ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to build and support an inclusive and respectful paddling community through safety education, skill development and environmental stewardship.
On the water this is instruction courses, open paddles, and group trips. Off the water this is protecting the interests of recreational paddlers and the natural environments where we paddle, as well
maintaining educational resources and information through our website, social media pages, and indoor programs.
Canoe, kayak, or stand up paddleboard (SUP), we support all recreational and wilderness paddling interests. We strive to demonstrate safe recreational and wilderness paddling as an excellent way to explore and have fun in Manitoba!
OUR STORY
Initially organized in 1979, the Manitoba Recreational Canoeing Association (MRCA) was reestablished in 1988 with an objective to promote safe canoeing, provide standards for instruction, protect the interests of paddlers, and maintain a resource centre. Meetings, newsletters, trips, and courses, were all activities established at that time to help meet these objectives.
Through the 1990s kayaking began to grow in popularity among the members and news ways of communicating would lead to a website that would become paddle.mb.ca. The logo would eventually change too to better reflect the membership, but the name remained the same.
By 2003, it was clear that "Canoeing Association" did not encompass the true spirit of the organization. After a unanimous show of support from the members, the name was changed to Paddle Manitoba.
Another later signal that the new name was a change in the right direction was the arrival of stand up paddleboarding around 2010. More technological evolution would see social media becoming a primary way of communicating and a change to paddlemanitoba.org as our web address.
By 2026 it was time for a logo refresh. A new design was presented to the membership and it was adopted to become the new face of the organization.
Today, Paddle Manitoba moves to the future with a name and programs that build on the foundation of it's original objectives and truly represents all paddlers: canoe, kayak, or stand up paddleboard.
Manitoba Recreational Canoeing Association Logo, 1980s and 1990s.
Manitoba Recreational Canoeing Association Logo, 2000s.
Paddle Manitoba Logo, 2003 to 2025
Paddle Manitoba Logo, 2026
OUR AFFILIATION
Paddle Manitoba is proud to be affiliated with Paddle Canada, the national association for recreational paddling in the country. With a mission to promote, educate, and support the recreational paddling community, paddling instructors, and partners across the nation, they set the national standards for instruction and certification for recreational canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddleboarding.
Our affiliation with Paddle Canada, as a regional member, allows Paddle Manitoba to deliver and champion their instruction programs, enhance local paddling through national program support, cross promote events, bring forward issues of regional concern, and bring a Manitoba voice to national meetings by liaising with other regional members and the Paddle Canada Manitoba Director.
OUR ACTIVITIES
Throughout the year, Paddle Manitoba offers a host of programming, both on and off the water. Below are just some of the activities that we try to offer, weather and volunteer dependent.
Instruction Programs
Instructional programs use the Paddle Canada program, ranging from beginner to expert, and may be a few hours, or a few days, in length.
Open Paddles
Open Paddles are leisurely opportunities on the La Salle River to meet other paddlers and showcase what Paddle Manitoba is all about: recreational paddling!
Day Trips
Day Trips explore various rivers and lakes around Manitoba. They are a chance to head out with other paddlers and showcase the great paddling the province offers.
Fun Paddles
Fun Paddles are an opportunity to get a bit silly on the water. Whether it's recognizing certain holidays, like Halloween, or heading out when you're usually heading in, such as our Light Bright Paddle in the dark, you can count on some laughs!
Waterwalker Film Festival
Canada's longest-running paddling film festival is the Waterwalker Film Festival. It showcases great canoe, kayak, and SUP films from around the world. Begun by legendary paddler and filmmaker Bill Mason in 1987, it continues today through Paddle Canada and Paddle Manitoba is proud to host this event each November.
Indoor Program Presentations
Indoor Programs are a chance to see and learn about trips others have been on, learn new skills, and socialize with other paddlers over winter. Libraries, Legions, and other facilities have all been home to Indoor Program presentations.
Instructor and students during a Paddle Manitoba instruction program.
Paddle Manitoba day trip on the Brokenhead River.
A Paddle Manitoba November Tradition: Waterwalker Film Festival.
OUR PADDLING CENTRE
Paddle Manitoba has had a long relationship with the City of Winnipeg's La Barriere Park on the La Salle River. It has been the scene of many on the water activities over the life of the organization.
Because of this, an open trailer in a fenced compound at the park was used to store canoes . However, it was the repeated scene of equipment theft, eventually leading us to not store anything there at all. This meant that we were unable to provide canoes, kayaks, or standup paddleboards for events on the water. But an answer was found with a former park washroom building in 2022.
Set to be demolished, Paddle Manitoba looked at this former washroom building's location next to the canoe and kayak launch at the park, and our past security issues, and thought that perhaps it could take on another life. Eventually, Paddle Manitoba secured it's use to become our Paddling Centre.
The Paddling Centre is a place where we can meet and store equipment for our on the water activities and give a home to our mission of building and supporting an inclusive and respectful paddling community through safety education, skill development and environmental stewardship.
The Paddling Centre would not have been possible without the cooperation and assistance of the City of Winnipeg, area Councilors, Park Staff and Paddle Manitoba volunteers. Many thanks goes to them all.
Early in the life of the Paddling Centre.
The Paddling Centre after renovations.
Councillor Lukes getting a tour from President Colin Kyle on opening day.
OUR GOVERNANCE
Paddle Manitoba is a non-profit, incorporated association, and is governed by it's constitution, bylaws, policies, and code of conduct.
The activities of the organization are managed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with the executive and members-at-large elected for alternating two-year terms at the Paddle Manitoba Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year. The AGM is open to all and may be held in-person or virtually.
Paddle Manitoba Constitution and Bylaws
Paddle Manitoba Code of Conduct
2026 Paddle Manitoba AGM
Held in-person on February 26, 2026
St. James Legion, 1755 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB.
2026 Paddle Manitoba AGM Minutes - coming soon
2025 Paddle Manitoba Financial Statement
(available to members by request)
2026 Board of Directors
President
Colin Kyle
president.paddlemanitoba@gmail.com
Treasurer
Ross Goodmansson
treasurerpaddlemanitoba@gmail.com
Secretary
Nicole Desjardins
secretary.paddlemanitoba@gmail.com
Members-at-Large
Leo Lisogorsky
Bill Morgan
Paul Fields
Dusty Molinski
Jeff Vincent
Gary Fischer
Paddle Canada Representative - Manitoba Director
(Non-voting - Paddle Manitoba is a regional member of Paddle Canada)
Donna Kurt
OUR PAST PRESIDENTS
Paddle Manitoba has had many presidents over the years that have helped lead the organization forward in it's goals. A visual reminder of the many individuals that have volunteered their time is the "President's Paddle". Made of Birdseye Maple by Doug Ingram, of Red River Canoe and Paddle, it contains the signatures of all past presidents. Paddle Manitoba tradition sees it passed from an out-going president to an in-coming president at the AGM. Many thanks goes to them all for their time, energy, and commitment:
Dave Fletcher
Kathy Taylor-Hallick
Edward Owsiak
Donna R. Kurt
Perry McGregor
Frank Penner
Steven Fletcher
Marcel Ritchot
Julie Gold
Gerry Hirose
Cameron White
Cathrine Holman
Chris Randall
Kelly Stirling
Jeff Vincent
Colin Kyle (current)
Past President Jeff Vincent passing the President's Paddle to Colin Kyle.
The signatures of past Paddle Manitoba presidents on the President's Paddle.
OUR OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS
When individuals go above and beyond and provide exceptional contribution to the work and programs of Paddle Manitoba through their time and talents when they get involved, they are recognized with The Victoria Jason Award.
The Victoria Jason Award is named in honour of late Manitoba paddler Victoria Jason and her great accomplishment and determination in becoming the first woman to paddle solo through the Northwest Passage.
Many thanks are extended to all the past recipients that have helped make Paddle Manitoba better:
Charles Burchill
Jim MacKay
Donna R. Kurt
Dusty Molinski
Eric Gysleman
Cameron White
Crystal Hurd
Janice Pennington
Sharon Touchette
Jeff Vincent
Chris Randall
Any member of Paddle Manitoba may nominate a current or former member of the organization for this award by submitting a summary of the nominee’s contributions to the Paddle Manitoba President at any time of the year.
Submissions will be acknowledged and reviewed by the Board of Directors. Successful recipient(s) will be contacted by the President and the award presented at Paddle Manitoba’s AGM in February.
Jeff Vincent and Sharon Touchette receiving their awards.
OUR HONOURABLE MEMBERS
The membership of Paddle Manitoba has included several people that have achieved outstanding accomplishments in paddling. Paddle Manitoba recognizes them as honourable members.
1990 Donald "Don" Starkell
1992 William "Bill" Brigden
2003 Victoria Jason
Donald "Don" Starkell
December 7, 1932 – January 28, 2012
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he took up canoeing in his teens, and shortly after, the Kildonan Canoe Club named him “Most Outstanding Novice” when he was just 17. He competed professionally as a canoeist afterwards through the 1950s, later partnered with Bill Brigden. In 1967, as a member of the Manitoba team in the Expo 67 Centennial Voyageur Canoe Pageant Race from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, to Montreal, Quebec, he would help them win the race after a grueling effort of 104 days.
On June 1, 1980, he set out with his two sons from Winnipeg, Canada, to paddle to the mouth of the Amazon River at Belem, Brazil, in a specially built canoe by Bill Brigden. The expedition took him over two years to complete, and he faced numerous challenges along the way, including treacherous waters, adverse weather conditions, and encounters with unfriendly wildlife, and sometimes, people. He completed the trip on May 2, 1982. In 1986, he and his son Dana were entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for having completed the longest canoe journey ever at 19,603 kilometres (12,181 mi). In 1987, a chronicle of the voyage, Paddle to the Amazon, would be released.
Not content with his first epic expedition, Starkell decided to push the limits even further. He embarked on a kayak journey to trace the Northwest Passage in 1990 with Victoria Jason and Fred Reffler. Covering a distance of almost 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles), he faced the harsh conditions of the arctic, even losing the tops of his fingers and some toes. Eventually he finished alone just shy of his destination of Tuktoyaktuk, Nunavut. The trip would be covered in Paddle to the Arctic, published in 1995.
Don was awarded the Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement by the City of Winnipeg and the Order of Sport Excellence by the Province of Manitoba in 1982. This was followed by the Order of the Buffalo Hunt by the Province of Manitoba in 1983. Paddle Manitoba recognized him as an hourable member in 1990. The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame inducted him in 2006 in recognition of his all-round athletic excellence. A park in Winnipeg bears a plaque commemorating the launching point of his Amazon River adventure.
Plaque along Red River where Don began his paddle to the Amazon.
Covers of the book that chronicled his adventure to the Amazon.
Don (right) receiving his honourable membership from Paddle Manitoba in 1990.
Cover of the book of Don's adventures in the Arctic.
William "Bill" Brigden
April 11, 1916 - January 16, 2005
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he would join the Winnipeg Canoe Club, winning his first race in 1948 when he placed second in the 105 kilometre (65 mile) Les Voyageurs Annual Canoe Race from the Winnipeg Canoe Club to Lower Fort Garry and back. Over the next ten years, he would go on to win many trophies, cups, and crests in both short and long-distance races while paddling both canoes and kayaks. He received a club sweater from the Winnipeg Canoe Club in 1949, the highest award for gaining the highest number of points for racing. He was awarded the Order of Merit Plaque from the same club in 1949. During the 1950 season he won every event he entered at the Dominion Championships. In 1952, he and partner Jim Nickel went to the Summer Olympics in Oslo, Norway, competing in the K2 double blade event. 1955 and 1956 would see him and partner Don Starkell win two long-distance titles at the Gold Rush Canoe Race in Flin Flon, Manitoba. He continued to race, entering the Keewatin-Kenora Canoe race in 1980, coming a close second with his partner.
He also used his racing prowess to coach, including a crew for the Ladies War Boat Race in the Canadian Canoe Association (CCA) championship in 1953, and Morna Cammell and Cathy Flower for the CCA Ladies K2 competition in 1965 and 1966.
Outside of racing he was a skilled craftsman when it came to maintaining, and building, both competitive and recreational canoes and kayaks. He designed the canoes that he built and sold them at very reasonable prices, which made it possible for almost everyone that was interested to own one. Many of his canoes are still in service today and he did much to foster paddling in the province.
In 1992 The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame inducted him in recognition of his paddling excellence and Paddle Manitoba recognized him as an hourable member.
Name plate on the bow of a Bill Brigden canoe.
Victoria Jason
April 24, 1945 - May 20, 2000
Born in Durban, Manitoba, later living near Churchill, Manitoba. Her time there would begin a love of the North that never left her. She eventually came to Winnipeg, but the North would call her back. Taking up kayaking, she trained for a paddle through the entire Northwest Passage that would begin in 1991, with Don Starkell and Fred Reffler, at Churchill, Manitoba. She would finish this journey alone in 1994 at Tuktoyyaktuk, Nunavut, becoming the first woman do so. Covering a distance of almost 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles), she basked in the beauty and solitude, while facing the harsh dangers head-on. A book of this journey would follow in 1997, Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak.
Paddle Manitoba recognized her as an honourable member and renamed their volunteer award in her name in 2003. In 2004, a Winnipeg park was renamed in her honour, with a plaque added in 2006.
Sign at Victoria Jason Park in Winnipeg's Transcona neighbourhood.
Plaque at Victoria Jason Park.
Cover of her book about her Arctic adventures.