Member Equality Award

The Member Equality Award, while primarily geared toward governing bodies and leagues, is in recognition of any soccer organization (clubs included) that gives every member a seat and vote at the table and who have enshrined that equality into their governing documents - same rights and responsibilities for all.

Canada Soccer, its Provincial/Territorial Member Associations and the vast majority of sanctioned youth soccer leagues and clubs in Canada are not-for-profit organizations. The Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act requires them to have a system of elected governance whereby their members elect the people they want making decisions for them. This is how these organizations are held accountable to their members. Unfortunately, the Act does not require all members to be treated equally giving them a voice and a vote.

As a result, far too often in youth soccer across Canada we see a group of voters representing a minority of the soccer community making decisions for the entire soccer community. We have thousands of youth soccer players representing dozens, if not hundreds, of clubs across Canada who pay CSA fees, MA fees and league fees but have no representation or voice at any of these tables. Project #GrowTheGame would like to see the CSA and its MA's, all not-for-profit organizations, do more than the bare minimum they are mandated to by the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act.

Progress is the product of ideas and solutions, neither of which grow in echo-chambers. When we all have a voice at the table, good things happen and only then can we truly #growthegame.