Canada Soccer have announced six historic clubs that will be recognised as Canada Soccer Organisations of Distinction at this year’s annual Awards Banquet at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Members in Saint John, New Brunswick. These six Canadian soccer clubs from five different provinces have all made a positive impact on the game at the national, provincial, and/or community level and were established more than 50 years ago.
The six Organisations of Distinction are: North Shore United FC (British Columbia); Edmonton Ital Canadians SC (Alberta); CNSC Windsor Croatia (Ontario); West Indies United Toronto (Ontario); Lakeshore SC (Québec); Feildians AA St. John’s (Newfoundland Labrador). In all, Canada Soccer and the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame have now recognised 21 different Organisations of Distinction from six different provinces since 2010.
Canada Soccer will formally present the Organisations of Distinction plaques to Provincial Member Associations at this year’s Canada Soccer Awards Banquet after which local presentations will be made by the Provincial Member Associations to the recognised clubs. Both the Provincial Member Association and Organisation of Distinction receive a commemorative plaque.
Canada Soccer’s 2023 Annual Meeting of the Members will the organisation’s 103rd since the Association was form on 24 May 1912, with the first-ever meeting of the Dominion of Canada Football Association held in Winnipeg from 9-13 July 1912. As part of the Annual Awards Banquet, Canada Soccer will also recognise annual award winners for the President’s Award, the Aubrey Sanford Meritorious Award, the Ray Morgan Memorial Award, the Tony Waiters Coaching Excellence Award, the Brian Budd Award, and the Canada Soccer Award of Merit. Recipients for those Canada Soccer awards will be announced in April.
Organisations of Distinction:
British Columbia: North Shore United FC; Vancouver Columbus FC; Vancouver Firefighters FC; Vancouver St. Andrews FC; Victoria West FC
Alberta: Calgary Callies FC; Edmonton Angels SC; Edmonton Ital Canadians SC; Edmonton Scottish FC
Manitoba: Winnipeg United Weston FC
Ontario: CNSC Windsor Croatia, Darlington SC; Toronto Scottish FC; Toronto Ulster United FC; West Indies United Toronto; The Robbie Tournament
Québec: Lakeshore SC; Montréal Carsteel FC
Newfoundland Labrador: Feildians AA St. John’s; Holy Cross FC; St. Lawrence Laurentians
North Shore United FC
Established in 1918 as Wallace FC, North Shore United FC won the Dominion of Canada Football Championship in 1938 and 1949. Their men’s team were 11-time BC Province Cup winners.
Edmonton Ital Canadians SC
Established in 1955, Edmonton Ital Canadians SC are two-time Canada Soccer National Championship winners for the Challenge Trophy in both 1994 and 1997. They are 15-time men’s Alberta Cup winners.
CNSC Windsor Croatia
Established in 1962, CNSC Croatia Windsor were Canada Soccer national runners up in 1983 when they reached the Final in Thunder Bay. They are three-time men’s Ontario Cup winners.
West Indies United Toronto
Established in 1969, West Indies United Toronto were Canada Soccer national runners in 1973 when they became the first team of colour to reach the national Final in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Lakeshore SC
Established in 1966 as Beaconsfield, Lakeshore SC have won multiple men’s and women’s national youth titles since the 1970s. Their women’s team are three-time Coupe du Québec winners.
Feildians AA St. John’s
Originally established as the Old Feildian Athletic Association in 1899, the St. John’s-based club have won the Newfoundland Labrador provincial title three times on the men’s side and twice on the women’s side.
