2020Annual Report

2020 ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ORMALLY, AS I SIT DOWN TO PREPARE THIS RETURN TO PLAY GUIDELINES report, I can reflect on a recently completed season When the pandemic hit us toward the end of the 2019-20 Nthat went mostly according to plan — and, if we’ve curling season, our thoughts had already turned to how the been lucky, even better! Then I look forward to a coming 2020-21 season would look. As time went on, it became clear season with optimism and high hopes, and a firm plan in that the pandemic wasn’t going to be resolved any time soon, place for more successes. so we took a lead role in seeking ways for Canada’s curling Instead, as we all know, I’m reflecting on a season that centres to re-open in the fall in a safe, responsible manner. ended too abruptly and I’m looking forward to a season filled I’d like to make special note of the work done by Danny with unknowns. Lamoureux, Curling Canada’s director of club development Suffice to say, it is unsettling, and curling is hardly and event operations. Danny worked with club managers immune to that sense of unease as each day brings fresh and health officials across the country to produce a set of statistics, projections and, yes, grim news of the effects of the guidelines that has been distributed to all 14 of our member COVID-19 pandemic. associations. As a result of this work, we have seen curling And yet, since those tense days in mid-March when we centres opening their doors across Canada and welcoming realized our world had changed profoundly and that sport — back members to enjoy our sport safely. indeed, society as a whole in many ways — was about to be put on hold, I feel good about the work that has been done NEW TV DEAL collaboratively with our member associations since then in Our second Curling Day in Canada celebration was another order to get people back on to sheets of curling ice in a safe, success, focusing on the theme of inclusion. Our longtime responsible manner. broadcast partner, TSN, again did a wonderful job of telling Yes, there were difficult and, in some cases, unpopular the stories of curlers from across Canada and put our sport in decisions that had to be made. Be assured, none of those the best possible light. decisions was made without consultation and without A highlight of the day was the announcement of a long-term putting the safety and best interests of curlers and extension of our partnership with Bell Media, which will see volunteers first. Season of Champions events continue to be broadcast by TSN These are, indeed, strange times, but I’m extremely proud and RDS for another eight years. This, of course, is wonderful of the efforts that have been made to get through them, and news and I’m looking forward to seeing what TSN and RDS I know that when we return to normalcy, our sport will be have in store for the presentation of Season of Champions better as a result of the work that has been done by all of us. events going forward. Here are some highlights from the past 12 months: Our partners at the World Curling Federation have also agreed that we can continue to host a World Curling #KEEPCURLING Championship each year for the next eight years. In the spring, as we started grasping the new realities brought about by the pandemic, our challenge was to keep GENDER EQUITY people talking or thinking about curling, but in a safe When I joined Curling Canada in 2016, one of my priorities environment. was to see our female athletes on equal footing with their male In collaboration with our marketing agency, Cossette, we counterparts. It should be noted that in many ways Curling created commercials that featured Canadians finding ways Canada was already a leader in this area; broadcast time for to curl at home. The commercials were featured prominently male and female athletes is equal, both in terms of broadcast during encore broadcasts on TSN of notable past Season lengths and prominence, and in Curling Canada events of Champions games and were extremely well-received. featuring both genders under one roof, prize payouts have The #KeepCurling hashtag was very well-utilized and been equal since Day 1 — far in advance of any other curling succeeded in sending the message that curling is important events that feature both genders. to Canadians, and that it was important to do your part and But this past season, after years of hard work with our stay safely at home. many stakeholders, we were able to announce that prize 2 payouts at both the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the SEASON OF CHAMPIONS Tim Hortons Brier would be equal for the first time. This Before the onset of COVID-19, our Season of Champions was a significant step forward and it places Curling Canada events had proven again to be another success, both in in a leading position in Canadian sports in the area of terms of live attendance and television ratings, which gender equity. were up 14 per cent this year. We staged the Home Hardware Canada Cup in Leduc, Alberta; the OK Tire & SAFE SPORT BKT Tires Continental Cup in London, Ontario; the Scotties This is one of those areas that doesn’t get talked about on Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and the TSN broadcasts but is absolutely crucial for a national sport Tim Hortons Brier, presented by AGI, in Kingston, Ontario. organization. I’m pleased to report that Curling Canada has Before the pandemic forced its cancellation, the World been extremely active in making sure that our athletes and Women’s Curling Championship, scheduled for Prince coaches can consider themselves safe and secure. We have George, British Columbia, was tracking to be another adopted a Universal Code of Conduct and put in place a success story. suite of policies that make it very clear to all that curling is As always, while the athletes get the headlines — and a safe environment. Our staff and board have all completed justifiably so — the efforts and dedication of on-site Safe Sport training. We’re extremely proud of the work that volunteers and staff behind the scenes are equally was done in this area and we will continue to make it a high important to the success of those events. Their hard work priority for our organization. inspires me, and I’m truly thankful for them. INTERNATIONAL RESULTS THE YEAR AHEAD While the pandemic forced cancellation of the World Men’s, So, as I noted above, this is normally where I’d talk about World Women’s and World Mixed Doubles championships, a sense of excitement and optimism as we look forward to teams wearing the Maple Leaf had already put together a a new season. These, of course, are not normal times. And wonderful season, thanks in no small part to the leadership yet, that sense of excitement and optimism is still with me. of Gerry Peckham, our high performance director, and his I will be back on the ice at my club in Toronto; many of you amazing team of coaches and performance consultants. will be returning to the ice in your hometowns. There is Canadian teams won gold at the World Mixed (four-player) hard work to be done, but if nothing else, the summer of championship and the Winter Youth Olympic Games mixed 2020 has shown us the value of collaboration and working doubles event, as well as sweeping the men’s and women’s towards shared goals. We will get through this, and our gold medals at the World Junior Curling Championships. sport will endure, thrive and be better. Additionally, our wheelchair program made significant strides, winning the World B Pool gold medal to re-qualify for Katherine Henderson the World Wheelchair Curling Championship, and then Chief Executive Officer going on to win a silver medal at that world event in Curling Canada Switzerland. All in all, a wonderful season for Team Canada! MISSION VISION To inspire and lead all We aspire to inspire and system that allows them to Canadians, from playground lead Canadians from the achieve their personal goals. to podium, to make curling a playground to the podium, in We will employ a financial part of their lives in the way a safe, inclusive and healthy model that invests in and that they enjoy it most by environment. Curling will be a supports our national goals fostering an environment and part of Canadians’ lives in the and whose strength is based in system that allows them to way that they enjoy it most by understanding and delivering achieve their personal goals. fostering an environment and curling growth and excellence. 3 AND SUPPORT SERVICES NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF KATHERINE HENDERSON MARYLOU MORRIS Chief executive officer Director, client services, national marketing BRODIE BAZINET GERRY PECKHAM Foundation manager Director, high performance AL CAMERON JUSTIN PERRY Director, communication Director, information services and media relations and technology STEPHANIE CARBONETTE HELEN RADFORD Comptroller Manager, youth curling and Next Generation RACHEL DELANEY Co-ordinator, club development KAREN RYAN and event operations Executive assistant LOUISE DELORME LOUISE SAUVÉ Co-ordinator, national athlete Administrative co-ordinator services and coaching CASEY SWEENEY KYLE JAHNS Manager, finance reporting and Manager, communication strategic projects and media relations NOLAN THIESSEN DANNY LAMOUREUX Director, broadcast marketing, innovation Director, club development and event presentation and athlete liaison and event operations JOANNE VIAU ROBYN MATTIE Co-ordinator, financial services Manager, event operations BILL MERKLINGER Chief operating officer SEASON OF CHAMPIONS SPONSORSHIP, MARKETING AND EVENT SERVICES

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