoria
Manitoba
Brandon University, Brandon
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg
University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg
Saskatchewan
University of Regina, Regina
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
Ontario University Athletics (OUA)
Ontario
Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie
Brock University, St. Catherines
Carleton University, Ottawa
Lakehead University, Thunder Bay
Laurentian University, Sudbury
McMaster University, Hamilton
Nipissing University, North Bay
Ontario Tech University, Oshawa
Queen’s University, Kingston
Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston
Ryerson University, Toronto
Trent University, Peterborough
University of Guelph, Guelph
University of Ottawa, Ottawa
University of Toronto, Toronto
University of Waterloo, Waterloo
University of Western Ontario, London
University of Windsor, Windsor
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo
York University, Toronto
Quebec Student Sports Network (RSEQ)
Quebec
Bishop’s University, Lennoxville
Concordia University, Montreal
McGill University, Montreal
Université de Montréal, Montreal
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke
Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières
Université Laval, Quebec City
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) organization regulates student-athletes and athletic programs in U.S. colleges and universities. Student-athletes in Canada who wish to pursue athletics at post-secondary institutions in the U.S. can refer to NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete to understand the eligibility criteria and recruitment process for U.S. institutions. Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC, is the only Canadian university affiliated with the NCAA and is a member of NCAA Division II.
Sports Facilities at Universities
Depending on the university, athletic facilities can range from off-campus athletic centers to Olympic-sized fields and stadiums. Universities with no athletic facilities typically collaborate with local sports facilities to allow access to their students. For example, OCAD University in downtown Toronto has a partnership with the Intramural Program at the Michener Institute of Education at UHN (University Health Network). Other universities have a variety of sports facilities on their campus. Common facilities can include swimming pools, basketball courts, soccer fields, hockey rinks, fitness centers, etc. As part of the university’s fees, most athletic facilities offered to students are free or discounted.
Conclusion
It is important to have a solid understanding of athletic recruitment and athletic scholarships. Athletic scholarships offered to student-athletes by a university in Canada depend on the athlete’s performance and may vary from institution to institution. Athletics could be an important criterion when researching universities if you want to play at the varsity level. Contact us at admissionelements@gmail.com to help you with the varsity team recruitment process and athletic scholarships based on your skills and future academic goals.